A fan event announced just two days in advance, uncertainty over which members would attend and coordination across four separate management companies.The lead-up to Blackpink's 10th anniversary revealed just how much the group's operations have changed since its members launched independent careers.
The anniversary itself remained significant: Blackpink reached the milestone while continuing to balance group promotions with solo careers in an industry where relatively few groups remain active beyond their initial contracts.
But the events surrounding the celebration highlighted the challenges behind maintaining one of K-pop's biggest groups after members have established independent management for their individual activities.
Blackpink debuted on Aug. 8, 2016. Yet YG Entertainment did not announce the group's "Meet & Greet" fan event through the fandom platform Weverse until Aug. 6. The announcement also stated that members would attend "according to their individual schedules," fueling concern among fans that not all four would appear. Only 40 paid Weverse membership holders were invited.
The uncertainty coincided with an unrelated incident later that day, when a woman repeatedly struck the glass entrance of YG Entertainment's headquarters in Seoul with a golf club before being arrested. Although police said they had found no evidence linking the incident to the anniversary controversy, speculation quickly spread online. The following day, YG Entertainment said it had confirmed through each member's agency that all four members would attend the event.
