BLACKPINK has made history at the 2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, becoming the first K-pop group to receive the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit. All four members — Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa — were honored with the distinction, recognizing the group’s contribution to South Korean popular culture and its international reach.
The Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit is the second-highest grade within South Korea’s Order of Cultural Merit system. BLACKPINK’s recognition marks a significant milestone for K-pop, placing the group’s cultural influence at the center of one of the country’s major honors for artists and entertainers.
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Although the members did not all attend the ceremony in person, each shared a prerecorded statement in Korean to express gratitude for the award. Jennie said she was honored to receive the recognition and thanked everyone who had supported BLACKPINK throughout its career. She also apologized for being unable to attend and promised to repay the support with “great music and performances.”
Lisa echoed that sentiment, thanking fans who have embraced the group’s music and stage performances, as well as the staff members who have worked alongside the quartet. She described the honor as meaningful and pledged that BLACKPINK would continue working hard to give its supporters more music and performances.
Jisoo also acknowledged the fans and everyone who had supported the group, while expressing appreciation for her fellow members. Despite missing the ceremony, she said she would continue working to show audiences an even better side of herself. Rosé, meanwhile, highlighted the people who had helped make the achievement possible and the fans who had supported BLACKPINK’s music over the years. She said she hoped to continue creating music that brings joy and moves people.
The award arrives a decade after BLACKPINK debuted in August 2016 with the single album Square One, featuring “Whistle” and “Boombayah.” The group quickly established itself in South Korea before expanding internationally, with “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” becoming a major breakthrough in 2018. Its music video went on to become the first by a Korean group to surpass one billion and two billion views on YouTube.
BLACKPINK continued to set milestones with The Album in 2020, the first album by a Korean girl group to sell one million copies, and Born Pink in 2022. The latter became the first album by a Korean girl group to top both the Billboard 200 in the United States and the UK Albums Chart, while also surpassing two million copies in sales. The group’s Born Pink World Tour later became the highest-grossing concert tour by a female group, and in 2023, BLACKPINK made history as the first Asian act to headline Coachella.
Beyond recorded music and touring, the quartet has become a major force in fashion and international brand partnerships. Its members have also developed individual careers, expanding their reach across music, entertainment and luxury fashion while maintaining BLACKPINK’s global profile. In 2023, the group was appointed honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire for its role in raising awareness of climate change alongside the UK and South Korean governments.
The Okgwan honor adds another distinction to a career defined by international milestones, record-breaking releases and an expanding cultural footprint.
Photo: YG ENTERTAINMENT
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