“I’m sorry” Blackpink’s 10th anniversary event faces backlash

Blackpink has reached its 10th anniversary since debut. However, the expressions of fans who should be celebrating this monumental moment for the global girl group are not entirely bright. Instead of a grand festival worthy of a decade, a small-scale fan event announced abruptly just two days prior, along with the belated notice that all members would attend, has fueled feelings of disappointment and emptiness among fans.

To mark their 10th anniversary since debut on the 8th, Blackpink is holding a 'Meet & Greet' event at the National Museum of Korea to meet with fans. The gathering holds significant meaning in itself, as the four members—Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa—who have been expanding their individual presence in various fields, are gathering in one place.

The issue lies not in the event itself, but in the process leading up to it.

YG Entertainment only announced the event on the 6th, a mere two days before the 10th anniversary. The news that all four members would attend was also released on the 7th, just one day before the event. Given the time fans have spent waiting for this important 10th-anniversary milestone, critics argue the announcement was excessively rushed.

The number of participants is reportedly only 40 people. Considering the symbolic nature of a 10th-anniversary event for Blackpink, which possesses a global fandom, this scale is extremely limited. Furthermore, the lack of clear guidance regarding the specific time and location of the event increased confusion among fans.

This is particularly disappointing when considering the status Blackpink has built in the global music market beyond Korea. A 10th anniversary is not just a number celebrating the years the members have been active. It is closer to a communal ritual of looking back at the narrative built with the fandom, sharing the achievements of the past 10 years, and promising future time together.

In that sense, it does not mean the scale of a 10th-anniversary event must necessarily be large. Rather, what matters is how much time and sincerity were invested in explaining this moment to fans and providing opportunities to share it. This is why critics point out that the problem lies in the method of communication rather than the scale.

Ultimately, the fans' disappointment reached the members themselves.

At midnight on the 8th, Jisoo directly expressed her apologies through her fan communication platform. On the very day that should have been spent celebrating the anniversary, she instead posted a message apologizing to the fans first.

Jisoo addressed the fans' upset feelings, saying, “I think this anniversary is a day where I feel a great sense of apology.” She continued, “I always wanted to be someone who only shows a good side and provides happiness during difficult moments,” adding, “My heart is heavy because so many Blinks are upset.”

The fact that an artist celebrating a 10th anniversary had to say “I’m sorry” instead of receiving congratulations succinctly captures the essence of this controversy.

Of course, the fact that all four members are participating in the event is certainly welcome news for fans. There is meaning in the fact that they decided to celebrate the 10th anniversary together despite being busy with their respective activities. However, that very meaning also serves to highlight the lack of preparation and communication surrounding the event.

Ten years is by no means a light period for Blackpink. Since their debut in 2016, they have left numerous hits such as “Whistle,” “Boombayah,” “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” and “How You Like That,” establishing themselves as representative artists symbolizing the global expansion of K-pop. That process includes not only the efforts of the four members but also the accumulated time of the fans who have supported Blackpink's music and journey for a long time.

Therefore, this 10th anniversary is a moment that cannot be concluded with a single simple event. What fans want is not necessarily a massive concert hall or a festival involving tens of thousands of people. It is more likely a sincere way of telling those who have walked the path for 10 years, “Your time was important to us too.”

In that regard, this event is paradoxical. While it is special because all four members gathered, it is being evaluated as lacking sufficient preparation and communication in the process of celebrating with fans.

And ultimately, it was the members who had to shoulder that burden first.

Jisoo repeatedly apologized to fans, saying, “Thank you for celebrating our 10th anniversary, and I am sorry once again for causing such great disappointment.”

A scene where an artist apologizes to fans on a day they should be celebrated—that might be the most bitter scene left by this Blackpink 10th-anniversary event.

A 10-year history is not made in a single day. Therefore, the 10th anniversary is not just a one-day event, but a question of how to remember the past and how to promise the future. This is why the event remains a disappointment to fans who expected a 10th anniversary worthy of the name Blackpink, a group that has grown into a global phenomenon.

Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Blackpink's 10th anniversary is not about the size of the event. It is about how carefully the agency handled the 10-year relationship built between the artists and their fans. And what fans are waiting for now is not another grand event, but a sincere response that shows their disappointment has been understood.