BLACKPINK dominated the headlines recently with the bombshell news of splitting up with their agency, YG Entertainment, for all solo endeavours. While the K-pop quartet will still continue group activities with their agency, the girls are leaving no stone unturned to build successful graphs as soloists and let their individual allure shine across the globe. Let’s take you through BLACKPINK members Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa’s solo endeavours, detailing what each member has been up to.
In their debut single, Whistle, BLACKPINK rightly sang, “Every time I show up, blow up” – and the smouldering group has done everything to become a worldwide storm. However, BLACKPINK doesn’t only shine as a band. The girls have charted many milestones in their individual projects, ranging from album releases, brand deals, variety shows, movies, own agencies and labels and the list goes on…From Lisa’s management company LLOUD to Jennie’s own fashion label Odd Atelier – here’s a breakdown of all that your favourite K-pop girls have been doing in their own careers.
Everything we know about BLACKPINK’s solo endeavours
Jennie
Debut album: ‘Solo’
Jennie Kim was the first member to kickstart the group’s solo debuts. The rapper and vocalist dropped her first album, Solo, with the lead single of the same name. To further popularise the series, YG Entertainment released Jennie – ‘Solo’ Diary series on YouTube. It showcased glimpses of her work as she promoted the single.
The pop single showcased both her sweet and sassy side as she paraded a trail of iconic outfits that cemented her image as a fashion icon. As expected, Solo was a massive hit, topping Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart upon its release. The music video of the song became the most viewed clip by a female Korean solo artist of all time within a 24-hour period on YouTube.
Later on, Jennie impressed fans with another solo song titled You & Me, which was released in 2022. It was a commercial success not only in South Korea but across the globe.
Acting ventures: ‘The Idol’, ‘Apartment 404’
While there were some questionable responses to HBO’s TV series The Idol, the internet hailed Jennie’s role as Dyanne in The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Dep starrer. She even collaborated with her co-stars on the single, One of the Girls, which marked her debut on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart as a solo artist.
Jennie is also a part of tvN and Prime Video’s variety show Apartment 404. The show also stars Yoo Jae Suk, Oh Na Ra, Cha Tae Hyun and more. It marks Jennie’s first venture as a permanent member of a variety show. The mystery-fuelled show, which premiered on February 15, is based on real events. The stars will put their detective skills to test, while traversing different eras and spaces to solve mysteries.
Fashion label: ODD ATELIER
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Cashing on her diva status, Jennie branched out of singing and acting to establish her own label ODD ATELIER in November 2023. Talking about her company during her appearance on KBS 2TV’s talk show, The Seasons, Jennie said that the reason behind establishing it was to be able to do her solo activities ‘more freely’ and with ease.
Brand deals: Chanel, Calvin Klein
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The ‘Human Chanel’ represents top-tier luxury brands, including Calvin Klein and Chanel. The K-pop idol never fails to make heads turn at the brands’ runway shows, and events and actively campaigns for their latest designs. Apart from this, she has been associated with a slew of brands including South Korean luxury beauty brand, Hera, telephone company KT Corporation, soju brand Chum-Churum as well as Lotte Confectionery.
Rosé
Solo album: ‘R’
It was in March 2021 that vocalist and dancer Rosé dropped her debut album R. Consisting of two English songs, Gone and On the Ground, the album sold around 448,089 copies in its first week, the highest figure by a Korean female soloist. The title track, On the Ground, became the first song by a Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Global 200. Moreover, it also broke the record for the most-viewed music video in the first 24 hours on YouTube by a Korean solo artist, clinching the title from Psy’s Gentleman.
On the occasion of her 27th birthday in February 2024, the artist surprised fans by dropping a preview of her new single titled ‘Vampirehollie’ on Instagram. I know there hasn’t been much news about me recently, so you must have been curious about what I’ve been up to. I’ve been working hard every day because I want to meet you all this year with a better appearance,” she wrote and added, “I cannot wait for you all to hear everything.”
Brand deals: Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co.
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Rosé secured her first brand deal with Yves Saint Laurent in 2020, further becoming the muse of YSL Beauty the following year. 2021 also saw her achieving another milestone with her appointment as luxury jewellery house Tiffany & Co. One of their most popular collaborations has been the Lock campaign in 2023, which marked Tiffany’s first all-gender jewellery collection. Gracing the collection in sparkling bangles, rings and bracelets, Rosé was the epitome of elegance and sophistication.
Lisa
Debut album: ‘Lalisa’
The group’s main dancer and lead rapper, Lisa has a very successful solo career. Just six months after Rosé’s solo debut, Lisa dropped her bombshell album Lalisa with the lead single of the same name. The music video for Lalisa became the most-viewed video by a soloist in 24 hours with 73.6 million views, which earned her two Guinness World Records. The album’s B-side track Money also surged in popularity, entering the top ten on the Billboard Global 200.
