YG, please make sure BLACKPINK's in it for the long run
New girl group is set for success - if the label manages it right
Within a week of their debut, rookie female quartet Blackpink have become the latest obsession of K-pop fans around the world, myself included.
Entertainment website Koreaboo reported that their new single Whistle achieved the "perfect all-kill" - an individual song topping all major music charts in South Korea - beating out girl groups GFriend and Twice.
Formed by record label giant YG Entertainment, home to established veterans such as Psy, BigBang and 2NE1, Blackpink faced sky-high expectations.
Ever since the announcement about their August debut last month, there has been a lot of hype about the members' multicultural backgrounds.
Jisoo, 21, is South Korean. Jennie, 20, who grew up in New Zealand, and Rose, 19, who is Australia-born, are both of Korean heritage. Lisa, 19, is Thai.
I am drawn to Blackpink because they remind me so much of the youthful zest and nonconformist attitude their seniors 2NE1 brought to the K-pop scene circa 2009.
If you liked 2NE1's early tunes Fire, Go Away and I Am The Best, you will be charmed by Blackpink's similarly bold, punchy brand of music.
Likewise, Blackpink's colourful videos - for Whistle and another single BoomBaYah - see the members sporting edgy, flamboyant clothes.
No offence to GFriend and Twice, but I think we've had enough of doll-faced groups who play up the innocent, cutesy factor. Blackpink is the refreshing change we need.
Hopefully, YG will manage Blackpink with the singular aim of longevity. These girls need to run a marathon, not a 50m sprint.
For all of 2NE1's past successes, they fizzled out after their 2014 studio album Crush.
JEOPARDY
Park Bom's alleged involvement in drug smuggling put the entire team in jeopardy, and after a long hiatus, Minzy, perhaps frustrated by the lack of work, quit the group in April.
Another YG-managed boy band Winner made a fantastic debut in 2014 with hit single Empty.
But YG failed to strike while the iron was hot. Winner's EP, Exit: E, was released 18 months later, when the buzz had died down.
To make things worse, promotional activities for Exit: E wrapped up in just a month, an inexplicably short time frame for a K-pop act.
Blackpink has immense potential to evolve into A-list stars and trendsetting icons.
The only thing YG needs to do is grow and market them right.
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