Surrounded by ancient relics and centuries-old artifacts, the unmistakable pulse of K-Pop’s biggest girl group echoed through the marble halls of the National Museum of Korea on February 26, 2026. BLACKPINK chose this iconic venue to premiere their third mini-album, “DEADLINE,” transforming the nation’s most revered cultural institution into a futuristic concert hall just hours before the album’s worldwide release.

A Night Where Ancient History Met Modern Pop

In partnership with Spotify, BLACKPINK and the National Museum of Korea hosted an exclusive pre-listening event for 300 selected fans. Divided into six intimate sessions of 50 attendees each, the experience unfolded along the museum’s famed “path of history” corridor. A giant carpet reading “BLACKPINK WILL MAKE YOU” guided visitors to a seating zone surrounding the digitally restored Gwanggaeto the Great Stele — a monumental artifact from the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom dating back to 414 AD.

As the opening beats of the pre-release track “Jump” reverberated through the quiet space, LED pillars came alive with pulsating visuals and glowing rhythms. Fan Lee Hak-min, an office worker from Seoul who attended with five friends, described the moment: “When the music started in front of the Gwanggaeto monument, it even felt patriotic somehow. I think that’s the power of BLACKPINK.” Another attendee, Ko Eun-seo, admitted she was moved to tears: “I almost cried because the songs were so good, but I didn’t want my friends to tease me.”

Inside the Five Tracks of ‘DEADLINE’

The mini-album, which officially dropped on February 27 at 2 PM KST (12 AM EST), features five tracks that showcase the quartet’s evolution over a decade in the industry. The tracklist includes the pre-release single “JUMP,” lead track “GO,” and three additional songs — “Me and my,” “Champion,” and “Fxxxboy.” YG Entertainment has described the album as capturing “irreversible, defining moments” and the group at its brightest. Apple Music’s editorial note sets the tone perfectly: “Ten years into their careers as K-pop idols, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa don’t have anything to prove with DEADLINE.”

“JUMP,” released as a pre-release single in July 2025, already proved the group’s commercial dominance by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and peaking at No. 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 — marking the group’s tenth entry on that prestigious chart. “DEADLINE” is the quartet’s first full-member album since “Born Pink” in 2022, making this comeback one of the most anticipated events in K-Pop history.

100 Million YouTube Subscribers: A Red Diamond Milestone

The album release arrives on the heels of another groundbreaking achievement. On February 20, 2026, BLACKPINK became the first musical artist in history to surpass 100 million subscribers on YouTube, earning them the platform’s coveted Red Diamond Creator Award. Their Official Artist Channel is home to nine entries in YouTube’s prestigious 1 Billion Views Club, including iconic music videos like “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” “Kill This Love,” and “How You Like That.”

The group also claims three of YouTube’s top 10 all-time 24-hour music debuts, with “Pink Venom” leading at 90.4 million views. Over the past 12 months alone, BLACKPINK has accumulated 3.3 billion views across YouTube, with massive engagement from Korea (277M+ views), India (223M+), Indonesia (218M+), Mexico (182M+), the United States (180M+), and Brazil (168M+). These numbers underscore their truly global reach and the passionate devotion of BLINKs worldwide.

Bridging Korea’s Cultural Heritage With Global Pop

The collaboration between BLACKPINK and the National Museum extends far beyond a single evening. The museum’s exterior will be illuminated in the group’s signature pink until March 8, creating a stunning visual landmark in central Seoul. In a particularly meaningful initiative, each BLACKPINK member will provide voice commentary for eight of the museum’s signature artifacts — with Jisoo and Jennie recording in Korean, Rosé in English, and Lisa in Thai. This multilingual approach reflects both the group’s international composition and their commitment to making Korean cultural heritage accessible to a global audience.

Post-release listening sessions, open to all museum visitors during regular operating hours from February 27 onward, will feature a dedicated listening zone in the lobby. The pre-release sessions on February 26 sold out immediately, a testament to the overwhelming demand surrounding this comeback.

A Decade of Dominance and Solo Triumphs

While “DEADLINE” celebrates the group’s collective power, the members have also shattered records individually. Rosé recently became the first K-Pop artist to top the IFPI Global Single Chart with “APT.” featuring Bruno Mars, while K-Pop artists collectively swept seven of the top 10 spots on the IFPI Global Album Sales Chart for 2025. The album follows the successful “Deadline World Tour,” which concluded in January 2026 after 33 shows across 16 cities, including a landmark headline slot at London’s Wembley Stadium — making BLACKPINK the first K-Pop girl group to perform there.

What ‘DEADLINE’ Means for the Future of K-Pop

With their contract renewal with YG Entertainment secured in 2023 and a decade of industry-defining achievements behind them, BLACKPINK’s “DEADLINE” represents more than just a musical release. It is a cultural event that bridges Korea’s ancient heritage with its modern soft power, demonstrating how K-Pop has evolved from a music genre into a global cultural movement. As fans around the world stream the album for the first time today, one thing is certain: BLACKPINK continues to rewrite the rules of what a pop group can achieve, and they show no signs of slowing down.