By Joori Roh
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is set to reveal their new song “Pink Venom” later on Friday, their first single in nearly two years, ahead of a planned nine-month world tour.
The teaser for the music video of the hip-hop track, the lead single of the group’s new album to be released next month, has already attracted more than 130 million views on YouTube.
The foursome – Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa – have become a global phenomenon since their debut in South Korea in 2016 and have collaborated with stars such as Lady Gaga, Cardi B and Dua Lipa.
Some of their songs such as “Kill This Love” have gathered more than a billion YouTube hits, but group members have focused more recently on solo releases.
“Since it’s our comeback after a long time … we wanted to express our identity. So we put together words ‘Pink’ and ‘Venom’, two contradictory words that will well remind you of us,” Jennie said at a media event.
The band’s management agency YG Entertainment said the music video for the song, which features traditional Korean instruments, is the most expensive it has ever produced.
The new album, Born Pink, set for release on Sept. 16, presold more than 1.5 million copies in a week, double the number of the group’s first album, YG said.
“Rather than focusing on breaking records, we have really prepared for the new song so our fans and audiences can love it … (but) if we are able to break records, we would be really thankful,” Rose said.
BLACKPINK will kick off their world tour in October and visit at least 26 cities through to June, performing to some 1.5 million fans.
(Reporting by Joori Roh; editing by Richard Pullin)
