K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is set to make history as the first female K-pop artist to perform at Wembley Stadium in London, England. This performance marks the first K-pop show at the iconic venue in nearly six years, following global supergroup BTS’s concert there in 2019. BLACKPINK will take the stage at Wembley on the 15th and 16th of this month as part of their world tour ″DEADLINE.″

Wembley Stadium, known as the home of the England national football team, is a prestigious concert venue. Originally built in 1923 for the British Empire Exhibition, the current structure was completed in 2007. The old Wembley hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1948 London Olympics, while the new stadium was the site of the football final during the 2012 Olympics. This venue holds special significance for Korean music fans, having also hosted the 1985 charity concert ″Live Aid,″ featured in the film ″Bohemian Rhapsody.″

In 2019, BTS captured significant attention as the first Korean act to perform twice at Wembley Stadium. At that time, Tottenham Hotspur FC, where Son Heung-min plays, was using Wembley as a temporary home, raising concerns about potential damage to the turf during BTS’s performances. However, Tottenham Hotspur reassured fans, stating that concerts are routinely held at Wembley during the football off-season and welcomed BTS’s presence.

BLACKPINK launched their tour early last month with a two-day event at Goyang Sports Complex, attracting 78,000 fans. They have since performed at major venues worldwide, including the Stade de France in Paris, the largest venue in France. Their previous tour, ″BORN PINK,″ drew an impressive 1.8 million attendees, making it the largest single tour by a K-pop girl group.

The members of BLACKPINK have expressed their excitement for this tour, their first full group tour in nearly two years. In a behind-the-scenes video from the Goyang concert, they shared their gratitude to their fandom, BLINK, stating, ″We’re so nervous to perform as BLACKPINK after such a long time. We’ve prepared so hard, and seeing everyone enjoying themselves makes us happy.″

BLACKPINK debuted on August 8, 2016, with the single ″SQUARE ONE,″ which featured the double title tracks ″Whistle″ and ″Boombayah.″ They recently celebrated their ninth anniversary since debuting. Their second full-length album, ″BORN PINK,″ released in 2022, topped both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart, solidifying their status as one of the world’s leading girl groups. BLACKPINK and BTS are the only K-pop groups to have simultaneously reached the top of both charts.

In addition, BLACKPINK has achieved significant success on Billboard’s main singles chart, the Hot 100. While BTS holds the record with 27 entries, BLACKPINK’s new song ″Run″ has brought their total to 10 songs on the Hot 100. This achievement is a landmark moment not just for K-pop girl groups but for girl groups globally, marking the first time a girl group has topped the Billboard 200 since American group Danity Kane did so with ″Welcome to the Dollhouse″ on April 5, 2008.

At the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, BLACKPINK was recognized as the ″Top K-Pop Touring Artist″ for their ″BORN PINK″ tour in 2022 and 2023. The four members have also expanded their influence in the global music market through solo projects with independent labels or by transitioning to other agencies. Rosé set a new record for female K-pop artists with her collaboration with American pop star Bruno Mars on ″Apartment,″ while Jisoo has ventured into acting. Lisa has gained attention through collaborations with renowned artists, and Jennie’s solo performance at Coachella earned her Album of the Year accolades from various media outlets.

These solo endeavors have heightened interest in BLACKPINK’s full-group concerts, leading to fierce competition for tickets to their upcoming world tour. All seats sold out immediately when tickets went on sale.