On February 27, BLACKPINK officially returned to the K-pop scene with their mini album DEADLINE and title track “GO,” marking one of the most anticipated comebacks of early 2026.
Within just seven hours of release, the “GO” music video surpassed 10 million views and dominated multiple global YouTube charts, including #1 Videos Worldwide, #1 Videos Worldwide (Music category), and #1 Music Videos Trending Worldwide (Overall).
Not stopping there, DEADLINE set a new record on Hanteo, becoming the best-selling album by a girl group on its first day of release, with 1,448,380 copies sold within just five hours.
However, despite these impressive achievements, controversy quickly emerged this time centered around Lisa. A portion of fans began calling for her to leave the group, alleging unfair treatment by YG Entertainment.
Lisa “Missing” From BLACKPINK’s Special Cultural Project
Ahead of the release of DEADLINE, BLACKPINK announced a special collaboration project with the National Museum of Korea and Spotify. The project included exclusive listening sessions and a unique cultural initiative in which the four members recorded voice commentaries introducing eight representative museum artifacts symbolizing the fusion of K-pop and Korean heritage.
On February 26, the voice commentaries were officially released on Spotify in both Korean and English versions. However, fans quickly noticed that Lisa’s recordings were entirely absent from the initial playlist.
Originally, Lisa was expected to provide narration in English and Thai, helping introduce Korean historical heritage to global audiences. Although reports later confirmed that her recordings would be released in March, many fans questioned why her content was not published simultaneously with the other members.
The delay rapidly ignited debate online. Some argued that separating Lisa the group’s only foreign member from the main release schedule suggested possible discrimination, fueling a wave of calls for her to leave BLACKPINK. Notably, as of now, neither YG Entertainment nor the National Museum of Korea has issued an official explanation.
Comeback Images Without Lisa Spark Fan Outrage
The controversy intensified after DEADLINE dropped. BLINKs, especially Lisa’s fans, expressed outrage upon discovering that BLACKPINK’s profile images on Spotify, YouTube Music, and even the thumbnail for the track “Champion” did not include Lisa.
What angered fans further was the perception that instead of adjusting the frame to accommodate all four members, the company allegedly chose to crop Lisa out entirely. Many interpreted this as unfair treatment toward the Thai idol during a pivotal group comeback.
Criticism spread rapidly across international social media platforms. Numerous comments claimed the situation reinforced suspicions that Lisa was being sidelined. Some fans went as far as urging her to leave the group to avoid facing similar treatment in the future.
Shortly after backlash intensified, YG Entertainment quietly updated all digital platform images to include all four members. Nevertheless, the move failed to fully calm the storm, as many argued the correction only came after widespread public criticism.
BLACKPINK’s massive first-day achievements clearly demonstrate that the group’s global influence remains as powerful as ever. Yet the controversy surrounding Lisa has inadvertently cast a shadow over what was expected to be a triumphant and celebratory comeback.
As of now, YG Entertainment has remained silent regarding accusations of unfair treatment. Meanwhile, international fan communities continue to debate fiercely, turning what may have begun as a promotional oversight into one of the hottest topics following BLACKPINK’s return.
Despite the tension, many fans hope the agency will soon provide a clear explanation to prevent further damage to the group’s image especially as BLACKPINK enters what could be one of the most crucial phases of their new promotional cycle.
Sources: K14
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