Sorry this is going to be long but a long-time Blink here. Been thinking a lot about Blackpink lately and can’t shake the feeling that something’s shifted, especially since Deadline and the 10th anniversary. I know Reddit isn’t exactly BP-friendly , but it still feels like a better place for real conversation than X. Not trying to make this a Blink only thing either and would actually love to hear from other K-pop fans if you’ve ever felt the same way about a group you stan.
I’ve been a Blink for years and lately the whole BP experience just feels different. I still love the girls, still care about them, and I’m gonna keep supporting them, so it’s not like I’ve outgrown them. If anything, that’s why the change has been bugging me so much.
I know Bp will be fine, but the post 10th anniversary period has felt really different to me, and not in a good way. Deadline and the anniversary felt like a turning point, everything around the group and the fandom just seems different afterwards.
One of the first things that made me notice it was the numbers. I always figured the girls would have a pretty easy time holding solid chart numbers as soloists with their individual fanbases and how well-known they are. But lately some releases seem to fall off the charts after just a few days. I know people get sensitive about numbers, and I’m not saying charts are everything, but when there’s still playlisting, promo and a decent push behind some tracks and it still doesn’t stick, it kind of reinforced this feeling I’ve been having that something about the fandom itself feels different now.
There’s always been fighting and solo stan issues, but now the fragmentation feels way more noticeable. The fandom just doesn’t feel as united anymore when it comes to the newer releases. There’s more fighting than usual, and even some group fans are pitting the members against each other, which really rubs me the wrong way. I can’t help wondering if that’s affecting how the fandom responds to both group and solo stuff.
When the members first started dropping solo music there was so much hype and curiosity because it was new. They were still mainly known as Bp members, so watching each of them figure out their own sound and identity was a big deal. Now all four have properly established themselves with releases behind them, so the novelty has worn off and I think that could be a contributing factor in why everything feels different now.
I actually enjoyed a lot of the earlier solo releases. Absolutely loved Ruby and Amortage. I don’t care what anyone says about Alter Ego either , the concept could’ve been executed better, but there are some really good songs on that album. rosie was probably the only one I didn’t enjoy as a whole, though I still loved APT and drinks or coffee.
With the newer releases, though, I’m almost ashamed to say most of them have just felt boring to me. They haven’t clicked at all and aren’t even making it onto my playlists. Feel like I’d get dunked on for admitting that in some fan spaces. I did think Sawadika was fun and really loved Heaven, so it’s not like I dislike everything they‘ve been releasing.
I’ve also noticed a change outside the fandom. People I know who used to casually keep up with the girls and some of the solo stuff either don’t seem interested anymore or didn’t even realise something new had come out. That makes me wonder about the promotion too. If casual listeners aren’t even aware of a release.
Maybe the music just isn’t connecting as broadly anymore. Part of why I’m noticing it so much is probably because the Deadline/ 10th anniversary period made me more aware of how different everything feels now. I honestly don’t know how much of this is an actual shift and how much is just me feeling a bit down about it since then.
It’s also made me notice a change with K-pop more generally. A few years ago, even if I wasn’t following a group closely, I somehow still knew when they were releasing music. I’d see the teasers, hear people talking about it, come across the song somewhere. Now there are so many groups putting stuff out that I don’t even realise they’ve had a comeback unless I actively go looking for it.
Obviously algorithms play a big role, and I know my experience isn’t everyone’s. But compared to a few years ago, K-pop feels way more segmented. If you’re not already following a group, their release can basically pass you by completely. I didn’t even know THE RED VELVET had a cb until recently!! Which is crazy.
For me, outside the groups I actively follow, the ones I tend to hear about are Aespa, Bts, IVE, ILLIT, or whatever goes viral. Not sure how different it is with boy groups since I don’t even hear about them at all but I wonder if others have noticed the same thing.
There used to be something fun about a comeback feeling like a wider K-pop event, even non-fans kind of knew it was happening. Now it often feels locked inside individual fandoms. I know the number of groups, algorithms, probably plays a part.
And honestly, I miss that collective feeling. Maybe it sounds silly, but I loved when everyone was excited together the anticipation, the countdowns, listening at the same time, talking about the songs. That’s part of what I miss about being a BLINK too with the newer releases. It feels very subdued.
I guess what I’m trying to figure out is whether this is something specific to Bp, or something that’s changed across K-pop. It could also be that I’m noticing it more because, if I’m being honest, I’ve been a little disappointed with how the group activities have gone this year, and maybe that’s affecting how I’m feeling about the solo releases more than I’d like to admit.
submitted by /u/ElectronicDog9654
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