BLACKPINK has been hitting stadiums around the world with their <DEADLINE> World Tour 2025, and for the European finale, they made a historic stop at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium on August 15th and 16th.
But do you remember that feeling? The rush of being in the crowd at the O2 back in 2022, and then their historic headline slot at BST Hyde Park in 2023? It’s been a little while since BLACKPINK last graced a London stage, and a lot has changed. We’ve seen LISA become a New Woman and global force, JENNIe prove she’s an icon with Ruby, ROSÈ break hearts and records with rosie, and JISOO bring her own unique magic to the table with Earthwake. After a whirlwind of solo projects that reminded us just how much star power is packed into this group of four, the queens are finally back together.
And what a comeback it is. Forget arena tours, because BLACKPINK has officially leveled up. It marks a moment in history that BLINKs have been manifesting for years: the first K-pop girl group to headline the legendary Wembley Stadium. It’s not just a concert; it’s a statement. A testament to their undeniable influence and the incredible connection they’ve built with millions of fans worldwide.
Their ascent to this stage is backed by an incredible list of career-defining achievements. They are the most-subscribed music artist channel on YouTube, the first K-pop girl group to top the U.S. Billboard 200, and the highest-grossing concert tour by a female group in history. Adding to their long list of records, their latest single “JUMP” has become a global phenomenon. Released just weeks ago, the energetic, hardstyle-infused track has already topped charts worldwide and gone viral on social media, proving their ability to constantly reinvent their sound and continue to dominate the pop landscape.
The anticipation has been electric, and for good reason. From the stadium-shaking anthems to the solo stages we’ve all been dying to see live, the show promises to be a revolutionary spectacle. For fans who were lucky enough to be at both the Born Pink tour and BST Hyde Park, tonight feels like a full-circle moment—a chance to see how much they’ve grown, both as individual artists and as a group.
The wait is over. The stadium was packed. And BLACKPINK are in our area, LITERALLY and FINALLY.
And it’s showtime! The whole stadium was an ocean of pink lights from the iconic lightsticks. There are only a few groups that can be recognised just by the colour of their lightsticks. If you think of green, you think of NCT; a circle light, TWICE. So who do you think of when you see a whole stadium full of pink? BLACKPINK, of course! The power of marketing and brand awareness is something I just love.
At 8 o’clock, they played their new track “JUMP” on the screen. They pumped up the volume, which made everyone jump up from their seats, dancing and singing all together. It was the perfect warm-up for the fans, because as soon as the video ended, BOOM! BLACKPINK made their appearance to start the show. The opening was majestic and truly stadium-worthy. After soaking in all the cheers and love from the fans, BLACKPINK kicked off the set with the iconic “Kill This Love,” which had a killer intro. We could also hear the live band playing along. (I have to say, every time a K-pop concert has a live band, it just elevates the whole experience. It makes you feel so good and have a great time! It’s surprising to me that not every k-pop artist who plays in big arenas has a live band, but back to BP now!) They absolutely killed the first song and set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the night.
The second song in line was “Pink Venom,” another great track! The stage’s screen opened in three parts to reveal the live band at the back. I noticed them from the very first beat of “Kill This Love,” and you can’t un-notice a band because it makes the music sound so good.
BLACKPINK then took a moment to catch their breath and introduce themselves. ROSÈ opened by introducing the tour and herself first, then JENNIE, LISA, and JISOO closed out the intro.
After the little break, they performed “How You Like That,” which had a very interesting new remix. I adore it when artists take their famous songs and give them a little twist for their live performances. After that, they performed “Playing With Fire,” and the big screen at the back divided into four parts to highlight each member. It was a very nice interaction. The first act closed with the iconic “Shut Down,” and with a dance break with all the dancers, incorporating “Crazy Over You” and “Typa Girl.”
Act 2 was all about solo performances! First in line was JISOO’s “Earthquake (English version),” which had a beautiful remix. It started slow, picked up in the middle, and ended slow again. She danced the iconic choreography but also introduced new dance moves which they carried over the whole stage, dancing their way to the front. This led into “Your Love,” which wrapped up JISOO’s solo stage with a shooting of lovely confetti!
