On January 27 (local time), Forbes published an article titled “BLACKPINK Ends the Biggest Tour Ever. Will There Be Another?” The outlet noted, “When the final encore ended, the question hanging over the industry was not what BLACKPINK had accomplished, but what comes next.”
Forbes Raises Questions About BLACKPINK’s Future After Historic Tour
According to Forbes, the future of BLACKPINK has become “one of the biggest unknowns in K-pop.” While all four members renewed their group contract with YG Entertainment in December 2023, none renewed individual contracts. Instead, each member established her own path: Jennie founded ODD ATELIER, Lisa launched LLOUD, Jisoo created BLISSOO, and Rosé signed with YG subsidiary The Black Label.
YG Entertainment has not disclosed the duration of the renewed group contract, though industry insiders reportedly expect renegotiations in the second half of 2026. Forbes pointed out that BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary falls in August 2026, and that the group is scheduled to release their third mini-album, DEADLINE, on February 27 . The outlet suggested that spring promotions and potential summer anniversary encore concerts could provide clearer signals about the group’s long-term direction.
The publication also highlighted how each member has flourished independently over the past two years. Rosé’s hit “APT.” remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 37 weeks, Lisa appeared in The White Lotus Season 3 and performed at the Academy Awards, Jennie headlined Coachella as a solo artist, and Jisoo completed an Asia tour while releasing “Eyes Closed” with Zayn .
Emotional Finale, Fan Speculation, and an Uncertain Road Ahead
However, Forbes also noted criticism that the DEADLINE tour felt less like a fully unified group performance and more like “four solo artists sharing a stage,” with Acts 2 and 4 dedicated entirely to individual stages. While Rolling Stone praised the members’ personal growth for strengthening collaboration, some Ticketmaster reviews claimed the group looked “exhausted” and that the performance lacked harmony.
Indian outlet The Times of India further fueled speculation with a headline questioning whether BLACKPINK was disbanding, pointing to the members’ tears and emotional embraces during the Hong Kong finale. The article drew particular attention to Rosé’s heartfelt speech on the final night.
“Before falling asleep last night, so many thoughts crossed my mind—our trainee days, calling my mom, and how we became BLACKPINK,” Rosé said. “We achieved so much, and it’s all thanks to BLINK. There were hard times, but also so many moments worth celebrating. Thinking about it made me cry.”
She continued, “We should cherish every moment, because we’ll miss this feeling for a while. Performing in front of so many people, night after night, has been an absolute honor and privilege. Tonight is a celebration of the past six months no, nearly ten years of our journey together.”
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), fan reactions were sharply divided. Some expressed deep concern, with posts suggesting the Hong Kong concert could be “the last time BLACKPINK stands on stage as four.” Others lamented, “So are we officially children of a disbanded group now?” while some outright mourned what they believed to be the group’s final concert.
Other fans compared the mood unfavorably to the Born Pink tour, speculating about a long hiatus or separation. Still, many urged caution, pointing out that BLACKPINK members have cried at the end of nearly every tour, warning against overinterpretation.
Forbes also recalled that in a November 2024 interview with The New York Times, Rosé stated that disbandment was “never an option.” Yet, the outlet acknowledged that what happens after the tour remains unclear. Unverified social media claims suggesting the group would not renew contracts after September 2025 gained millions of interactions, though YG Entertainment declined to comment.
The magazine concluded that if BLACKPINK were to scale back or end group activities, the K-pop industry would lose its most globally successful girl group. “Their influence extends far beyond music,” Forbes wrote, citing performances at Coachella, meetings with world leaders, and record-breaking streaming achievements. “If they step away from active group promotions, there are few girl groups capable of filling that void.”
For now, Forbes described the final Hong Kong images as those of “four women at the commercial peak of their careers, having just completed one of the most successful tours in K-pop history.” Whether those tears marked an ending, or merely an intermission, remains the industry’s biggest unanswered question.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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