‘Big Stars’ Are Coming···BTS·Blackpink's Comeback Countdown - 경향신문
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The group BTS. Courtesy of BigHit Music
After the year-end awards season wrapped, the K-pop scene, which had taken a brief breather, is stretching again. This month Blackpink, followed next month by BTS returning as a full group, are the ‘big stars’ expected to lead a K-pop golden era this year. In particular, Blackpink is undertaking a large-scale collaboration project with the National Museum of Korea (NMK), while BTS is set to start from within Gyeongbokgung and take the comeback stage at Gwanghwamun, drawing attention. In doing so, the two groups are stepping up as ambassadors to introduce Korea's traditional cultural heritage to the world.
Blackpink will release its third mini-album <Deadline (DEADLINE)> on the 27th. It is their first album in 3 years and 5 months since the second full-length <Born Pink (BORN PINK)> in 2022. The album contains five tracks in total, including the title track ‘GO’ and the pre-release song ‘Jump (JUMP)’, as well as ‘Me and my’, ‘Champion’, and ‘Fxxxboy’.
The group Blackpink. Courtesy of YG Entertainment
During the group's hiatus, the Blackpink members were active as soloists. In particular, Ros recorded a global hit with the duet ‘Apartment’ (APT.) with pop star Bruno Mars. She went on to win two awards at the ‘2025 MTV Video Music Awards’ (MTV VMA), one of the United States' four major popular music award shows, and was nominated for the top Grammy Awards general-field categories ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Record of the Year’.
The collaboration project with the NMK that Blackpink will present from the 26th to the 8th of next month is also drawing attention. The members will participate as voice guides (audio docents) for eight signature artifacts of the NMK, and the museum's exterior will be bathed in Blackpink's symbolic pink to commemorate the collaboration. Starting on the 26th, the day before the album release, a listening session will reportedly be set up in front of the Gwanggaeto Stele along the Path of History in the NMK's main lobby, where visitors can preview tracks from the new album.
BTS will return on the 20th of next month with its fifth full-length album <Arirang (ARIRANG)>. It is their first new release in about 3 years and 9 months since the anthology (selected works) album <Proof (Proof)>, released in 2022. The album contains 14 tracks capturing universal emotions such as the team's identity, longing, and deep love.
Poster announcing the collaboration between the National Museum of Korea and Blackpink (left), and poster for BTS's comeback event ‘BTS The City Arirang Seoul’. Courtesy of the National Museum of Korea and BigHit
At 8 p.m. on the 21st of next month, one day after unveiling the new song, BTS will hold a free comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. They are reportedly considering a plan to start from within Gyeongbokgung, pass through Gwanghwamun and Woldae, and perform on a stage installed at the northern starting point of Gwanghwamun Square. The Gwanghwamun performance will be broadcast live worldwide via Netflix. It will be the first time a major event held in Korea is livestreamed on Netflix to more than 190 countries around the world.
After completing their military service in sequence, beginning with the eldest member Jin, BTS has been meeting fans through solo activities. At member J-Hope's solo concert held on the 12th anniversary of BTS's debut last year, J-Hope, Jin, and Jungkook took the stage together, offering a partial group performance for the first time in 2 years and 8 months.
The comebacks of BTS and Blackpink are significant in that they continue to work ‘separately yet together’. They have avoided the old K-pop group jinx whereby, after achieving a certain level of success as a group, members would scatter. While maintaining group affiliation, they have succeeded in solo activities as well, breaking the unwritten rule that ‘united we live, divided we die’. One industry insider described the fact that these artists, already successful on their own, are coming together as a full unit as “a service for the fans who have cherished them so far”.
Scene from Blackpink's Tokyo Dome concert held on January 20. Yonhap News
Popular culture critic Lim Heon-sik analyzed, “BTS and Blackpink are presenting a one-of-a-kind idol model that simultaneously pursues individual and full-group activities,” adding, “While doing both in parallel, the members' recognition and capabilities have further expanded. They are likely to see good results at the Grammy Awards as well.”
Anticipation in the music industry is higher than ever ahead of the comebacks of the two groups that represent K-pop. Many expect this will be an opportunity to sustain the heightened global fan interest sparked by last year's success of the Netflix animated film <K-pop Demon Hunters> (Kedeheon).
Popular music critic Kim Yun-ha said, “The comebacks of BTS and Blackpink are highly likely to create a ripple effect that raises interest in K-pop itself,” adding, “Regardless of success or failure, their activities have such large industrial effects, including tours, that the industry as a whole will be revitalized.”
However, with a K-pop golden era seemingly t hand, some say it is time to take stock of where K-pop stands and consider its way forward. In reality, while BTS and Blackpink were away, no star group of comparable stature emerged to replace them.
The explosive success of the <Kedeheon> original soundtrack (OST), produced overseas and distributed by Netflix, also posed the fundamental question, “What is K-pop?” Given that K-pop goes beyond a mere music genre to play a role in promoting Korea, some argue that the government, academia, and the music industry need to put their heads together and share views on an ongoing basis.
