BLACKPINK renew contract with YG Entertainment after months-long negotiation

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK have renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment, following a months-long negotiation process.

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On the early morning of December 6, YG Entertainment announced in a press release to NME that BLACKPINK will “continue their partnership” with the K-pop agency, following a prolonged negotiation process.

In its statement, YG Entertainment said that the quartet have “signed an exclusive contract for group activities”, noting that the re-signing is “based on strong trust after careful discussions”.

YG Entertainment also said that the K-pop girl group will be releasing “new albums” and embarking on “world tours” with the “full support” of the K-pop agency.

“We are more than thrilled to finally make an official statement that YG will continue the intimate relationship with BLACKPINK,” said YG Entertainment founder and executive producer Yang Hyun-suk in the press release.

“As the group represents YG and K-pop itself, they will certainly endeavor to shine brilliantly in the global music market,” he added. “YG will send unwavering support and trust in their actions”.

The news of BLACKPINK’s decision to renew their contracts with YG Entertainment follows months of negotiation with the label. In July 2023, the K-pop agency said that the girl group’s contracts were still “under discussion”, following media reports that Lisa would not be renewing her contract.

The K-pop agency said largely the same in September 2023, when reports claimed that Jennie, Jisoo and Lisa would not be renewing their contracts. YG Entertainment provided an update on negotiations with BLACKPINK in mid-November, saying that it was “still negotiating with the artists”.

BLACKPINK made their debut in 2016 under YG Entertainment, and have since go on to become one of the most successful K-pop girl groups globally. Notably, despite not having released any new groups music in 2023, the quartet were still the second-most streamed K-pop act on Spotify for the year.