Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Blackpink concert chaos: the K-pop queens’ comeback Born Pink World Tour lands in Hong Kong in January 2023, but there’s already drama over US$1,300 resale tickets, feuding and disbandment fears …

Blackpink returns to Hong Kong for its Born Pink World Tour from January 13-15, 2023 ... but could this be the group’s last tour together? Photo: @BLACKPINKOFFICIAL/Facebook
Blackpink is finally coming to our area after two years of quarantine restrictions put in place by the Hong Kong government have recently been lifted and the city’s borders are more or less open.

The K-pop sensation quartet Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa announced their “Born Pink World Tour” on August 8 and have since finished their American leg of the tour and are about to commence the Asian leg in January 2023, hitting cities like Bangkok, Singapore and of course stopping by Hong Kong from January 13-15.

Blackpink, from left, Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie, and Rosé arrive at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center August 28, 2022, in Newark, US. Photo: AP

With this being the largest tour in K-pop girl group history, and tickets selling out in seconds, the Forever Young girls have become a smashing global success, but with the long tour dates and almost nightly performances it hasn’t been all smooth sailing.

From rumours of rifts between the girls to unsatisfied fans, it is a chaotic time for the “Lovesick Girls” and their fans.

Here is everything major that has happened since the world tour for Born Pink has kicked off …

Blackpink’s Jennie and BTS’ V’s ‘romance’ heats up

Jisoo: the Blackpink member who was left behind?

Blackpink member Jisoo has also dabbled in acting. Photo: @sooyaaa__/Instagram

Blackpink fans, also known as Blinks, have watched all four members display their own style and charisma through their solo music careers – with the exception of Jisoo.

While Jennie, Rosé and Lisa perform their own songs during the group’s concerts, Jisoo continues singing covers of other artists despite Blackpink having debuted six years ago.

Jisoo performed with Camila Cabello during Blackpink’s concert in LA, California. Photo: @sooyaaa__/Instagram
While the Snowdrop actress’ recent performance with American singer Camila Cabello during Blackpink’s concert in Los Angeles was well-received by Blinks, fans are still pushing YG Entertainment, the band’s agency, with requests for Jisoo to drop a solo album like her bandmates.

Luckily for fans, in September this year, Jisoo teased the progress of her solo debut during a fan signing event, where she asked Blinks to just wait for a little while more, per Koreaboo.

Jisoo has hinted that she is working on her own solo album. Photo: @sooyaaa__/Instagram

Fans may have to settle for covers for now, but it seems that soon they’ll get a chance to see what Jisoo can really bring to the table. Maybe she’ll show us a whole new side!

Is Blackpink really the ‘laziest’ K-pop group?

Blackpink’s Taiwan concert in March 2023 sold out in under a minute. Photo: @sooyaaa__/Instagram

The girls made headlines recently after their Taiwan concert, to be held on March 18, 2023, sold out in under a minute despite the venue having a capacity for 55,000 people, per Allkpop.

Meet Japan’s Riku Tazumi, the 26-year-old billionaire founder of Anycolor

But despite Blackpink’s massive popularity – and bankability – over the years, the group is perhaps one of the most called out for not delivering on stage. The girls have been criticised for being “lazy”, “unsynchronised” and “messy”, with accusations usually directed towards Jennie, Allkpop reported.

Videos have circulated online of the girls being uncoordinated onstage and seemingly not giving their all during their current world tour, per Kpopstarz, with many Blinks expressing disappointment that they bought expensive tickets but did not get their money’s worth.

Lisa and Rosé’s quarrelling drama

Lisa is Blackpink’s dance powerhouse, but has been spotted missing steps in the group’s choreographies lately. Photo: @lalalalisa_m/Instagram
And as if the outcry over “lazy” performing wasn’t bad enough, fans were surprised to see the group’s dance powerhouse, Lisa, who is often praised for her professionalism and strong stage presence, missing steps in the group’s choreographies.

The reason for her mistakes? According to Hype, fans have speculated that her missed steps were often attempts to avoid contact with fellow group member Rosé.

The two girls are the youngest of the group and have previously said that they often have small quarrels just like sisters. In a deleted scene from the Blackpink: Light Up the Sky documentary, per Koreaboo, the two were shown discussing Rosé’s dissatisfaction over having to give up the maknae position to Lisa when the latter joined. Maknae means “youngest”, and Rosé was the youngest member originally, before Lisa. However, Blinks seem more amused by the “Lisa/Rosé drama” than upset.

Rosé (right) and Lisa (left) often squabble … but does this snap show that they can get along, too? Photo: @lalalalisa_m/Instagram

Hopefully the pair kiss and make up soon, as fans are looking forward to wholesome interactions between all members.

10 Miss Hong Kong winners from the 1980s – what are they doing now?

Disbandment fears

Blinks really hope that the seven year curse will not happen to their favourite girl band, Blackpink. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram
Blackpink is set to celebrate its seven-year anniversary in 2023, but with Lisa’s solo music taking off, Jisoo focused on her acting career and Jennie’s myriad fashion endorsements, there are fears of Blackpink breaking up. Every avid K-pop fan has heard of – and fears – the “seven-year curse”. The term refers to the trend of K-pop groups disbanding or losing members around their seventh anniversary as their agency contracts expire.
Blackpink’s contract with YG Entertainment is set to expire in 2023. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Jisoo added fuel to the fire in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine early this year, causing concern when she spoke candidly about feeling exhausted by being a celebrity, acknowledging that she sometimes performs out of obligation as an idol rather than out of passion.

It certainly doesn’t help that the “Pink Venom” singers’ contract with YG Entertainment is set to expire in 2023, as reported by Koreaboo, and there has been no news of a renewal. And although there is no official disbandment news either, many are still worried that this world tour may be Blackpink’s last.

The Born Pink World Tour’s shows in Hong Kong

Blackpink will be performing in Hong Kong from January 13-15, 2023, at the AsiaWorld-Expo. Photo: @sooyaaa__/Instagram

Exciting news for Hong Kong Blinks!

Blackpink will be performing for three nights in the city in January. The bad news? All three shows were sold out before most fans even had the chance to navigate to the ticketing site.

12 richest pop divas of 2022 – net worths, ranked: from Taylor Swift to Rihanna

Now resellers have hiked ticket prices up to US$1,300 each. The tickets originally ranged from US$100 to US$295, while the VIP package including perks such as access to a pre-show soundcheck party went up to US$380. That means that resellers are pocketing quite the wad of cash. The Standard has also reported that, in their bid to secure tickets from resellers, some fans have been scammed out of over US$2,100 for tickets they never ended up receiving.

Hong Kong residents are struggling to get tickets to Blackpink’s upcoming show in the city. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

As this is the first time Hong Kong is seeing Blackpink in four years, it’s no wonder fans are scrambling to get tickets. And although the “Pretty Savage” girls only have 32 songs in their discography, not including solo work, fans can still expect a pretty banger show as the girls haven’t had a single comeback that flopped … That is, if you can get tickets.

Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
Blackpink
  • K-pop sensation Blackpink will perform in Hong Kong from January 13-15, 2023 as the city reopens, but resellers are hiking up ticket prices while the band’s Taiwan shows sold out in mere minutes
  • Meanwhile, fans are speculating about a feud between Lisa and Rosé, accusing the idols of giving ‘lazy’ performances – especially Jennie – and demanding a solo album from Jisoo