BLACKPINK, BTS AND THE ART OF SELLING ANYTHING. HOW IDOLS BECAME A GLOBAL ADVERTISING PHENOMENON

17. 3. 2026 BLACKPINK released their new EP Deadline on 27 February 2026. It is their first group project since the 2022 album Born Pink and also the first outcome of renewed group activity following a four year solo hiatus. The comeback of a group that ranks among the most commercially leveraged acts in the history of K pop provides an ideal opportunity for deeper reflection: why are Korean pop idols such irresistibly powerful advertising tools, and how has their relationship with television advertising evolved from a local phenomenon into a global strategy adopted by multinational corporations?