When the Coachella lineup came out last month, one of the best surprises was the inclusion of BLACKPINK, the South Korean girl group who are quickly becoming a massive global phenomenon. BLACKPINK have only existed since 2016, and they only just released their debut album BLACKPINK In Your Area in December, but there was more social-media furor around them than around any other act on that Coachella lineup. As it turns out, Coachella was just the beginning. This spring, BLACKPINK will launch a North American invasion with a quick arena tour, and they made their first big TV appearance on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show last night.
On Colbert, BLACKPINK performed their monster single “Ddu-du Ddu-du.” They totally lip-synced, but their precise and inventive choreography was a cool thing to witness. And unlike other K-pop stars who have tried to make an impact stateside, they didn’t switch their lyrics to English. But honestly, an American late-night show was not the right introduction for a group like this. Spectacle and fan hysteria are two of the key elements to K-pop’s appeal, and you just don’t get those in an American TV studio, with a muted crowd that’s there for other reasons. But the charm offensive has to start somewhere.
The Colbert performance simply couldn’t compete with the “Ddu-du Ddu-du” video, if only because none of the BLACKPINK members got to eat popcorn while riding disco-ball tanks on Colbert. Below, check out the Colbert performance as well as that “Ddu-du Ddu-du” video and the group’s slate of North American tour dates.
TOUR DATES:
4/12 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
4/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
4/19 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
4/24 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
4/27 – Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre
5/01 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
5/05 – Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena
5/08 – Ft. Worth, TX @ Ft. Worth CC Arena
This is now a BLACKPINK stan account. https://t.co/At6tm8OX8K
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) February 12, 2019
BLACKPINK will also be on Good Morning America today.
