BLACKPINK Kicks Off Deadline World Tour with Record-Breaking Performances

SEOUL, July 23, 2025 — International K-pop phenomenon BLACKPINK has ignited globals with the electrifying launch of its Deadline World Tour, marking the quartet’s high-anticipated return to the stage as a full group after over two years. The tour’s opening shows shattered attendance records and set new milestones, making BLACKPINK the first K-pop girl group tosolo at the Goyang Sports Complex and attracting tens of thousands of fans from Korea and beyond.

Deadline World Tour: A Historic Homecoming

BLACKPINK commenced its legacy-building tour on July 5 and 6 at the Goyang Main Stadium, located just northwest of Seoul. Both nights rapidly sold out, with a combined crowd exceeding 150,000, a testament to the group’s enduring popularity and significance. The homecoming performances featured a powerful setlist, inaugurating the night with “Kill This Love” and instantly immersing fans in high-energy choreography and dazzling stage effects. The tour also offered the live debut of their new single “Jump,” a track released on July 11 that swiftly climbed the Apple Music Global Top 100, reflecting BLACKPINK’s continuing chart dominance.

The group’s opening concerts were met with critical acclaim. Reviews emphasized the group’s seamless onstage synergy despite their lengthy hiatus for solo activities, describing the shows as a “triumphant” and “high-voltage homecoming” with “the kind of poptimism and electric choreography we’ve come to expect from the greatest girl group of this generation”.

North American Leg: Soaring to New Heights

Following their Goyang triumphs, BLACKPINK set their sights on North America, kicking off with two sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on July 12 and 13. Well over 100,000 attendees witnessed a concert experience that blended the group’s biggest chart-toppers—such as “How You Like That,” “Pink Venom,” and “Boombayah”—with innovative staging that captured the look and feel of a cross-country road trip.

Notably, individual solo performances by Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa showcased each member’s unique artistry, while collaborative moments reaffirmed their unimpeachable group chemistry. The single “Jump” anchored the set, its performance enhanced by immersive visuals featuring virtual cityscape billboards displaying each member, further underscoring the tour’s ambitious production values.

Unprecedented Demand and Expanding Tour Schedule

Ticket demand for every leg of the Deadline World Tour has been extraordinary. The rapid sellouts at major stadiums—from SoFi in Los Angeles to Soldier Field in Chicago and Citi Field in New York—prompted BLACKPINK and YG Entertainment to add additional dates in several cities, including second or third nights at some venues to accommodate overwhelming fan interest.

• Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 18 drew thousands, with fans and critics alike praising BLACKPINK’s unmatched stagecraft.
• Toronto’s Rogers Stadium is hosting two nights, July 22 and 23.
• New York’s Citi Field will see three consecutive nights starting July 26, highlighting the group’s massive appeal in North America.

The North American leg will be followed by a European run through iconic venues such as Stade de France in Paris, Ippodromo La Maura in Milan, Estadi Olímpic in Barcelona, and the storied Wembley Stadium in London. The Asia leg, set for October onward, will bring BLACKPINK to major cities including Kaohsiung, Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore, and Hong Kong, reflecting the group’s truly global fanbase.

Economic Impact: A Boon for Local and Global Markets

The Deadline World Tour’s record-breaking ticket sales have had a measurable economic impact, providing significant boosts to local economies at each stop. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation hubs have reported increased bookings and activity, particularly in host cities like Seoul, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and London. According to tour data, the opening Goyang shows each generated revenues close to $10 million, with the tour as a whole projected to outperform the group’s previous Born Pink World Tour in both gross revenue and overall attendance.

Merchandise sales, both onsite and online, have spiked globally, and streaming numbers for BLACKPINK’s music continue to rise. In 2025, BLACKPINK passed 943 million Spotify streams, making them the world’s most-streamed girl group. Their new single “Jump” continues to perform strongly in digital downloads and social media engagement.

