It was a busy Christmas weekend for Blackpink, with members of the chart-topping K-pop group variously releasing Britney Spears covers, establishing nebulous new companies, and teasing upcoming virtual appearances.
The group — which, along with BTS, has been the face of much of K-pop’s recent international takeover — renewed its contract with South Korean Entertainment agency YG Entertainment earlier this month. While that contract renewal meant that Blackpink will continue to exist as a recording and touring unit, the group’s members have wasted little time establishing their own individual ventures.
Most immediately, Blackpink member Lisa unveiled a surprise cover of the Britney Spears holiday song “My Only Wish (This Year)” on Dec. 24. First released on Spears’ 2000 album Platinum Christmas, the song has birthed international versions before, with Brazilian singer Xuxa releasing a Portuguese version in 2009, and members of Korean boy band NCT covering the song in 2019.
“Christmas present for my Blinks, have a wonderful holiday,” Lisa wrote on Instagram, linking to a Paris-shot music video for the song. ("Blinks" is a reference to Blackpink super-fans, for those of you pretending you didn’t know that.)
Though Blackpink will continue to exist as a group, individual members have been launching solo initiatives.
Meanwhile, Lisa’s bandmate Jennie has been busy with some longer-term initiatives. The singer announced the launch of her own company, called OA, with an Instagram post.
“This year was filled with many accomplishments, and I’m so thankful for all the love I’ve received,” Jennie wrote. “I’m also (thankful) 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. Thank you.”
While it is not clear exactly what the parameters of the new venture will be, a newly created Instagram page for the company explains (in a way), that OA, “which stands for Odd Atelier, is a space that aims to create new things that attract attention in a different way from what is usual or expected.” Fans can decide for themselves exactly what that means, though the account also shared black-and-white photos of hoodies emblazoned with the company’s logo, which may conceivably be made available for purchase at some future date.
Jennie had recently made in-roads in the U.S. outside the confines of Blackpink, making her acting debut with a role in HBO’s controversial (and since cancelled) music business satire series The Idol.
Members of Blackpink meet a fan in November of 2023.
As for the group itself, Blackpink also teased the full group’s upcoming VR appearance on Facebook’s Meta Horizon Worlds, which will take place (checks calendar) tonight! Blackpink: A VR Encore will feature a performance from the group’s recent world tour, watchable through the Oculus VR headset.
Thus concludes Q's roundup of the weekend in Blackpink news.
For those of you just joining us, Blackpink's debut LP, The Album, reached No. 2 in both the US and the UK in 2020, with 2022 follow-up Born Pink reaching No. 1 in both countries. According to parent company YG Entertainment (with whom, you'll recall from the second paragraph, Blackpink recently renewed its contract), Blackpink’s most recent world tour was attended by 2.1 million people. In November, King Charles III gave the group’s four members honorary Order of the British Empire medals.
Earlier this spring, Blackpink became the first Asian act to headline California's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
