Sophia Michaels
K-pop group Blackpink debuted in 2016 and swiftly became one of the hottest girl groups on the planet, selling millions of albums over the years. Their second album, “Born Pink,” made its mark on Billboard history as the first album by a girl group to go No. 1 on the Billboard 200 since 2008. Their hit songs like “Boombayah” and “Kill This Love” are mainstays on fans’ playlists. And — perhaps most of all — fans adore Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo, and Rosé’s friendships with one another, which have often been put on display in live streams and vlogs and on stage at their sold-out stadium tours.
But now the group are nearing the end of their seven-year contract with YG Entertainment, and news regarding their contract renewals and official word on their future as a group has been slow. All of this has some fans wondering, are Blackpink disbanding? Ahead, we break down everything we know about the future of Blackpink.
Blackpink’s Contract End Date
Because Blackpink debuted in 2016, their seven-year contract with YG Entertainment is widely believed to expire at the end of 2023.
Did Blackpink Renew Their Contract?
South Korean news outlet Sports Seoul reported on Sept. 21 that while Rosé has reportedly renewed her contract with YG, the remaining three members have not and are considering lucrative offers from other labels. Meanwhile, YG Entertainment said in a statement (via Reuters) that talks to renew “contracts are still ongoing and nothing has been confirmed.”
Are Blackpink Disbanding in 2023?
If Blackpink members don’t renew their contracts with YG Entertainment, will that mean the group is effectively over? No, not necessarily.
At Blackpink’s “Born Pink” world tour encore finale concert in Seoul on Sept. 17, Jennie told fans at the end of the show (via AllKPop), “We will continue to be the Blackpink you love,” which suggests that whether they all sign with YG or not, they still intend to continue performing as a group.
In fact, Sports Seoul reports that the remaining three members of Blackpink are in “last-minute discussions” to nail out a “‘separate yet together’ strategy,” where the members can sign deals with other labels but commit to continuing to work together as a group for a significant portion of the year moving forward. Groups like Mamamoo and Super Junior continue to make music together under these terms.
YG Entertainment reps did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment on Blackpink’s contract renewals.
