Blackpink has fans jumping for joy in Chicago
Soldier Field was filled with enough pink lights and colored pastel smoke Friday night that it could have been mistaken for the latest viral gender reveal. The only announcement here, though, was “Blackpink is in your area.”
The K-pop phenomenon — considered the biggest girl group in the world — brought their newly launched tour to Chicago, one of only four North American cities on the global run. It was also the act’s first time back here since 2022 when they headlined at the United Center. Since then, the four members — Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa and Rosé — spent the past few years establishing their own identities and simultaneously launching successful solo careers, all but amplifying their market share in the Top 40 as K-pop and its cult of personality continues to run wild.
Blink fans came from far and wide to get a dose of the “Pink Venom,” not only selling out the event (the first time in Soldier Field history for a girl group) but lining up hours ahead of time at a pop-up merch shop on State Street with lines that snaked all around the Loop. NBC reported some drove in from as far as Canada to scoop up the popular heart-shaped pink light sticks and tour-branded T-shirts, proudly brandishing it all as they excitedly rushed into the stadium.
From the introduction, a broadcast of the music video for Blackpink’s new club-dub song, “Jump,” the crowd heeded the call with thunderous stomping and shrieks that didn’t let up for two-and-a-half hours — even on repeats. “Jump” in particular was heard three times throughout the night, the video followed by an animated group performance and a reprise at the top of the encore.
The group’s parent company, YG Entertainment, is nothing if not savvy marketers and the repetition was a deft move to give the track earworm potential as it vies for “song of the summer” status. Released on July 11, just a day before Blackpink kicked off the North American leg of their tour in L.A., “Jump” quickly landed at No. 1 on YouTube, iTunes and Spotify charts, already racking up 58 million streams on the latter platform alone.
Its message is also on-point for spelling out big reunion potential, a song about being “with all my sisters,” as Lisa sings. Beyond the obvious hand-holding and hugs the four gave one another throughout the night, the bond was also felt in the incredible chemistry they brought in a well-rehearsed production that played up their unique contributions.
Where rappers and tough girls Lisa and Jennie bring the “black” edginess, romantic pop singers Rosé and Jisoo embody the “pink” softness that makes Blackpink such an interesting anomaly in the K-pop world. Their music has a bigger, bolder sound than most with a mix of rock, EDM, trap, pop and hip-hop. And their message is less about being ogled than being empowered. Even their solo careers veer away from the K-pop playbook, as was evident on this night as each of the members had a two- or three-song spotlight for their own material.
Rosé was perhaps the most compelling, her breathy voice and strong singer-songwriter bent fitting in the wheelhouse of Olivia Rodrigo or Taylor Swift. Though Bruno Mars didn’t join for their collab song “Apt.” as he did in L.A., it was still one of the best songs of the night. Lisa was arguably the most loved. The star, fresh off an acting stint in “The White Lotus,” offered up a cyberpunk “alter ego” on aggro material like “Fxck Up the World.”
Yet, it’s when the four came together that the magic was most potent, especially on big party numbers like “Boombayah” and “Lovesick Girls,” as well as tender-hearted ballads like “Don’t Know What To Do,” all of it supported by a four-piece live band and an army of additional dancers. Along with firework flares, oversized video screens and confetti guns, the tour is what stadium shows are made for, and fosters an environment where audience participation is a huge part of the equation.
“We feel you giving so much energy to us,” Rosé shared in a mid-set speech. “I feel like we opened up a club in Chicago and everyone is partying with us,” Jennie added later. “Why don’t we have a Day 2 here?”
It was a curious question as most other cities have multiple nights. But there were hints they may be back. Between acts, video vignettes featured the four in a muscle car heading from L.A. to Las Vegas and across the desert on the road to … somewhere. Next year is the group’s 10th anniversary, after all, so Blackpink may be in your area — and ours — again soon.
SET LIST
Act 1:
Kill This Love
Pink Venom
How You Like That
Playing With Fire
Shut Down
Act 2:
Earthquake (Jisoo)
Your Love (Jisoo)
Thunder (Lisa)
Fxck Up The World (Lisa)
ACT 3:
Pretty Savage
Don't Know What to Do
Whistle
Stay
Lovesick Girls
Act 4:
Mantra / with the IE (way up) (Jennie)
Like Jennie (Jennie)
3am (Rosé)
Toxic Till The End (Rosé)
Apt. (Rosé)
Act 5:
Jump
Boombayah
Ddu-Du Ddu-Du
As If It's Your Last
Forever Young
Encore:
Jump (Reprise)
Really
See U Later