Blackpink’s 10th anniversary overshadowed by fan backlash, apologies
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Blackpink members (from left) Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo and Rose during their 10th anniversary meeting with fans at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on Aug 8.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM LALALALISA_M/INSTAGRAM
SEOUL – Blackpink marked 10 years since their debut on Aug 8, reuniting to meet fans and go live online, but the celebration came with repeated apologies over how the anniversary was handled.
YG Entertainment first announced the event on Aug 6 – just two days before – saying it would hold an in-person gathering “somewhere in Seoul” for 40 paying Weverse members.
It did not confirm which members would attend, adding the caveat that only those “available by schedule” would take part, and the application window stayed open for just nine hours. The compressed timeline and vague details left many with the impression that the event had been put together at the last minute.
All four members ultimately attended the “Meet & Greet” fan event held that afternoon on Aug 8 at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Only 40 fans, selected through a lottery, were able to attend – a number which many felt was too small given the significance of a 10th anniversary.
Blackpink’s Jisoo addressed that disappointment directly in a post to the group’s fan community.
“This anniversary feels like a day full of regret,” she wrote. “Knowing how many Blinks are upset weighs heavily on me.
“I haven’t forgotten that it’s Blink who made Blackpink shine like this. I’m sorry again for the disappointment I’ve caused, and I’m always grateful and love you.”
Before the fan event, all four members appeared together on a Weverse livestream.
There, Jisoo acknowledged the criticism more directly, saying: “I originally wanted to see so many of you, and I knew this was an important day – our 10th anniversary.
“I think there was a problem in communication. I wanted this to be a happy occasion, but I’m sorry to the Blinks who feel let down. I hope you know that I love you.”
In footage later circulated online, Jisoo was seen getting into a car and taking handwritten letters from fans one by one, appearing to well up and wipe away tears as she read them.
Jennie shared a photo of all four members together on social media, thanking fans for their support. Rose reflected on the group’s journey, thanking fans for staying with them “from my debut at 19 to today, at 29”.
Lisa echoed the sentiment, writing: “Thank you truly, and I love you, for always being with us through these 10 long years.”
To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Blackpink unveiled the Blackpink Heritage Collection, a seven-item merchandise line developed with MU:DS, the National Museum of Korea’s official goods brand.
The collaboration builds on a partnership the group first struck with the museum in February, around the release of their Deadline EP – billed at the time as the first large-scale museum collaboration by a K-pop act.
Blackpink debuted on Aug 8, 2016, with the tracks Whistle and Boombayah. In the decade since, the group have topped both the US Billboard charts and the UK Official Charts, expanding their footprint across the global music market.
In 2023, the members signed an exclusive group contract with YG Entertainment while continuing individual projects through their own respective labels, balancing solo ventures with group activities.
In 2025, Blackpink released their third mini album, Deadline and completed a world tour in support of it. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
