K-Pop's leading girl group, Blackpink, accompanied South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol on his state visit to the United Kingdom.
According to British media on November 21st (local time), all four Blackpink members - Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé - attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace organized by the British royal family, alongside President Yoon. Their seating at the banquet table was broadcast live by British broadcasters.
Notably, the Blackpink members were seen conversing with King Charles III before the banquet. In his pre-banquet speech, King Charles III praised Blackpink for their role as ambassadors for 'COP26' (the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference), hosted by the UK last year, referring to them as "superstars who know how to prioritize important issues."
Blackpink enjoys explosive popularity in the UK. Last year, their second full album 'Born Pink' topped not only the U.S. Billboard 200 but also the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100. Blackpink and BTS are the only K-Pop groups to simultaneously top both charts. They also set a record as the first female group since Destiny's Child in 2001 to top both the U.S. and UK charts. Additionally, Blackpink has placed eight songs in the Official Singles Chart Top 40.
In July, Blackpink headlined the 'Hyde Park British Summertime Festival' in London, becoming the first K-Pop act to headline a major British festival.
As Blackpink nears contract renewal with YG Entertainment, their joint activities during this state visit have sparked speculation about the continuation of their group activities, despite potential differences in individual contracts. With Rosé recently attending an APEC event and being introduced by Jill Biden, the members of Blackpink are expanding their international influence.
2023 marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the UK. During his state visit, President Yoon mentioned in a parliamentary speech that "If the UK has the Beatles, Queen, Harry Potter, and David Beckham's right foot, Korea has BTS, Blackpink, Squid Game, and Son Heung-min's right foot." King Charles III also referred to several aspects of Korean popular culture, including Bong Joon-ho, Squid Game, BTS, and Blackpink, in his speech.
