GOYANG, Gyeonggi — Summer is in full swing, and so is the concert calendar at the Goyang Sports Complex. A steady stream of K-pop performances have taken place at the venue so far this year, with the latest being Blackpink’s new “Deadline” world tour. The concerts kicked off on Saturday with two massive shows at the complex's main stadium, drawing 78,000 fans.

However, the latest show from the K-pop quartet marked a departure from the industry's usual playbook in several ways.

Blackpink notably diverged from the typical promotional cycle of an album drop followed by a world tour, fully leveraging the momentum of the members' respective solo ventures instead, with each artist emerging as a pop star in her own right. The concert reflected such an expansion in the members' artistic identities, extending beyond the traditional, tight-knit fan and artist dynamic in K-pop.

Rather than releasing any fresh material in advance, Blackpink used the opening night as a stage for a surprise, offering fans, affectionately known as Blink, a first glimpse of its long-awaited comeback with “Jump,” the group’s first new music performed on stage in more than two years.

This is not something entirely unheard of, considering major acts like Beyoncé and Coldplay had released albums mid-tour before, and Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour was themed around her entire discography. Still, every tour needs a strong anchor that sets the series apart from the previous ones from the outset.

So, how was “Deadline” different from the group’s previous tours, especially the most recent, record-setting “Born Pink” in 2022 and 2023?

In short, the reunion alone was enough to drive fans wild. With each member having pursued successful solo careers since the group's last tour, Blackpink finally coming together on stage after such a long time carried the thrill of an “Avengers, assemble!” moment.

The set list reflected this energetic shift — dynamic and refreshingly distinct from the group’s earlier routine, signaling not just a return, but an evolution.

Jisoo’s solo performance, featuring “earthquake” and “Your Love,” opened with vintage-style footage of her as a classic movie star, a nod to her acting career. Lisa followed with “New Woman” (2024) and “Rockstar” (2024), commanding the stadium immediately with her distinctive charisma and luxurious aura.

Jennie delivered a powerhouse solo performance, starting with “Mantra” (2024) and “with the IE,” which exploded into “like JENNIE,” showcasing her intense stage presence. Rosé opened her portion of the show with “3AM” (2024), sharing the backstory of the song in an intimate setting befitting her identity as a singer-songwriter. This was followed by “toxic till the end” (2024) and the soaring “APT.” (2024), a song that instantly brought the audience to its feet.

The reunion served as a marker for what is expected to come next: Blackpink’s reinvention. In that sense, “Deadline” indeed felt like a fitting title for the occasion, signifying both a nod to past chapters and the start of a new era.

At the same time, the newly premiered “Jump” gave fans what they had been waiting for — a summer party song that draws in listeners with an addictive hook. After listening to each member’s new releases, which traverse a wide range of genres and blur the lines between pop and K-pop, “Jump” felt like it leans into a signature K-pop sound, blending cowboy rock elements with an intense EDM chorus.

“When preparing for the concert, I’ve been really excited because of the fact that we will be presenting more diverse colors with this tour, with each member having a distinctive style,” said Jisoo.

“Isn’t our new song, ‘Jump,’ really addictive?” she continued. “It’s going to be released soon, so we hope you look forward to it.”

Another element that made the “Deadline” tour feel different from the typical K-pop concert experience was its overall tone. K-pop concerts, even when not labeled a meet-and-greet, tend to feature frequent shout-outs to fans and emotional interludes, creating a deeply intimate setting.

While the bond between Blackpink and Blink was undeniable, Blackpink’s two-hour run at the “Deadline” show felt like a global festival headline set, partly because of its pace, intensity and relatively brief individual artist comments between sets, coupled with the expansive size of the stadium. This was likely by design, as the show functioned less as a sentimental reflection and more as an explosive teaser for the full-fledged comeback, and an introduction to a new chapter for the group.

Still, there were moments of heartfelt connection, where members expressed their gratitude to fans and anticipation for the tour.

“I’ve been really nervous since yesterday — honestly, I still am,” Lisa said, a surprising confession following her electrifying performance. “But seeing everyone having fun with us makes me so happy.”

Jennie also said, “I’m so grateful to see everyone filling up this Goyang stadium.”

As the group is now set to head overseas, she added, “We’re now off on tour, but I hope the day we can meet Blink here again comes soon.”

Overall, the show served as a bold declaration: Blackpink is back and has evolved — ready to take on a new era as a formidable K-pop force.

Despite being a nostalgic comeback, the Korean launch of the “Deadline” tour felt like both an explosive launch and a warm homecoming, brimming with energy and anticipation for what’s to come.

The tour, which spans 31 shows across 16 cities, will now bring Blackpink to Los Angeles on July 12 and 13, followed by stops in Chicago on July 18, Toronto on July 22 and 23, New York on July 26 and 27, Paris on Aug. 2 and 3, Milan on Aug. 6, Barcelona on Aug. 8, London on Aug. 15 and 16, Kaohsiung in Taiwan on Oct. 18 and 19, Bangkok on Oct. 24, 25 and 26, Jakarta in Indonesia on Nov. 1 and 2, Bulacan in the Philippines on Nov. 22 and 23, Singapore on Nov. 29 and 30, Tokyo on Jan. 16, 17 and 18 next year and Hong Kong on Jan. 24 and 25.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]