Blinks, the official name of the global fandom of Blackpink, is set to enjoy the South Korean girl group’s concerts in the US more conveniently with Google Maps.
Google on Saturday announced a global partnership with Blackpink to provide concert venue information and other features tailored to fans as the prominent K-pop band kicked off its Deadline World Tour in the U.S. this weekend.
“Easily compare routes and modes, see live traffic updates and ETAs or even hail a rideshare. Plus, take advantage of Google Maps’ options to combine transit, walking and driving to find the most efficient way to the show,” Google said on its official blog.
“With Google Maps by your side, you can go full gas, no brakes and get to the Blackpink World Tour quickly and effortlessly.”
BEYOND CONCERTS
Blackpink started the tour earlier this month in South Korea before traveling to North America, Europe and Asia where they’ll perform from this month to January 2026.
To enhance fans’ concert experiences, Google and Blackpink will collaborate to offer exclusive features for fans attending US shows.
The band of four artists – Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa — will share Google Maps tips through their official social media channels, helping fans navigate to venues like SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Soldier Field in Chicago and Citi Field in New York.
In addition to directions, Google will provide information on nearby restaurants and other attractions to enrich the concert-day experience.
TO PROMOTE K-POP
Google vowed to promote South Korean culture across the world as K-pop’s global influence is growing.
“This partnership is a prime example of how Google’s technology can synergize with Korean cultural content and support K-pop’s global expansion,” Google said. “We will continue to provide technological and cultural support to ensure Korean culture shines even brighter on the global stage.”
Google’s technology and data showed the global influence of K-pop with Blackpink’s Deadline tour in the US approaching, the company said.
Search queries for Blackpink on Google have surged in the US for the past six months, Google said.
Search frequency for Blackpink has spiked by more than 200% since the four-member group’s concert schedule was released in February, while interest surged again last week when the band started the tour in South Korea on July 5.
Related search words were mostly about the concerts with keywords like “Deadline Blackpink” topping the list, while searching for concert venue information and merchandise of the band surged, Google said.
YG Entertainment Inc., the South Korean label behind Blackpink, aims to allow fans to enjoy the concerts better through the partnership.
“We believe this collaboration based on the members’ experiences will provide global fans with the best possible tour experience,” YG said.
By Jongwoo Cheon
jwcheon@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.
