BLACKPINK Makes 'New K-Pop History' as Coachella Headliners

BLACKPINK heated up Coachella with music fans from around the world.

BLACKPINK successfully completed their performances on April 15 and April 22 (local time) at the largest North American music festival, 'Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival' (hereinafter referred to as 'Coachella'), held in California, USA.

This year's 'Coachella' has drawn early attention for being the first to not feature white headliners. BLACKPINK became the first K-pop artists selected as headliners, etching their name in the history of world music. American media outlet Variety pointed out that BLACKPINK is at the center of the expansion of diversity in the mainstream pop market, showing "this year's 'Coachella' clearly demonstrates the direction music festivals should head."

Their monumental moment was followed by impressive results. After the festival's first day, Rolling Stone reported that BLACKPINK's performance was "the most-streamed performance at 'Coachella'," adding that "it is estimated to have attracted a whopping 250 million live viewers (according to UK IT media TechRadar) on YouTube."

What captivated the eyes of global music fans was the unique beauty of Korea harmoniously incorporated into BLACKPINK's stage. The traditional Korean house set with a strong presence at the center of the stage, hanbok costumes adorned with mother-of-pearl, 'Typa Girl' performance utilizing fan dance moves, and Jisoo's solo stage backdrop reinterpreting Korea's traditional window frame were all well-received.

#Standing at the center of 'Coachella's' new history

This year's 'Coachella' attracted attention for its unprecedented attempt to feature non-white headliners. As the first K-pop artists to be chosen as headliners, BLACKPINK etched their name in the history of world music. Their monumental moment was followed by equally impressive results. After the festival's first day, Rolling Stone reported that BLACKPINK's performance was "the most-streamed performance at 'Coachella'," adding that "it is estimated to have attracted a whopping 250 million live viewers (according to UK IT media TechRadar) on YouTube."

#Singing with the world audience, Korea's beauty

What captivated the eyes of global music fans was the unique beauty of Korea harmoniously incorporated into BLACKPINK's stage. The traditional Korean house set, hanbok costumes adorned with mother-of-pearl, and 'Typa Girl' performance utilizing fan dance moves caught the attention.

The efforts of YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK to create a meaningful stage for the world's largest music festival, 'Coachella,' are hidden behind the scenes. YG stated, "'Coachella' is a place where trends in music and culture are exchanged. After lengthy discussions with the members, we decided to present a stage that combines Korean culture. It was also important not to compromise the essence of Korean culture, so we sought expert advice and thoroughly verified the historical evidence."

#"BLACKPINK, representing Korean culture, a symbolic embrace of past and future"

Major foreign media outlets highlighted BLACKPINK's achievements. Billboard in the US said It was a historic and memorable set. The team showed the best they could do as a group, and the four members shone with their individual personalities, while The Guardian in the UK evaluated that BLACKPINK's stage was proof that the language and cultural barriers of pop music are gradually being dismantled.

Praise was also given for the high-quality stage production, created with the efforts of top domestic and international staff. The LA Times reported, "It was the biggest scale, technique, and intensity since Beyoncé's history-making 2018 performance."

Variety said, "Conquering the biggest stage at the biggest festival in America is no small feat."

CNN highlighted the Korean elements in BLACKPINK's performance, saying they "represented Korean culture and symbolically embraced both the past and the future."

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