After signing an extension contract with YG Entertainment for their group activities, members of K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK have decided not to renew their separate individual contracts with the K-Pop agency.
That’s according to a brief statement issued by YG to local media on December 29, 2023.
“BLACKPINK recently renewed their contracts with YG for their group activities, and we have agreed not to proceed with additional contracts for [the members’] individual activities,” YG said.
“We will do our utmost to support BLACKPINK’s activities, and we will cheer on the members’ individual activities with warm hearts,” the agency added.
The news confirms earlier reports that BLACKPINK’s members — Jisoo (Kim Ji-soo), Lisa (Lalisa Manobal), Jennie (Kim Jennie) and Rose (Roseanne Park) — would not renew their exclusive individual contracts with YG, but would continue group activities as BLACKPINK under the label.
On December 6, 2023, the girl group quashed speculation that they would sign with another agency as a group after YG disclosed that BLACKPINK signed an exclusive group contract with the company.
“BLACKPINK recently renewed their contracts with YG for their group activities, and we have agreed not to proceed with additional contracts for [the members’] individual activities.”
YG ENtertainment
“We are happy to continue our relationship with BLACKPINK. We will do our best to help BLACKPINK shine even brighter in the global music market in the future,” YG Founder Yang Hyun-suk was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency at the time.
That deal sent YG’s shares jumping 25.6% in Seoul trading at the time. The latest news led to a 6.6% drop in the company’s shares on Tuesday (January 2).
Meanwhile, Allkpop reported that Jisoo has signed a solo contract under the management of her brother’s agency, Blissoo. Blissoo is a spinoff entertainment startup under Biomom, where his brother serves as CEO.
Jisoo’s photo was recently used in a Blisoo ad looking for new hires, Allkpop said.
Separately, Jennie launched her own record label called Odd Atelier in November 2023, describing it as “a space that aims to create new things that attract attention in a different way from what is usual or expected.”
“We will do our utmost to support BLACKPINK’s activities, and we will cheer on the members’ individual activities with warm hearts.”
YG ENtertainment
“I’m… excited about what’s to come, as I start my solo journey in 2024 with a company that I have established called OA. Please show lots of love for my new start with OA and of course BLACKPINK,” Jennie said on her social media at the time.
Each of the four BLACKPINK members explored individual career paths in recent years, with Lisa and Rose launching solo albums in 2021, and Jisoo making her solo debut in March 2023. Jennie also released a solo album in 2018, followed with a new single in the past year.
Established by YG Entertainment in August 2016, BLACKPINK has attained global recognition, securing various awards such as the 2023 MTV Video Music Award for Group of the Year and making history as the first K-Pop act to headline Coachella.
The group has built a dedicated fanbase, boasting nearly 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, over 92 million YouTube subscribers, and nearly 58 million followers on Instagram.
In a venture into the metaverse, BLACKPINK hosted a virtual concert that drew 15.7 million viewers on PUBG Mobile last year. They have also entered the virtual realm on Roblox through a collaboration with metaverse studio Karta, offering a recent immersive experience to their audience.
Music Business Worldwide