After BLACKPINK ended their world tour DEADLINE in Hong Kong on January 26th in tears, global fans and media outlets began raising concerns about a possible disbandment.
On January 27th (local time), Forbes published an article titled “BLACKPINK Just Finished the Biggest Tour of Their Career. Will There Be Another?” The outlet wrote, “When the encore ended, the question hanging over the industry wasn’t what BLACKPINK had achieved, but what comes next.”
Forbes described the group’s future as “one of the biggest question marks in K-pop.” While all four members renewed their group contracts with YG Entertainment in December 2023, they did not renew individual contracts and instead established their own independent labels. Jennie founded Odd Atelier, Lisa launched Lloud, Jisoo established Blissoo, and Rosé signed with YG subsidiary The Black Label.
YG has not disclosed the length of the renewed group contract, and industry insiders reportedly expect renegotiations in the second half of 2026. Forbes noted that BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary will arrive in August 2026, and the group is scheduled to release their third mini album DEADLINE on February 27. The outlet suggested that spring album promotions and a summer anniversary encore concert could provide clearer signals about the group’s future.
The magazine also highlighted the members’ individual success over the past two years: Rosé’s "APT". stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 37 weeks, Lisa appeared in season 3 of 'The White Lotus' and performed at the Academy Awards, Jennie headlined Coachella as a solo artist, and Jisoo completed an Asia tour and released 'Eyes Closed' with Zayn.
However, Forbes noted that some critics felt the DEADLINE world tour resembled “four solo artists sharing a stage rather than a unified group performance,” with Acts 2 and 4 dedicated entirely to solo stages. While Rolling Stone viewed the members’ individual growth as something that helped the group collaborate better, some Ticketmaster reviews claimed the members “looked tired” and that the performance “lacked harmony.”
Meanwhile, The Times of India ran a headline reading “Is BLACKPINK Disbanding? Jisoo, Lisa, Rosé, Jennie’s Tearful Farewell Sparks Speculation.” The outlet reported that the group wrapped the Hong Kong finale in tears and emotional embraces, fueling strong disbandment rumors among BLINKs despite the upcoming album release.
The report drew attention to Rosé’s closing remarks. She said, “Before I fell asleep last night, so many thoughts came to me — calling my mom during trainee days, and how we became BLACKPINK. We’ve achieved so much, all thanks to BLINKs. There were hard times, but also many things worth celebrating. Thinking about it made me cry.”
She added, “We have to hold every moment in our hearts, because we’ll miss this atmosphere for a while. It has been an absolute honor and privilege to perform in front of so many people, for so many nights. Tonight is about celebrating the past six months — nearly ten years — of our journey, and all the memories we made together.”
Fan reactions on social media were divided. Some expressed worry that it could be the last time all four members performed together, while others urged caution against overinterpretation, noting that the group often cries at the end of tours. One fan wrote, “Did BLACKPINK say this was their last time on stage together? No.”
Forbes concluded by noting that Rosé had previously told The New York Times in November 2024 that “disbandment was never an option,” though she did not clarify post-tour plans. The outlet also mentioned that unverified social media claims about the group not renewing contracts after 2025 gained traction, but YG Entertainment did not respond to speculation.
The article ended by stating that if BLACKPINK were to scale back or end group activities, the K-pop industry would lose its most globally successful female group — one whose influence extends beyond music into culture, fashion, and global representation. Whether the Hong Kong finale marked an ending or simply an intermission remains one of the industry’s biggest unanswered questions.
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