Comparing BLACKPINK’s Achievements to Global Peers

BLACKPINK’s rapid international rise is often compared to landmark moments in pop music history, drawing parallels with legendary acts such as Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, and even recent successes from groups like TWICE and Little Mix. However, BLACKPINK has consistently pushed boundaries unique to 21st-century global pop:

• Genre Crossover: Their blend of Korean and English lyrics, genre-fluid production, and “girl crush” concept has enabled BLACKPINK to reach audiences in both Western and Asian music markets in ways unprecedented for a girl group.
• Stadium Firsts: As the first K-pop girl group to sell out large stadiums in North America and Europe, BLACKPINK outpaces the records held by earlier Hallyu leaders like Girls’ Generation and Wonder Girls, setting new standards for international touring.
• Digital Dominance: The group’s social media following—spanning YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram—ranks among the highest globally for musicians, powering viral moments and translating directly to streaming, merchandise, and tour sales.

Regionally, BLACKPINK’s tour numbers in North America outpace those of Korean peers, rivaled only by select Westernrs like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. In Europe, their appearance at Wembley follows the footsteps of BTS but remains rare for Asian artists, emphasizing BLACKPINK’s one-of-a-kind crossover status.

Historical Context: Building on the Born Pink Legacy

The Deadline World Tour comes on the heels of the acclaimed Born Pink World Tour (2022–2023), which rewrote the commercial playbook for female pop groups, drawing 1.8 million fans and becoming the highest-grossing girl group tour of all time. During the hiatus that followed, each member embarked on highly successful solo careers both musically and in entertainment, further fueling fan anticipation for a group reunion.

• Lisa’s solo music and media appearances, including her U.S. television role, cemented her as a global icon.
• Rosé’s acclaimed collaboration “Apt.” with Bruno Mars drew international media attention.
• Jennie’s solo album and tour demonstrated her distinct vocal and fashion influence.
• Jisoo’s debut extended play “Amortage” and viral single “Earthquake” captured dance trends online.

The group’s reassembly for Deadline mirrors classic pop comebacks—invoking nostalgia while charting new creative territory.

Setlist Evolution and Concert Experience

BLACKPINK’s 2025 setlists are carefully curated to balance nostalgia with innovation, blending beloved hits with live debuts of new material. Fans at Goyang and SoFi Stadium experienced a five-act show structure plus encore, featuring signature tracks—“Kill This Love,” “Pink Venom,” “How You Like That,” “Boombayah,” and “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du”—as well as full-length solo stages and multiple versions of “Jump”.

Concert reviewers note BLACKPINK’s use of immersive visuals, interactive pink zone maps, and dynamic camera work to maximize audience engagement. Guest appearances, such as Bruno Mars joining Rosé onstage for “Apt.” in LA, added further star power to the spectacle.

Public Reaction: Fans, Media, and Social Trendsetters

Social media has lit up with reactions to BLACKPINK’s Deadline World Tour. Hashtags related to each city trend globally with every new performance, while fans report sold-out hotels and extended queues for official merchandise. Critics predictably highlight the group’s ability to deliver both a communal concert experience and individually unique artistic moments, suggesting that BLACKPINK’s power lies in their blend of group unity and solo stardom.

The tour’s multimedia-heavy stages and staged road trip concept have resonated with younger audiences, who share clips and reactions across platforms, further fueling the group’s viral momentum.

Looking Ahead: The Deadline Album and Future Prospects

With 31 shows scheduled across 16 major cities and more dates likely to be added given demand, the Deadline World Tour is poised to surpass the Born Pink era in both scope and influence. Scheduled to wrap in Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium in January 2026, the tour closely follows the announcement of BLACKPINK’s third full-length album, “Deadline,” set for a September release. Music and industry analysts suggest the tour and upcoming album will only further elevate BLACKPINK’s position as a dominant force in the music world.

As BLACKPINK continues to break attendance and streaming records, the Deadline World Tour stands as a monument to the exponential rise of K-pop around the world, cementing the group’s legacy while setting new historic benchmarks in live music and pop culture.