K-pop girl group Blackpink return with new EP Deadline after more than 3 years
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A fan holds postcards of Blackpink's Deadline release at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, South Korea on Feb 27, 2026.
PHOTO: EPA
SEOUL – K-pop superstars Blackpink released their new extended play (EP) Deadline on Feb 27, the first release from the group in more than three years since their second full-length album in 2022.
The National Museum of Korea in central Seoul was bathed in pink lights to mark the release. More than 300 fans had lined up in the atrium of the museum on Feb 27, set up as a listening zone for the five tracks of the EP.
The four-member girl group’s global following has helped it set records. Earlier in February, Blackpink became the first artiste in the world
The band was also the first K-pop group to headline Coachella and the British Summer Time concerts.
“These days, even when I’m walking on the street, at a clothing store, restaurant, or cafe, I hear K-pop,” said Ms Ko Seon-a, a 20-year-old Korean woman living in Japan who had come to the museum on Feb 27.
A view of illuminated colours of Blackpink on the wall of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb 27, 2026.
PHOTO: EPA
The five tracks on the new EP include the title track Go and the pre-released electronic dance music (EDM) track Jump.
All four members renewed their contracts in 2023 with their agency but have also established their own agencies or signed different deals for solo activities.
They have all pursued solo projects, including member Rose’s chart-topping 2025 single Apt with Bruno Mars.
Some fans hoped that the global popularity of K-pop acts such as Blackpink also contributed to a wider enjoyment of Korean culture.
“I hope that Korean traditional culture will be known through K-pop,” said Mr Kwon Hyeok-jae, a 30-year-old man who was dressed in a pink traditional Korean costume called hanbok. REUTERS
