The conclusion of BLACKPINK's re-signing with YG Entertainment has been wrapped up with a happy ending, preserving the pride of being the top girl group of the third generation. In an unexpected turn of events amidst uncertain speculations, YG Entertainment officially announced on the 6th, "After careful discussions with BLACKPINK, we have signed an exclusive contract based on strong trust. 

Producer Yang Hyun-suk expressed joy, saying, "We are glad to continue our journey with BLACKPINK," and pledged continuous support for their activities, aiming to make them shine even brighter as representatives of K-pop in the global music market.
Since their official debut on August 8, 2016, BLACKPINK, consisting of members Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie, and Lisa, celebrated their 7th debut anniversary on August 8 this year. Following 2NE1, they garnered attention as a new girl group launched by YG after seven years. From their debut album "SQUARE ONE" with tracks like "Whistle" and "Boombayah" to subsequent releases such as "As If It's Your Last," "STAY," and high-quality songs that showcased both popularity and skill, BLACKPINK proved themselves as a global artist with hits like "Ddu-du Ddu-du," "Forever Young," "Kill This Love," "How You Like That," and "Lovesick Girls." This year, their second full album, "THE ALBUM," achieved significant milestones by topping the Billboard 200 chart and the UK Official Albums Chart, solidifying their position as the leading global music artist of the third generation of K-pop girl groups.
However, the question of BLACKPINK's re-signing with YG remained uncertain, especially after the conclusion of their Seoul World Tour finale. Despite finishing the world tour officially on the 16th and 17th at the Gocheok Sky Dome, concerns arose whether this tour's conclusion marked the end of BLACKPINK's complete group activities. Some in the securities industry even speculated, "BLACKPINK will take a break after the world tour," potentially hinting at a temporary activity stop.
Nevertheless, there were contrasting perspectives. Analyst Lee Sun-hwa of KB Securities evaluated, "BLACKPINK's global fandom has solidified further through the world tour, increasing the intellectual property (IP) value. The indirect revenue generated without direct artist activities has risen." While acknowledging market concerns about BLACKPINK's re-signing and exclusive contract terms, Lee suggested that the potential increase in intangible asset depreciation due to BLACKPINK's re-signing might not be burdensome, given the rising IP value of latecomers. Additionally, factors such as the global expansion of TREASURE's fandom and the debut of BABY MONSTER in the fourth quarter of 2023 could positively impact YG's stock.
Despite reports of the members pledging to "protect the title of BLACKPINK" earlier this year, recent speculations about the so-called 'Next' surfaced, starting with Lisa and continuing with Rose, Jennie, and Jisoo one after another, just before the Chuseok holiday.
Lisa, the only foreign member, had reportedly rejected YG's re-signing negotiation twice, and rumors of her potential departure from YG gained traction, especially after she was seen in the company of Frederic Arnault, the fourth son of LVMH's chairman and CEO of TAG Heuer. Lisa's solo departure gained more strength when she was seen traveling alone without a YG manager. Furthermore, Jisoo and Jennie seem to have not completely ruled out the possibility of separate contracts with individual agencies. These ongoing discussions could potentially become obstacles to BLACKPINK's team activities in the future.
Written by Yoon Sang GeunTranslated by Lee So Yun