BLACKPINK performed their upcoming single JUMP at the opening of their DEADLINE World Tour on July 5 in Seoul.
The track will officially be available to stream on July 11. And yet, if you’ve been anywhere near a comment section lately, you’ve seen the mixed reactions. Korean fans in particular are calling it underwhelming or labeling it a “B-track.”
The backlash is really about everything leading up to JUMP. YG Entertainment’s strategy, the long wait between releases, and what fans thought a BLACKPINK comeback should be.
A Song That Sounds Like BLACKPINK Yet Doesn’t
JUMP doesn’t sound too out of place in BLACKPINK’s discography. At its core, it’s an upbeat, dance-pop track about having fun and living in the moment, all while bragging about how BLACKPINK is so badass and cooler than everyone else
It shares a lot of DNA with tracks like Forever Young and some of the B-sides they’ve released over the years.
And that’s exactly why some BLINKs love it. Many praised the song for breaking from the group’s usual bombastic sound in favor of something more playful.
But It Doesn’t Feel Like a Comeback
Despite that praise, there’s no denying that JUMP can feel a little underwhelming. Some say it lacks the polish or impact of past title tracks. Others argue waiting over two years for new music only makes JUMP feel anticlimactic. A lot of the criticism also stems from the fact that it was initially reported that BLACKPINK would be releasing an album in June. Only for YG Entertainment to confirm a single would be coming at some point this year.
Whether intentional or not, JUMP feels like a song designed to keep the brand moving rather than break new ground. Naming their tour DEADLINE is already sparking speculation that this comeback is a final cash grab in case contract renewals fall through.
If BLACKPINK were really a priority to their label, wouldn’t we have more than one new song debuting live onstage with no digital release until a week later?
The Danger of Expecting a Game-Changer Every Timer
There’s another side to this conversation though. Maybe the issue is the pedestal BLINKs put BLACKPINK on. Over the years, the group has earned their reputation as global icons through fierce title tracks, iconic visuals, and high-impact performances.
And maybe that’s enough. The group has already established themselves as one of the biggest groups in K-pop. Every song doesn’t have to be revolutionary. Sometimes it’s enough for a song to be surprising, or even divisive because that tension is what keeps an artist evolving.
Fans who treat every comeback like it has to top the last one will always be disappointed. No group can rewrite pop history with every release, and holding BLACKPINK to that standard flattens their artistry into a checklist.
At the end of the day, JUMP doesn’t need to be BLACKPINK’s next DDU-DU DDU-DU. It just needs to be a song that explores new sounds, and knows how to throw a party, even if it’s not the one fans were expecting.