Next in line was LISA! LISA opened with “Thunder,” followed by “Lifestyle” (which was a tour debut). LISA then closed her stage with the iconic “Rockstar.” This was my favourite of the three! The new remix with the live band was incredible, and the fireworks at the end were the perfect closer. LISA has always been a phenomenal performer and she undeniably confirmed this once again!
After JISOO and LISA’s solo stages, it was time for BLACKPINK to join forces again for Act 3. The girls came back with “Pretty Savage,” then ROSÉ took a moment to welcome and introduce the band, one by one. After that, BP performed “Don’t Know What to Do,” with ROSÉ inviting the fans to sing along. Following that song, ROSÈ had a little wardrobe malfunction, and while she was fixing her boot, the other girls chatted with the fans. This was actually very funny; on stage, they all are obviously goddesses, but little things like this remind us that they are human, too! It was so cute seeing ROSÈ working to lace up her boot.
After lacing everything up, the girls were back on track and performed the iconic “Whistle” and the warm “Stay,” which made BLINKs feel loved and appreciated. The energetic “Lovesick Girls” made everyone singing and dancing, including myself, which wrapped up this set.
Act 4 was all about solo stages again; it was the turn for JENNIE and ROSÉ. First in line was JENNIE, who performed a mash-up with “Handlebars” and “IE (way up).” JENNIE then closed her solo stage with “like JENNIE,” absolutely nailing it!
ROSÉ’s stage was so much fun! On the screen, you could see her backstage. She usually does this at every stop, where you see her going to the stage but eating some local delicacy. This time was different because we had a very extra special guest! FKA Twigs joined ROSÉ in that little interaction, which was extremely cute and gag-worthy! They played “ATP” and had a shot together, then had a bit of British delight. I was sweating waiting for this moment because I didn’t want to see a fish and chips, and luckily, they didn’t have it! They had a scone instead with the right amount of cream and jam. It looked delicious and I was so relieved! The only thing missing was a nice cup of tea, but it was just as good as it was. It was a truly memorable interaction! (little spoiler alert, she actually had fish&chips on DAY2)
Rosé then appeared on stage and started talking about how she couldn’t believe they were at the end of the European leg of the tour and wanted to end the shows on a very wholesome note by performing a song that felt like a warm hug and a goodbye for now. She performed “Dance All Night,” with three backup singers joining the stage. She also mentioned that she wrote it a few years ago. The extra singers elevated the song and made it feel very warm. After that, ROSÉ performed “toxic till the end” and the viral “APT.” There wasn’t a single BLINK in the whole stadium who wasn’t dancing and singing along to this song!
The solo stages came to an end, and it was now time for Act 5, where BP reunited to perform their hits! First in line was the latest and viral “JUMP,” and the fan-favourite “BOOMBAYAH.” While the show was unfortunately coming to an end, the girls took another moment to thank the fans before they dove into “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” which had pure, energetic vibes! “As If It’s Your Last” was performed after, which had a fall of confetti. Unfortunately, the show ended with “Forever Young,” a bittersweet moment, but all good things come to an end… well… we are talking about a K-pop show, and we all know that a K-pop show isn’t a K-pop show without an encore! And just like that, the girls were back on stage performing “JUMP”, “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “Kick It!” While they were wrapping up the last song, fireworks were shooting into the sky, making the whole experience extra special. And unfortunately, the show came to an end.
Day 1 of the BLACKPINK DEADLINE WORLD TOUR in London was epic. They made history and reminded us all what a powerhouse they are! You might like or dislike BLACKPINK, but it’s undeniable how they’ve redefined K-pop, from the moment they debuted to this moment, with hit after hit. Their individual charisma really shines through, both as a group and as individual artists with their solo careers. It doesn’t feel forced; it feels natural for them to be themselves on stage, and I think this is why BLACKPINK is where they are now. I can’t wait to see them shine even more!
DAVIDE K-POP 