At the 17th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, held recently in Seoul, BLACKPINK officially became the first K-pop girl group to receive the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the fourth class of South Korea’s Order of Cultural Merit. This national honor recognizes the four members’ outstanding contributions to promoting Korean popular culture around the world. The award marks a particularly symbolic milestone as the group enters its 10th year since debut, reaffirming its position as one of Asia’s leading musical acts.
BLACKPINK officially debuted in August 2016 with their first single album, Square One. The group immediately made waves with the songs “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” which quickly dominated domestic music charts. That impressive beginning paved the way for a series of successful releases, including “As If It’s Your Last,” “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” and “Kill This Love.” The group’s musical development reached another milestone with its first full-length album, The Album, which made BLACKPINK the first K-pop girl group to achieve million-seller status. In 2026, their mini-album Deadline reaffirmed their commercial appeal, selling more than 1.77 million copies (1,774,577, to be exact) in its first week and setting a new record for the highest first-week sales by a K-pop girl group.
BLACKPINK has also achieved impressive results on global music charts and digital platforms. The group made history as the first female K-pop act to simultaneously top two prestigious album charts: the US Billboard 200 and the UK’s Official Albums Chart, with Born Pink. They also have numerous music videos that have surpassed one billion views, including “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” “Kill This Love,” “Boombayah,” and “As If It’s Your Last.” In February 2026, BLACKPINK’s official YouTube channel became the first music channel in the world to reach 100 million subscribers, while its cumulative views surpassed 42.9 billion.
BLACKPINK’s live appeal on international stages is equally evident in the group’s performance records and touring achievements. They became the first female K-pop act to perform at the Coachella music festival in 2019, before making history in 2023 as the first Asian act to headline the event. Their Born Pink World Tour, which ran from October 2022 to September 2023, featured 66 shows across 23 regions and attracted approximately 1.82 million concertgoers. According to Touring Data, the tour generated a total of $331.8 million in revenue. In 2026, the Deadline tour further demonstrated the group’s ticket-selling power, visiting 16 cities for 33 performances. The tour also marked a historic moment as BLACKPINK became the first K-pop girl group to headline a show at Wembley Stadium in the United Kingdom.
Alongside their musical achievements, BLACKPINK’s international reputation is also closely tied to diplomatic initiatives and social influence. In 2023, all four members—Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa—were awarded MBEs (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. The honor recognized the group’s role as ambassadors for raising awareness of climate change.
Together with the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit recently presented in Seoul, BLACKPINK’s wide-ranging achievements—from touring revenue and record-breaking album sales to international honors—demonstrate how the group’s decade-long journey has helped establish a landmark position for Asian music acts on the global entertainment stage.
Sources: kenh14