Even if you don’t listen to K-Pop, you know who BLACKPINK are. Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa have taken the world by storm over the past few years and YG Entertainment have decided to release BLACKPINK: The Movie to commemorate the K-Pop girl group’s fifth year in the entertainment industry.
I’ll start by saying that this movie is a whole lot of fun and will easily please those who aren’t so familiar with the girl group or are casual fans. More so, those who are very aware of the group’s existence but are not dedicated to follow all their updates, nor are very well versed in the world of K-Pop. However, if you are an avid Blink and K-Pop fan that is up to date on all the releases and the group’s activities, then you will be severely disappointed.
BLACKPINK: The Movie is a great for those that miss live music. Heck, when the film displayed a smidge of content from the concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena and showed signs being held welcoming Rosé back home to Australia, I became emotional. Even a bit teary, since I remember being at that concert and was reminded on how great live arena concerts are, and how much I miss them.
However, considering that BLACKPINK: The Movie is supposed to be a celebration of the K-Pop group’s 5-year anniversary, and majority of the film is recycled content from both the 2019 World Tour and ‘The Show’ online concert earlier this year, it is disappointing for fans that expected more, as the film barely provides anything new. Well, I suppose in total it is only about 20 minutes of new content. I swear there’s even just ten minutes alone of Blinks with lightsticks…
Although I am grateful that the film showcases high quality filmed clips of performances from the online concert that weren’t very clear on my TV when I watched it live earlier this year, at the same time, I felt very cheated being shown something that I had already previously paid for. What I expected, considering that BLACKPINK: The Movie is described as a concert documentary, was more dialogue, new content, backstage footage and an insight into who the girls are as individuals, while also focusing on their differing personalities and growth, considering it has been 5 years. I also expected more footage into Jennie and Rosé’s solo projects behind the scenes, as well as a teaser to Lisa’s upcoming solo debut. We don’t get any of that.
So, I suppose if you just want to dance in your seat and attend a concert without really attending a concert due to Covid ruining live music, then BLACKPINK: The Movie is for you. However, if you want to see the members talk more about their relationship together, who they are and their lives, you’re not going to find that here.
What can I say? They could have done so much more with this, but YG Entertainment have always been great at making their artists less human and personal. I should not have been surprised, given their track record of known disappointments, to the point that Blinks have literally sent trucks and have campaigned against. I love the girls but considering majority of the content is from ‘The Show’, I feel a bit mad that I paid twice for practically the same thing.
BLACKPINK: The Movie is a misleading title, its content is lazy and disrespectful of BLACKPINK’s ongoing legacy and is an obvious money trap for die-hard fans. Save your money, please watch the Youtube videos instead, it’s the same thing.