Blackpink Fandom

Fig.1 Blackpink members

Blackpink is a super cool Korean girl band that came out in 2016 and is made up of four super attractive members: Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rose(Fig. 1). They have a lot of great songs, Like "DDU-DU DDU-DU", "Kill This Love" and "How You Like That", which are super hits, not only in Korea and Asia but all over the world.

Blackpink is the representative of Korean pop culture! We call Blackpink fans "Blinks", there are Blinks everywhere, no matter whether "Asia, Europe, North America, or South America"( Kaiwen Zheng,4). Blink's ages are also different, from primary school students to “uncles”, “aunts”, and even “grandparents”! Not only do girls like them, but many boys like them too! Blink is also a big family with many people from different cultural backgrounds. I'm also a member of Blink! Blinks always have a lot of creativity and new ideas to support Blackpink, which makes them to be a very dynamic and special group!

Blink's support activities for Blackpink are super colorful! Some of them are quite active on different social media platforms, like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, the main content of their posts are about Blackpink's news, songs, dances, and various deeds. Some Blink also take awesome photos and record and make great videos at Blackpink concerts or events and then share them on social media so that their friends who couldn't make it to the event can also feel the warm atmosphere.

Figure.2 BLACKPINK items

What's more, Blink's creativity is top-notch! They use a variety of digital art techniques to create Blackpink posters, artifacts, cartoon characters(Fig. 2), and more that are quite amazing. Some Blink are also particularly creative and organizational, they will plan and hold fan art exhibitions, showing their paintings, handmade products, photography, T-shirts, mobile phone cases, postcards, etc., to express their love and support for Blackpink. 

When it comes to music shows, Blinks are awesome too! They actively participate in various online polls like Tier List Maker to support Blackpink's song rankings. Whether it is new or old songs, they will spare no effort to vote for Blackpink in the hope that Blackpink songs will get better results in the music show.

On social media, Blinkers also create specific hashtags, such as #BLACKPINK and #BLINKS, so that people can more easily find each other, communicate and interact with each other. They will also create Blackpink fan website like BLACK PINK Wikifor further discussion and communication through online chat rooms or forums to share their love and feelings about Blackpink.

Especially when Blackpink has a new song, new music video, new album, or performance information, Blink will be like a hit, quickly forward, like, and comment, so that the news quickly spreads. They will also actively participate in Blackpink's official activities, such as live streaming, fan meetings(Fig. 3), etc., through interactive sessions, sending birthday wishes, and other ways to cheer for Blackpink.

Figure.3 BLACKPINK Fans' Meeting

Figure.4 Concert Fans Live

Blinkers are really a super warm-hearted and loving group of people! Not only are they super active on social media, but they also actively participate in various physical activities to support Blackpink. For example, they will go to a Blackpink concert to feel the enthusiasm and atmosphere of the scene(Fig. 4); and there will also be a fan meeting to share their love and feelings about Blackpink with other Blinkers. When Blackpink participates in events such as performances and TV show taping, Blinkers also actively organize and participate in various fan support activities. They will prepare posters, glow sticks and other props to create a warm atmosphere and scene for Blackpink(Fig. 3). These events not only show the enthusiasm and unity of the Blinkers, but also let Blackpink feel the support and love of the fans.

Blinkers also organize spontaneous fan gatherings and parties to celebrate important Blackpink dates, such as a member's birthday or the anniversary of the group's debut. At these gatherings, they interact, share experiences and feelings, and cheer and celebrate Blackpink's achievements together.

The Blinkers are not only crazy about Blackpink as a whole, they are also very supportive of each member's individual activities and careers! Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa each have their own set of hardcore fans.

Let's start with Jisoo, whose fans often call Jisoo "warm sister". They find Jisoo super gentle, kind, and safe like a big sister. They often share sweet photos and heart-warming moments of Jisoo online, using hashtags like "#JISOO" and "#JisooOurHappiness" to express their love for her.

As for Jennie, her fans think Jennie is their "fashion queens". They love Jennie's fashion sense and confident charm and feel that she is a fashion vane for Blackpink. They share photos of Jennie's outfits and fashion tips, and use the hashtags "#JENNIE" and "#JennieFashionIcon" to show off her style.