She’s also the first solo K-pop artist to win both an MTV Video Music Award for Best K-Pop Video for Lalisa, and an MTV Europe Music Award for Best K-pop. Did you know Lisa is the K-pop soloist with the most Guinness World Records in history? With this feat, she left behind the former record holder Psy. These notable achievements and records prove that she’s at the top of her game.
Acting ventures: ‘The White Lotus’
Lisa is all set to make her acting debut with the third season of The White Lotus. The latest edition of the HBO series is set in the stunning locales of Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui. While plot details are unknown, the season will follow a new group of guests at the White Lotus resort. Apart from Lisa, the ensemble cast also includes Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan and more.
Management company: LLOUD
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Unleashing her entrepreneurial side, Lisa launched her new artist management company titled ‘LLOUD’. Announcing the venture, Lisa called it a “platform to showcase my vision in music and entertainment.” While there’s not much update about what LLOUD is planning to do in the near future, we’re sure to see some exciting things happening.
Brand deals: Bulgari, Celine, Mac, Prada
With Bulgari, Celine, and Mac as well as Adidas, Penshoppe, AIS Thailand, Chivas Regal and South Korean cosmetics brand Moonshot, Lisa probably has the most brand endorsement deals in her lap out of the four BLACKPINK members. In a 2022 report, South China Morning Post cited Korean media, claiming that Lisa charges at least USD 600,000 per endorsement. Lisa is a trailblazer in the world of luxury and style, showcasing her prowess with each brand collaboration. She’s also the global brand ambassador of Sulwhasoo, a luxury Korean skincare brand. You’ll often spot the idol flaunting her flawless skin in her campaigns for the brand.
Jisoo
Debut album: Me
Concluding BLACKPINK’s solo endeavours is Jisoo, who dropped her solo album Me in March 2023. Me broke the record for the best-selling album by a K-pop female soloist and became the first to sell a million copies in history. The lead single, Flower, also became the highest-peaking song by a Korean female soloist on the Canadian Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.
Acting endeavours: ‘Snowdrop’, ‘Arthdal Chronicles’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Omniscient Reader’
Jisoo is a K-drama regular, having made appearances in shows like The Producers (2015) and Arthdal Chronicles (2019). However, it was the 2021 drama Snowdrop that led her to global stardom. It stars Jung Hae-in and Jisoo in lead roles. The show is a heart-melting love story set against the backdrop of the 1987 Democracy Movement in South Korea. It became one of the most-viewed shows in Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong, within weeks of its release.
Jisoo will now be making her big screen debut in the fantasy film Omniscient Reader. It stars Lee Min-ho and Ahn Hyo-seop in pivotal roles. Coming as an adaptation of a popular webcomic of the same name, the movie’s plot revolves around Kim Dok-Ja, whose life takes an unforeseen turn when the book he’s reading turns into reality. She will also be seen in the zombie drama Influenza, alongside Park Jeong-min.
Agency: BLISSOO
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Alongside her fellow BLACKPINK members, Jisoo also launched her own label, BLISSOO. In an announcement via Instagram, Jisoo and her team posted some photos with glimpses of the website. Talking about the vision of the company, they wrote, “Transcending the boundaries of genres and fields, our mission is to share the happiness that JISOO creates in her own unique way.”
Brand deals: Dior Beauty, Cartier
French luxury Maison Dior tapped Jisoo as their local brand ambassador in 2019. Two years later, Jisoo became one of their global ambassadors. In 2022, she was named Cartier’s ambassador. She joined the Panthère community alongside artists like Annabelle Wallis, Ella Balinska, Chang Chen, Mariacarla Boscono and more.
We can’t wait to see what BLACKPINK members have in store for us!
(Hero and feature image credit: blackpinkofficial/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Did BLACKPINK members split from YG Entertainment for Solo Endeavours?
Yes, BLACKPINK members ended their solo contracts with YG Entertainment. They’ll only be working with the agency for group projects.
- Who in BLACKPINK went Solo?
All four BLACKPINK members are working on their solo endeavours.
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Written by
Kriti Nayyar
Senior Digital Writer, Wellness, Culture, Astrology, Tech
Kriti is a stay-at-home dog mama, whose knack for telling interesting stories keeps her erstwhile monotonous life sane. A literature & journalism degree holder, you'll find her binging on Agatha Christie novels while critiquing the everyday state of affairs. On Kriti's seldom social outings, she's seen devouring coffee sangria with appetizing bread on the side.
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