BLACKPINK becomes first K-pop girl group to receive Korea's Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit
BLACKPINK's Rosé, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo were awarded the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards in Seoul on October 29 KST, in the group's 10th anniversary year.
BLACKPINK has received one of South Korea's top state honors for popular culture. All four members, Rosé, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo, were awarded the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on October 29 KST. Yonhap reported that a YG Entertainment representative accepted the certificate from the culture minister on the group's behalf.
Several Korean outlets reported that BLACKPINK is the first K-pop girl group to receive the Okgwan grade. In a statement through YG Entertainment, published in English by Maeil Business Newspaper, the group said: “We are happy and honored to receive such a meaningful Order of Cultural Merit.” They added: “We will continue working to become artists who bring comfort and move people with good music.”
The honor comes in BLACKPINK's 10th anniversary year. The Korea Herald noted the group's record of topping both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart with 'Born Pink', passing 100 million YouTube subscribers, and setting a K-pop girl group first-week sales record of 1.77 million with its third EP 'Deadline'.
Confirmed
- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's October 29, 2026 press release on the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards lists BLACKPINK among the recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit, alongside the late Shin Hae-chul, Yoo Jae-suk and Han Young-ae.
Reported by other outlets
- Yonhap, The Korea Herald, SBS and Maeil Business Newspaper reported that BLACKPINK is the first K-pop girl group to receive the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the fourth of the order's five grades.
- Yonhap reported that the ceremony took place on October 29 KST at the Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Jung-gu, Seoul, and that the culture minister handed the certificate to a YG Entertainment representative on the group's behalf.
- Yonhap and The Korea Herald reported, citing the ministry, that 36 individuals and groups were honored this year, including 10 recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit.
- BLACKPINK shared a statement through YG Entertainment on October 30 KST, reported by Yonhap, The Korea Herald and Maeil Business Newspaper.
Analysis
2FC NEWSROOM analysis: A state cultural order in the group's 10th anniversary year marks official recognition of BLACKPINK's role in spreading K-pop globally, a contribution the outlets cited as the reason for the award.