Rose's fans like Rose's "Angel voices" most.They were attracted by Rose's beautiful voice and sweet appearance, and thought she was like an angel. These fans often share videos of Rose singing and beautiful photos, using hashtags such as "# ROSE" and "# RoseTheAngel" to express their admiration for her.

Finally, Lisa's fans consider Lisa as "stage queens". They love Lisa's performance on stage and find her energetic and versatile. The fans share videos and photos of Lisa performing on stage, and use the hashtags "#LISA" and "#LisaTheDancer" to show off her charisma.

Each member's fan base has its own unique characteristics and preferences, but they are all family and support Blackpink together. They participate in Blackpink's activities in various ways and contribute to the success and impact of Blackpink.

Blackpink's impact on the Blinks community is truly profound! First, their music and stage performances touch Blinks' hearts every time, giving Blinks power and understanding. Remember the concert in 2019, Blackpink not only danced hard, sang well, but also interacted with Blinks POSITIVELY, really like a party with old friends! They greet Blinks, talk to him, and even share sweet little stories that make us Blinks feel special.

Figure. 5 BLACKPINK' Interaction with Fans

In addition to these, Blackpink also often prepares various surprises for Blinks, such as special edition songs and limited peripheral products, so that we Blinks feel that they are really super careful! These surprises not only made Blinks more excited, but also strengthened the emotional bond with Blackpink and made Blinks feel like a family.

Blackpink's songs really give Blinks a lot of power. The positive lyrics, such as those about courageously pursuing dreams and overcoming obstacles, really make Blinks feel understood and supported. Many Blinks share their own stories about Blackpink songs on social media(Fig. 5).

The members of Blackpink are also representatives of super positive energy, and their confident, independent and brave image has given Blinks a lot of inspiration. For example, a Blink called Kiki Paul once said:"Being an Asian brought up in the UK, I struggled to find influencers and artists who looked like me, but discovering Blackpink has made me so proud to be Asian. Now, I am more confident thanks to having these incredible young women to inspire me." And there are also lots of Blinks observes Blackpink's behaviors and are inspired to pursue their dreams and face life's challenges.

According to Wenting Luo, being Blackpink's Blinks is really more than just liking their music. This has also become a symbol of identity, a cultural identity. He says:"BLACKPINK have had a significant impact on the traditional binary gender perceptions" and "this influence can be attributed to the distinctive qualities of their songs, their performances that challenge traditional gender boundaries, and their inclusive international perspectives."(4) , from which he further emphasizes that as the most influential K-pop group in the world, Blackpink's fans are not only fans of K-pop culture, but also represent the connection of a global community in which fans are influenced by Blackpink. This community encourages people with different cultural backgrounds and personalities to freely explore diverse expressions related to their own gender and identity, which is consistent with the trend of social progress and implies a more inclusive and fluid conceptual transformation of gender roles and traditional norms.

In addition, Blackpink encourages Blinks to participate in the responsible activities like charitable activities  and environmental guardianship initiatives to spread positive energy. Blinks admires them even more for their love and sense of social responsibility, as they themselves make donations, charity sales and support environmental protection actions.

All in all, Blinkers are really a super loving group of people, and they show their love and support for Blackpink in various ways. Whether online or offline, they use their actions to spread positive energy and love, and cheer for Blackpink! Most importantly, led by the concept of multiculturalism advocated by Blackpink, Blinks carries a deep understanding of the expression of inclusive individual identity, and through their colorful ways, they show their deep love of self and distinctive personality, highlighting their own unparalleled unique charm.

Works Cited

Zheng, Kaiwen. “The influence of K-pop on Chinese fans’ gender perspectives: A comparative analysis based on BTS and Blackpink.” SHS Web of Conferences, vol. 180, 2023, p. 03001, https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202318003001.

Luo, Wenting. “Gender construction in the Chinese fandom of Korean pop culture: A case study of BTS and Blackpink fans.” SHS Web of Conferences, vol. 180, 2023, p. 03004, https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202318003004.