K-pop Girl group BLACKPINK heated up the night at "Coachella."
BLACKPINK successfully completed their performances on April 15 and 22 at the largest music festival in North America, "Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival" (hereinafter "Coachella"), held in California, USA. For about 85 minutes, they captivated the audience with their hit songs that transcended language barriers and showcased their unique solo performances.
BLACKPINK made history as the headliner, perfectly blending Korean elements with their stage presence, and reaffirmed their status as leading K-pop artists with coverage from major international media outlets.
BLACKPINK at the Center of 'Coachella's' New History
This year's "Coachella" was notable for its first attempt to not have a white headliner. BLACKPINK became the first K-pop artist to be selected as a headliner, etching their name in world music history. Variety pointed out that this year's 'Coachella' clearly showed the direction music festivals are heading, with BLACKPINK at the center of mainstream pop market diversity expansion.
Their monumental achievement was accompanied by impressive results. After the first day of the festival, Rolling Stone reported that BLACKPINK's performance was "the most-streamed show at 'Coachella,'" attracting an estimated 250 million live viewers on YouTube (based on UK IT media TechRadar's calculations).
Singing with Global Audiences, Korea's Beauty
Global music fans were captivated by the unique beauty of Korea harmoniously integrated into BLACKPINK's stage. The hanok set that showcased a strong presence in the center of the stage, traditional hanbok costumes embroidered with mother-of-pearl, the "Typa Girl" performance utilizing fan dance moves, and Jisoo's solo stage backdrop reinterpreting Korean window frames were all highly praised.
The efforts of YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK to create a meaningful stage befitting the world's largest music festival, "Coachella," were hidden in the background. YG said, "'Coachella' is not only about music but also a venue for exchanging cultural trends. After lengthy discussions with the members, we decided to present a stage combined with unique Korean culture. It was also important not to damage the essence of Korean culture, so we sought advice from experts and thoroughly verified historical facts."
BLACKPINK, Representing Korean Culture with Symbolic Inclusiveness of Past and Future
Leading international media outlets focused on BLACKPINK's achievements. Billboard said that It was a historic and memorable set. The team showcased their best as a group, and each of the four members shone with their own individuality. The Guardian praised that BLACKPINK's (performance) was evidence that the language and cultural barriers of pop music are gradually being dismantled.
Praise was also given for the high-quality stage production created by top domestic and international staff. The Los Angeles Times reported that It was the largest scale and most intense since Beyoncé made history in 2018, while Variety assessed that Conquering the biggest stage at the biggest festival in the United States is no small feat.
NN also highlighted the Korean elements in BLACKPINK's stage, stating that they represented Korean culture and symbolically embraced the past and the future.
