BLACKPINK Faces Backlash Over Leaked Trainee Footage and Controversial Concert Reviews Ahead of Upcoming Tour

Recently, netizens have been digging up BLACKPINK‘s past, leading to widespread demands for the group to apologize. The resurfacing of old videos and controversies has sparked heated discussions online, with many people calling for accountability.

Fans Demand Apology Over Leaked Trainee Videos and Controversial Past

These days, K-pop fans have been in an uproar over an anonymous account, claiming to be a former YG employee, continuously spreading rumors and leaking private data of artists and entertainment companies in South Korea.

BLACKPINK is the most affected victim. The account not only leaked the unreleased MV for “Don’t Know What To Do,” but also released old trainee videos of BLACKPINK, threatening to use these secrets to ruin the members. Fans (BLINKs) were outraged and demanded YG take immediate action to stop the situation, but the troubles for the global girl group have yet to end.

Among the leaked trainee videos, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa were seen in a rap video containing the N-word (a racial slur). This has dragged the girls into a controversy. Hundreds of posts on X (formerly Twitter) demanded BLACKPINK apologize for using the N-word in the rap.

Netizens reacted strongly, repeatedly mentioning the three members. Particularly, some pointed out that Jennie had previously apologized for vaping indoors and now needs to address this issue from the past.

In response, BLINKs fired back, arguing that BLACKPINK is the real victim in this situation. The trainee videos were confidential materials that should have been protected by the company. Apart from the footage released for promotional purposes, any dissemination of these videos is a violation of the law. YG, being a company that emphasizes rap skills, naturally had trainees cover famous global rap songs. At the time BLACKPINK used the N-word, the girls were very young and not fully aware of these issues. The practice videos should never have been leaked. The issue should be resolved in a different way rather than attacking the artists.

The controversy remains unresolved, with BLACKPINK being the most commented-upon keyword for negative remarks on X.

Shallow Performance Videos “Dug Up”

While the issue of leaked private information hasn’t settled, the platform X is flooded with posts discussing BLACKPINK’s concert quality. Even though the group’s final concert took place two years ago, the debate resurfaces every now and then.

The “Born Pink” tour currently holds the record as the highest-grossing K-pop concert tour, with $331.8 million in revenue and 2.1 million fans attending 64 shows worldwide. BLACKPINK holds the Korean record, but this has led to various criticisms, particularly of Jennie.

The topic of Jennie’s “shallow” dancing was reignited after The Ruby Experience promotional show for her solo album, “Ruby.” Netizens pointed out that Jennie now performs passionately and fully enjoys the stage, in contrast to her tired and lackluster performances during the “Born Pink” tour. The idol was criticized for “only being lazy when performing as a group.”

There were counterarguments, claiming that Jennie was more lackluster during the Asian leg of the tour. A series of comparison videos between BLACKPINK’s choreography in Asia and their shows in Europe and America went viral, with one post gathering 11.3 million views on X.

BLACKPINK was also criticized for a disorganized performance, a limited setlist, and repeating fewer than 25 songs across the 64 shows. Fans who attended the shows complained about “wasting money” when they paid hundreds of dollars to see BLACKPINK, criticizing the group for diminishing the appeal of K-pop.

Ahead of BLACKPINK’s upcoming world tour starting in July, this wave of dislike raises concerns. Having not promoted new music in three years, and announcing a tour before releasing an album, BLACKPINK has caused public doubts about their ticket sales and popularity. Many people have declared they will not buy tickets for the upcoming concert. Some noteworthy tweets include:

• “The way we can tell which continent BLACKPINK is performing on is by just looking at Jennie’s energy that day.”
• “Every time BLACKPINK performs in Asia, many fans complain that Jennie doesn’t interact with the audience and has no energy. But her severe headache and dizziness suddenly disappear when performing in the US, especially at big festivals like Coachella, where the audience is mostly local and celebrities.”
• “My eyes are really tearing up, their performance was so messy.”
• “Sorry, but frankly speaking, this is no different from being scammed. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars just to see them be lazy, looking like they were forced to be there and not even trying. Honestly, how can their fans accept this?”
• “I will never spend a penny to see BLACKPINK perform at Born Pink.”

However, these are just the opinions of a small group of extreme fans and anti-fans of BLACKPINK. In reality, every show has its own highlights. For example, at the Born Pink concert in Vietnam, BLACKPINK performed passionately with the Vietnamese fans, with no issues regarding their treatment of Asian audiences. The show in Australia, where Jennie had to leave the stage due to health issues, was an exception. Health problems can arise at any time.

BLACKPINK always feels regretful and wants to ensure the best concert quality for their fans. However, during the Born Pink tour, both the group’s and the members’ schedules were packed, which affected their physical strength and energy. Each performance lasted three hours, and it was inevitable that there would be moments that did not go as planned. Fans always understand and support their idols to do better.

Regarding the limited setlist, this is an undeniable reality, as BLACKPINK has released fewer than 50 songs in their eight years of activity. BLINKs are requesting YG to promote new music soon so that the group’s upcoming World Tour doesn’t face a shortage of songs. Additionally, BLACKPINK’s solo music after leaving YG is highly anticipated if it’s included in their concert performances.