BLACKPINK's 10th Anniversary Fan Meeting at National Museum of Korea Sparks Controversy

BLACKPINK's 10th-anniversary fan meeting, held at the National Museum of Korea, has become a subject of controversy. The core reason for the buzz stems from complaints that the event, intended for a select group of fans, caused significant inconvenience to general museum visitors, leading to temporary restrictions on exhibition hall entry and disruptions to their viewing schedules.

The event, a "MEET & GREET" for the group's 10th anniversary on August 8th, saw all four members—Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa—gather at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul. Only 40 fans, selected via a lottery for Weverse membership holders, were able to attend. During the fan meeting, new entry to Special Exhibition Hall 1, where the event took place, was restricted for approximately one hour for safety reasons, impacting regular visitors. This led to a civil complaint filed with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and subsequently, the National Museum of Korea issued an official apology for operational shortcomings. Other criticisms included the short event duration (less than 30 minutes offline, 11 minutes online) and the perceived lack of sincerity in the 6,900 won rice cake gift given to attendees.

Local bloggers shared that fans expressed significant disappointment over the small scale of the 10th-anniversary event and the short notice for its announcement. BLACKPINK members themselves conveyed their apologies to fans regarding the situation. While some defended the rice cake gift as a thoughtful gesture, others criticized it, suggesting that given the members' status as global ambassadors for luxury brands, a more substantial or sponsored gift might have been expected.