BLACKPINK Earns Historic Government Honor for Global Impact on K-POP

BLACKPINK has become the first K-POP girl group to receive the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, recognizing its contributions to the global spread of Korean popular culture.

According to YG Entertainment on Oct. 30, the four-member group was named a recipient at the 2026 Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, held at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on Oct. 29.

The Okgwan Order is the fourth class of South Korea's Order of Cultural Merit, awarded to individuals and groups for their contributions to culture and the arts.

The recognition comes as BLACKPINK celebrates its 10th debut anniversary.

The group thanked fans for their continued support and pledged to keep making music that brings comfort and inspiration.

Since debuting in 2016, BLACKPINK has achieved several international milestones. Its second studio album, "BORN PINK," topped both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart in 2022.

Earlier this year, BLACKPINK became the first music act to surpass 100 million YouTube subscribers. Its third EP, "DEADLINE," also set a new first-week sales record for a K-pop girl group, selling more than 1.77 million copies.

The group recently completed its "DEADLINE" world tour, spanning 33 concerts across 16 cities.