BLACKPINK’s Extended Hiatus Is Being Compared To Military Enlistment, And This Is Why

BLINKs are tired of waiting.

Both fans and non-fans of BLACKPINK alike are aware of the ongoing issue that is the extended hiatuses between their comebacks.

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For a girl group as popular and successful as the YG Entertainment artist, it’s unusual that over a year could pass between new music releases from the whole group, and yet it has happened more than once.

| YG Entertainment

BLINKs are understandably frustrated by the lack of music being produced by BLACKPINK. Of course, the frustration isn’t aimed at the girls at all, but rather those who are managing their schedules and determining what they pursue in their careers.

| YG Entertainment

A recent post by the Instagram account @idolissue has gone so far as to compare BLACKPINK’s extended hiatuses to the long waits that come when male idols complete their military services. And time-wise, they’re really not wrong.

Caption: BLACKPINK’s hiatus is basically as long as a military enlistment hiatus. PLEASE GIVE US A COMEBACK T-T T-T T-T T-T

The second slide of the post shows their last comeback and performance, which was for “Lovesick Girls”, back in October 2020.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption: “BP’s Hiatus: 16 Months”

The third slide of the post compares BLACKPINK’s over year-long hiatus with that of aespa, who debuted in November 2020 and has had multiple comebacks since then.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption: “BLACKPINK’s last comeback was before aespa debuted. (They dropped “Lovesick Girls” and went on hiatus. Meanwhile, aespa debuted and dropped “Black Mamba,” “Next Level,” “Dreams Come True,” “Savage,” and “Step Back.“)”

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption: “BLACKPINK’s last promotion:
“Lovesick Girls” on Oct 2, 2020

“During their hiatus, aespa had FIVE comebacks:
Black Mamba-Next Level-Dreams Come True-Savage-Step Back

“BLACKPINK has been away for 17 months now.

“In fact, when they dropped “How You Like That”…”

The third slide continues with reminding us that “How You Like That” was also released after a year-long hiatus, since their previous song, “Kill This Love”, came out in April 2019, while “How You Like That” was released in June 2020. It also mentions that, though BLACKPINK is now in their 7th year since debut, they’ve only released 23 songs.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption : “…it was after a year-long hiatus.

“Because they don’t produce as many albums as often, they only have 23 songs even though they’re in their 7th year since debut.”

This is the tweet that was included in this slide that announced the wait time between “Kill This Love” and “How You Like That”.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption: “[Ad] BLACKPINK is FINALLY coming back after a year and two months twenty days away! The pre-release of #HowYouLikeThat is coming on June 26, Friday at 6PM!!!”

The next slide lists all 23 of the songs that they have released, to put into perspective how short the list really is.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption: “Though the group has been together for seven years, they only have 23 songs total. You could list all of their songs to barely fit half a page. It’s a miracle the group is even staying together.”

Finally, the last slide compares all of TWICE‘s main title tracks to BLACKPINK’s entire discography. Though TWICE only debuted a year earlier than BLACKPINK, they have more title tracks than BLACKPINK has total songs.

The slide also finally makes the comment about how, in only another week, BLACKPINK’s hiatus will have lasted as long as a male idol’s military enlistment, which is 18 months.

| @idolissue/Instagram

Caption, after a list comparing TWICE’s main tracks vs. all of BLACKPINK’s tracks: “TWICE and BLACKPINK debuted only a year apart but there is a huge difference in the number of their tracks…

“Mandatory military service is at 18 months right now. If they don’t return by next week, BLACKPINK will have been on hiatus for as long as enlistment. LOL.”

| YG Entertainment

YG Entertainment has stated that BLACKPINK will have a comeback sometime this year, but so far, very few details have been provided regarding it. BLINKs can only hope that it won’t be too much longer.

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