TOPLINE
Girl group K-pop Blackpink broke YouTube’s record for the most-watched music video premiere of all time with their new single “How You Like That”.
Blackpink performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2019 on April 19, 2019 in Indio, … [+]
KEY FACTS
1.65 million people watched the music video at the time it was released on Friday, breaking records (according to the BBC); it has now been viewed almost 50 million times.
The single is the group’s first in a year (although they collaborated with Lady Gaga on “Sour Candy” released last month).
YouTube’s record was previously held by K-pop group BTS for their February single “On,” whose premiere attracted 1.54 million viewers; The video now has more than 204 million views.
“How You Like That” ranges from English to Korean lyrics, and the video features the pop quartet in elaborate costumes, settings, and dance routines.
“This may sound great, but we wanted to give a message of hope,” Blackpink said in an email to Hour About the new single.
Blackpink has a number of superlatives: YouTube’s most subscribed music group, the highest-grossing tour by a female K-pop group, and the first K-pop group to reach 1 billion views on YouTube, according to Hour.
Crucial quote
“In any dark moment or situation we encounter, we want everyone to have the strength and confidence to be able to get up again,” Blackpink said in an email to Hour.
Tangent
K-pop stages appear not only en masse for music video premieres, but also in support of Black Lives Matter and liberal political causes. They drowned racists by flooding the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag with K-pop idol content in alliance with the Black Lives Matter movement. They also reportedly signed up for the Trump rally in Tulsa to guarantee empty seats in the arena, to which applause Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) applauded.
Further reading
BLACKPINK in the message of the new single ‘How You Like That’ (Hour)
Trump campaign claims ‘tens of thousands’ of TikTokers and K-Pop Stans used ‘fake numbers’ to register for the Tulsa RallyForbes)
K-Pop fans drown racists by co-opting #WhiteLivesMatter on Twitter and InstagramForbes)
