The contract renewal between BLACKPINK and YG Entertainment continues to be a highly discussed topic among netizens.

On November 14th, YG released their third-quarter performance report for 2023. While BLACKPINK is still listed as an artist under YG, their status is marked as "contract renewal in discussion." As there have been no official statements from YG regarding the renewal, various rumors about BLACKPINK's future are circulating.

After completing their "BORN PINK" world tour with a two-day encore concert in Seoul, BLACKPINK has not shown any signs of a comeback. Despite hints of her departure from YG, Jennie released "You & Me" as a gift for fans. Jisoo is expected to focus on acting, while Rosé continues with her individual schedules.

Among the members, Lisa has been at the center of controversy as she faced an activity ban in China after performing a three-day nude show in Paris. In the midst of this situation, YG has started to assert their ownership of the name BLACKPINK.

They have released various paid content and merchandise under the group's name, including a VR concert, collaboration with Takashi Murakami, photocard sets, paid content on Weverse, and a limited theme in Superstar YG.

While fans remain concerned about the group's uncertain future, YG continues to release entertainment content, such as Rosé's Season's Greetings featuring her pet dog Hank. The majority of netizens believe that YG would not let go of BLACKPINK, considering the group's significant profitability for the company. BLACKPINK's activities have a significant impact on YG stocks, and the company also leverages the group's name by releasing merchandise.

However, there are still many people who find rumors of the members, particularly Lisa, leaving YG to be convincing.

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BTS's Jin continues to shine bright with his massive popularity, securing the No. 1 spot in the MY1PICK weekly rankings for an impressive 43 consecutive weeks!

In the MY1PICK K-POP Individual Category Weekly Ranking for the third week of December (December 16–22), Jin earned a massive 6,154,905 hearts, keeping his position at the top. From the 5th week of February to the 3rd week of December, Jin has been unbeatable in the weekly rankings, proving he has an enormous fanbase and global influence.

But Jin’s achievements don’t stop there. In November, he dominated the K-POP Individual Category Monthly Ranking, topping it with 25,452,283 hearts. He has held the No. 1 spot for 11 months straight, from January to November, showing his continuous popularity throughout the year.

Jin also claimed victory in the One Pick Chart’s “November Monthly Chart K-POP (Solo)” category, holding the No. 1 position for 8 months in a row, from April to November. On top of that, he won the 2024 Season Chart K-POP (SOLO) for both the 2nd and 3rd quarters, making him the best One Pick star of the season.

The Season Chart awards honor artists who have consistently earned love from fans, with a physical trophy given to the top artist. Jin’s back-to-back victories solidify his place as one of the most beloved stars in K-pop.

Jin’s fan power doesn’t end with rankings. He’s also triumphed in numerous themed votes, taking first place in categories like “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of,” “Star You Want to See First Pitch at a Baseball Game,” “Best Cooking Genius Idol,” “Star Who Would Be the Best Child,” and “Star You Would Fall in Love With at First Sight.” His reward advertisement for the “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of” vote began airing on December 26 and can be seen at Yeoksam Station until December 30.

Meanwhile, Jin’s first solo album Happy was released on November 15 and quickly became a global hit, showcasing his talents as a solo artist. He held a special showcase, Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage, on November 16 and 17, where fans were captivated by his beautiful vocals and flawless live performance.

Jin has also been keeping busy with appearances on popular variety shows like Salon Drip 2, Neighborhood Star K4, and Limousine Service. He’s also appeared on famous American talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Japan’s top music program Venue 101, where he impressed fans with his humor and solid live performances. His reputation as the “Vocal King” and “Live King” is stronger than ever!

As if that wasn't enough, Jin is also gaining attention globally for singing the main theme song for the new tvN drama Ask the Stars. Jin's talents continue to wow the world, and it's clear he's not slowing down anytime soon!

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