Where Did BLACKPINK’s Name Come From and Why Did They Choose These 2 Colors Specifically?
K-pop has been attracting a lot of attention these days, with BLACKPINK being one of the artists to watch. The girl group debuted in 2016 and has since exploded in popularity all over the world. While there are a lot of people who enjoy BLACKPINK’s music, not everyone knows where the group’s name came from. So what is the meaning behind ‘BLACKPINK’ and why were these two colors chosen?
BLACKPINK originally had a different name
Before BLACKPINK debuted, their company, YG Entertainment, originally had a different name in mind for the group: PINK PUNK.
In 2017, the group shared in an interview that their CEO, Yang Hyun-suk, eventually had a different idea in mind. “One of our tentative names was PINK PUNK, but he made the ‘Pink’ part cooler and made it BLACKPINK,” the members said, according to Soompi.
In fact, PINK PUNK also was supposed to have nine members. However, five of those trainees later left YG Entertainment.
Why were the colors black and pink chosen for ‘BLACKPINK’?
In a recent interview with Access, BLACKPINK went into detail about the origin of their name. First, Jennie and Rosé explained that they wanted a one-word name that would describe who they are.
Jennie, then, elaborated that they wanted to find a color that was a combination of black and pink. She said, “If there was a color mixed with black and pink, like in the right amount, then we would have gone with that color. But we couldn’t find that.”
“We just put [the words ‘black’ and ‘pink’] together and made one word with it,” Rosé added.
As for why the two colors specifically, Jennie shared that they represent the members’ diverse array of talents. “We wanted to express the diversity of the group… and the different genres we could do and show you guys,” she said.
In 2016, a rep from YG Entertainment also reveals that the group’s name is also a way to contrast black with pink. According to Allkpop, the message read, “The meaning of Black Pink aims to contradict the common perception of the color pink. Pink is commonly used to portray prettiness, but Black Pink actually means to say that ‘Pretty isn’t everything’. It also symbolizes that they are a team that encompasses not only beauty, but also great talent.”
BLACKPINK has proven themselves to be different than other groups
The members of BLACKPINK have lived up to their name by constantly showcasing different sides of themselves. On stage, they can be fierce and tough, but off stage, they are cute and fashionable.
Perhaps it is this contrast that has made fans fall in love with BLACKPINK. The group has proven themselves to be one of the most popular K-pop artists at the moment. Most of their singles have done extremely well in South Korea and on the U.S. World Chart, with their recent releases getting even more international attention. In 2019, BLACKPINK also performed at Coachella, becoming the first K-pop girl group to have accomplished the feat.
It seems BLACKPINK’s world domination is only getting started, and there are more things for fans to be excited about in the future.
////////
Content to Make Your Friends and Family Stan BLACKPINK
BLACKPINK debuted in 2016 with YG Entertainment, and over the years the K-pop group has broken records and developed a massive fan base. For BLINKs looking to convince their friends and family to stan BLACKPINK, here is a list of content to show them.
Start with the ‘BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky’ documentary
On Oct. 14, Netflix released BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky. The documentary was directed by Caroline Suh and was released following the release of the band’s first studio album, The Album. BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky shows the group’s rise to fame and also focuses on the individual stories of the four members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa.
For convincing friends and family to become a fan, the documentary is a great place to start. It explains the group’s history, shows their music-making process, and gives insight into the members’ lives before and after joining the band.
Show friends the ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU’ music video
To give those in your life a taste of the Korean band’s music, start with the “DDU-DU DDU-DU” music video. The song was released in 2018 as the lead single of the group’s EP Square Up. The music video has over 1 billion views on YouTube and is currently the most-viewed music video by a K-pop group on the platform.
BLACKPINK played Flinch on ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’
In April 2019, the quartet appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden. As is customary on the talk show, Corden had the group play a game. For this appearance in particular, BLACKPINK played a game known as Flinch.
To play Flinch, the members stood behind plexiglass while Corden launched fruit at them. The purpose of the game is to see if those playing will physically move when the fruit hits the plexiglass or if they will remain still.
Instead of going individually, the members partnered up to play the game. Jisoo and Jennie played together, and then Rosé and Lisa were partners. Thanks to the humor in the clip, it is another great way to introduce new fans to BLACKPINK.
BLACKPINK performed at Coachella
On April 12 and April 19, 2019, BLACKPINK performed at the 2019 Coachella Festival. They became the first female K-pop group to ever perform at the music festival, and their performance was met with praise from both fans and critics.
Billboard gave the performance a positive review, writing, “BLACKPINK was ready to give their audience everything they’d been hoping for; from the very first notes of opener ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU,’ the group proved that they were not here to mess around… Above all, the crowd yelling ‘BLACKPINK in your area!’ in unison was undeniably special.”
In April 2020, YG Entertainment uploaded a few songs from the group’s Coachella performance to BLACKPINK’s official YouTube channel. Now BLINKs can watch “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” “BOOMBAYAH,” and “Kill This Love” from the band’s Coachella set. To give someone an idea of BLACKPINK’s live performances, the Coachella videos are a great resource.
