As the 7th anniversary of BLACKPINK's debut approaches, the K-pop world is abuzz with speculation about the group's contract renewal with YG Entertainment. The stakes are high for YG, as BLACKPINK has become one of the most sought-after acts in the industry, with several entertainment agencies reportedly vying to sign individual members.

According to an analyst from Mirae Asset Securities, Cha Yoo-mi, YG Entertainment may be preparing a substantial offer to retain the globally popular quartet. Cha suggests that the label could offer an initial payment between KRW 1 billion ($770,122) and 1.5 billion ($1.5 million) to each member. This estimate takes into account the initial payments made to other major K-pop groups like BigBang (YG, KRW 1 billion per person) and TWICE (JYP Entertainment, KRW 1.2 billion per person).

"Considering the global popularity of [BLACKPINK], it may exceed the estimate, but the impact on the company's profitability is limited in that it is an artist with ticket power," Cha said. The analyst also noted that while the revenue share between the group and the company was likely more than half when BLACKPINK was a rookie, the artist's share could have peaked at about 80% as its profit continued to grow over the years.

The speculation comes amidst rumors that member Lisa received a staggering KRW 100 billion ($76.9 million) offer from an overseas company. However, this information has not been independently verified.

YG Entertainment recently provided an update on the contract renewal situation, stating that the current contract will last until the end of August. The company added that while there are variables such as an early agreement, the world tour performance has already been scheduled, so it seems that the current contract will be maintained until the end of August. The official announcement regarding the renewal of the contract may come after September.

BLACKPINK, consisting of members Rosé, Lisa, Jisoo, and Jennie, is currently on the encore leg of its "Born Pink" world tour, scheduled to conclude on Aug. 26 at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The group's decision on contract renewal will undoubtedly have significant implications for the future of K-pop, given their immense global popularity.

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