BLACKPINK: What You Need to Know About K-Pop's Biggest Girl Group

The four-member South Korean girl band — who get their name from the mixture of tough "black" and flirty "pink" of their songs — have been global superstars since the release of their 2016 single "Boombayah." And, in 2023, the group is rumored to be Coachella headliners, where they would reportedly make history as the first K-pop headlining act.

Why are they called BLACKPINK?

Formed by YG Entertainment under the famous K-pop trainee system in South Korea, the members auditioned with the entertainment agency to become students or "trainees," hoping to one day make their debut as recording artists. When BLACKPINK debuted, their label YG Entertainment said the name intends to convey that the group embodies more than beauty — there's a toughness, too.

"The meaning of BLACKPINK aims to contradict the common perception of the color pink," the statement read. "Pink is commonly used to portray prettiness, but BLACKPINK actually means to say that 'Pretty isn't everything.' It also symbolizes that they are a team that encompasses not only beauty but also great talent."

How is BLACKPINK different from other K-pop groups?

Between their debut in 2016 and the 2020 release of The Album, BLACKPINK released fewer than two dozen songs, all singles. Despite the small discography, the group's glam look and fun choreography were quickly replicated by other K-pop groups and fans in their social media videos.

The most significant part of BLACKPINK's popularity lies in the group's undeniable stage presence and their songs and bilingual lyrics, which talk about independence and vulnerability. BLACKPINK is also known for their video styling or "concepts" for each song. Where some K-pop videos might have two or three concepts in their music videos, BLACKPINK will often have five or six completely different concepts (complete with varying hair colors and clothing) featured in their video.

Who are the members of BLACKPINK?

Jisoo

Kim Jisoo is a singer who is often referred to as "adorable" by BLINKs (the official name of BLACKPINK fans). She's known for her steadiness and composure — and for balancing random objects on her head or shoulders. Previous videos showed her with a cup or an award on her head. Jisoo acted in commercials before BLACKPINK and has starred on the JTBC historical K-drama series Snowdrop (also available to stream on Disney+) since December 2021. Although she is the only member who does not speak English fluently, the singer speaks Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

During a 2019 appearance on The Late Show with James Corden, Jisoo's unflappable calm impressed the host.

Jisoo will soon be in familiar company with the rest of her bandmates with the release of her long-awaited solo album, which is expected later in 2023 after BLACKPINK's rumored headlining performance at Coachella.

YG Entertainment issued a statement in January 2023, confirming the exciting news.

"BLACKPINK's Jisoo is currently working hard on recording her solo album. While carrying out a busy world tour schedule since last year, she finished the album jacket photo shoot and worked on music production whenever she got the time in order to keep the promise with fans. She will greet fans soon with good news."

Jennie

Kim Jennie was in the trainee program for nearly six years — the longest of the members. Jennie lived in New Zealand before moving back to South Korea in 2010 and speaks fluent English, Korean and Japanese. She was the first member of BLACKPINK to release an individual track in 2018 titled "SOLO."

In 2021, Jennie was named the new face of Hera, a Seoul-based beauty company. She is set to make her acting debut in 2023 opposite Lily-Rose Depp on the HBO drama The Idol under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane. The series is co-created by singer The Weeknd and Euphoria writer and director Sam Levinson.

Rosé

Park Chaeyoung (Rosé) was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia — where she auditioned for YG Entertainment. Rosé is fluent in English and learned Korean after moving to South Korea to participate in the trainee program. She is the group's main singer, and fans claim her distinct voice is easily recognizable. On a promotional appearance for The Album, Rosé impressed fans (and Shakira herself) with her impressive take on the 2010 song "Waka Waka."

Rosé released her solo album, R, in March 2021, featuring the songs "On the Ground" and "Gone."

Lisa

Lalisa Pranpriya Manoban (also spelled Manobal) is known for both her rap and dance skills. Born and raised in Thailand, Lisa (like Rosé) learned Korean after moving to South Korea in 2011. Lisa also speaks English and Japanese. During promo appearances, Lisa often showcases her impromptu dancing skills, creating viral moments for the group.

Lisa released her debut single album, LALISA, in September 2021, which features the songs "Lalisa" and "Money." The title song's music video won the MTV Video Music Award for best K-pop video in 2022 and was honored by Guinness World Records as the "most viewed YouTube music video by a solo artist in 24 hours" and "most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a solo K-pop artist."

