NOTHING has been confirmed about K-pop girl group BLACKPINK’s contract renewal, according to the quartet’s management company, YG Entertainment.
Denying a local report that Rose is the only member to maintain partnership with YG, the company said it is still in negotiations with the members.
Last Thursday, Korean media outlet the Daily Sports Seoul reported that the three BLACKPINK members — Jennie, Jisoo and Lisa — would join new agencies without extending their contracts with YG. It added that Jisoo and Lisa will receive tens of billions of won as a down payment, and that the members are discussing whether they would be able to perform as BLACKPINK six months per year even after leaving YG.
This year marks the seventh anniversary of BLACKPINK’s debut, arriving on the K-pop scene in August, 2016. Given that it is one of the marquee names in the K-pop world, all eyes of the industry insiders are currently on the future of the group.
The uncertainties surrounding BLACKPINK have dealt a crushing blow to YG. After reports of alleged disagreements in contract renewal discussions over the week, YG Entertainment’s stocks dropped 13 per cent on Thursday, CNBC reported.
In early September, YG stocks dropped nine per cent when Korean media reported that Lisa might leave the group.
The quartet performed their final Born Pink world tour concert in Seoul, a show that many fans speculated could be their last as a group. During the concert, online users noticed that the members were all visibly emotional when sharing their thank-you messages to superfans known as Blinks.
BLACKPINK, best known for its hits like “How You Like That” (2020), recently wrapped up its second world tour, which is the largest-ever world tour for a K-pop girl group. It drew 1.8 million concertgoers worldwide.
