“Pink Venom” blew fans away with its hidden meanings of Korean culture.
BLACKPINK’s “PINK VENOM” MV released on August 19th once again affirmed the group’s status in the industry with their 100-million-view mark on YouTube reached after a day and 5 hours, the fastest record made by a Kpop MV in 2022. A large part of this success came from meaningful images and invested concepts.
BLACKPINK stands tall as the ambassador of Korean culture, Jisoo and Rosé’s image stood in sharp contrast
The start of the music video showed Jisoo running her fingers on the Geomungo, a traditional string instrument with its origin dated back to before the 5th century A.D. under the Goryeon dynasty. The instrument was often used by the Confucian scholars and intellectuals of previous Korean society to express their status and ideals. The sound evoked powerful feelings in the listeners.
Jisoo’s outfits are also distinctly Korean, especially in the traditional hairstyle tied up in a bun seen in the women of older societies. Her hair was also adorned by jewelry of traditional women. Jisoo was given the opportunities in this MV to represent traditional Korean values.
Apart from Jisoo, Jennie in the first scene also appeared in a vibrant red outfit with her hair tied up in a bun, a familiar look of Korean upper-class ladies in the past. Not only through her hairstyle, her “bird-cage” Evening Chanel handbag also blew a breath of nostalgia into Jennie’s outfit design.
This is not the first time BLACKPINK brought cultural symbols of Korea into their musical products. In “DDU-DU DDU-DU” released in 2018, one of BLACKPINK’s concepts reminded of the stunning rooftop architectural design that resembled Joseon-styled palace.
In the music video for “How You Like That”, BLACKPINK continued to promote the modernized traditional hanbok, making BLACKPINK’s songs more than a major musical hit and also a representation of Korean culture to the world.
Notably, in “PINK VENOM”, Jisoo’s and Rosé’s images stood in sharp contrast and differed from that of the rap duo Lisa and Jennie. BLACKPINK’s vocal lines represent the harmonious contradiction in combining modern and traditional elements.
In the MV, Rosé appealed to the modern rockstar look, standing out with her electric guitar and distinct rock n’ roll sounds. She and Jisoo are polar different in the MV with Jisoo carrying the traditional elements while Rosé the charismatic, Westernized look.
Rapline Lisa – Jennie radiated old-school hip-hop spirits
An interesting mix of hip-hop in a traditional overtone, “PINK VENOM” is bold and provocative and catchy enough to become the hit of a new generation of BLACKPINK. It has been 3 years since “Kill This Love” where this duo last appeared together.
To promote the hip hop spirits, the rap features took up half of the duration of the song. They were especially remarkable in performing the old-school style rapping where their dual performance reached its peak potential, following “DU-DU DDU-DU”, “Kill This Love” and “How You Like That”. Being 90s West Coast-styled rappers in an old-school concept, the duo became stylish and high-class rappers, approximating the American rappers such as Nicki Minaj and Cardi B.
Lisa also did her job as the ambassador of Celine when not only endorsing the brand in her verses but also promoted the brand using a simple cap that did its job effectively. Using the most basic items, Lisa radiated dynamic and youthful energy. She also did not shy away from showing her slim waist using a crop top.
Jennie, on the other hand, went viral after the release of the MV with the simple jersey labeled Manchester United appearing briefly in her rapping scene. The jersey was soon sold out after Jennie wore it. Her shining confidence and sparkling Chanel jewelries conveyed a complete image of a sporty yet fashionable star.
A flashback reel of the MVs that built the name “BLACKPINK”
“PINK VENOM” created an uncanny feelings for hardcore BLINKs, something new yet familiar, coming largely from the sets that have been used for past MVs. K-pop fans in general may feel that this was not a proper investment and lack of breakthrough from YG Entertainment. Nonetheless, BLACKPINK’s fandom felt that was a way to look back on how far BLACKPINK had come.
BLACKPINK’s “PINK VENOM” does not only show off their high-end brand items but it is also an ensemble of new trends and long-standing values that the group stands by. The group once again proves they are the ambassador of Korean values to the world through a flexible combination of music and style, affirming their place as trendsetters of the youth.