Lisa shared with Billboard how she chose the two songs for her album.

"I heard 'Money' first and told Teddy, 'Oh my God, Teddy oppa, I have to do this song, I want this to be my solo song.' And he was like, 'OK, let's do it!' And then we heard [an early version of] 'Lalisa,' but the hook was another thing," she said. "Teddy had the idea to put my name in the hook. At first, I was like, 'Whaaa … I think it's kind of weird to keep repeating my name. How's it going to sound?' And then we tried it, and it came out so cool. I really like it."

How long has BLACKPINK been together?

BLACKPINK debuted in 2016 with the mini album Square One, which consisted of only two songs — "Whistle" and "Boombayah." The debut was heavily promoted in the K-pop scene as BLACKPINK was the first girl group from YG Entertainment in seven years. "Boombayah" galloped straight out of the gate to hit No. 1 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, and their popularity continued with additional releases in the following year.

In 2018, BLACKPINK made headlines again with their single "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" from the EP Square Up. A few months later, the group branched out by working with Dua Lipa on the track "Kiss and Make Up."

YG Entertainment positioned BLACKPINK for a global market by partnering with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group in October 2018. BLACKPINK then focused on the U.S. market with performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Good Morning America and the 2019 Coachella music festival.

What about BLACKPINK songs?

For an introduction to BLACKPINK music, start with their debut single, "Boombayah." The video for the song has an upbeat and fun girls-night-out vibe (ending in a party at a retro roller-skating rink). The video offers viewers a peek at the group's impending stardom with sharp choreography and a flair for visuals.

Next, move on to "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" — the 2018 comeback single is a rapid-fire whirlwind of tough-girl cool. Follow up with "Whistle," "As If It's Your Last," "Lovesick Girls" and "Playing With Fire," each of which has introspective melodies with lyrics full of love, eagerness and passion.

On the other hand, the 2020 track "Ice Cream," featuring Selena Gomez, is a rare sexy song from the group, showcasing double entendre lyrics against a hypnotic beat. Check out the animated version of the video to see BLACKPINK rendered as Zepeto — an app that allows users to turn themselves into 3D animated characters.

"Pretty Savage" and "Crazy Over You" from the band's debut album highlight the group's vocal prowess, with maple syrup smooth lyrics against a can't-get-it-out-of-your-head melody. "Bet You Wanna," featuring Cardi B, is a fun song for the brand, with bubblegum pop lyrics meant for summertime pool parties or dancing in the kitchen while you make dinner.

End with fan favorites "Kill This Love" and "How You Like That" to see how the group has grown into its own: The two songs showcase girl power, sick beats and in-your-face optimism.

Once you've added those tracks to your playlist, listen to BLACKPINK's 2022 album, BORN PINK, featuring the singles "Pink Venom" and "Shut Down," which both hit No. 1 on Billboard's Global 200 chart.

What does "BLACKPINK in your area" mean?

The band's signature phrase, first uttered in their debut song, "Boombayah," declares the group's global domination plan. With every new song, BLACKPINK teases snippets of new concepts, hair colors and clothing. And the publicity has paid off. The group now has amassed over 83 million subscribers and counting on its YouTube channel — with the video for "Kill This Love" reaching over 1.7 billion views as of January 2023.

Loyal fans count everything from each member's line distribution on songs to who keeps the center position in the choreography. BLACKPINK, eager to give the fans what they want, often uploads practice videos of the group practicing their choreography, like the popular instructional video for "Lovesick Girls."

Fans also flock to what's known as "fancams" — concert videos that focus on one member of the group's performance. Search for "BLACKPINK fancam" on YouTube, and you'll find dozens of videos from their live performances, each highlighting one member at a time. The popularity of BLACKPINK means new business ventures for its members: Jisoo has worked as a Dior ambassador, Jennie for Chanel, Rosé for Saint Laurent and Lisa for Celine.

Netflix also paired with BLACKPINK to air their 2020 documentary BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky — a look behind the scenes of the band's inner workings. For a peek into the (almost) off-duty personality of the band, look for "BLACKPINK 24 365" on YouTube. The program, a reference to a line from their song "Whistle," was set in a Big Brother-type camera-outfitted house and was a hub where the bandmates lived during promotional periods surrounding new singles.

Don't speak Korean? Fan-produced videos are here to help, with a color-coded who's-singing-this-line guide to lyrics in Korean, Korean-to-English translation and English.