Blackpink is set to make its long-awaited return to the K-pop scene with a third EP, titled Deadline, on Feb 27, according to YG Entertainment on Thursday.
The agency announced the release through a teaser video on its official social media channels, unveiling a motion graphic teaser that featured a burst of neon-pink light slicing through a black screen – both signature colours of the group – to signal the group’s return.
The upcoming album shares its name with Blackpink’s world tour that began at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province in July 2025. Blackpink was the first K-pop girl group to headline the venue at the time with sold-out seats.
The upcoming release is expected to serve as the grand finale to the group’s journey with fans from around the world over the past year.
The album is also expected to include the group’s digital single, Jump, which was also released in July 2025. Jump has seen great success on music charts, topping the Billboard Global 200 upon its release. It marked the group’s third No. 1 ranking on the Billboard chart, a record for a K-pop girl group.
Deadline will be the group's first album in about three and a half years, after the second full album, Born Pink, released in September 2022. The group's last EP, Kill This Love, was released in April 2019.
With the upcoming album coming after such a drought, it has quickly generated anticipation and excitement among fans.
However, some have taken to social media and fan platforms to voice frustration with YG Entertainment. Many had expected the release to be a full-length album, as 2026 marks Blackpink’s 10th anniversary and the group's first return to the music scene in four years.
Fans' frustration was further fuelled as Blackpink’s album release was delayed three months, with YG having initially announced that the album would be released in November 2025.
YG Entertainment noted that music video production and other key aspects connected to the album have already been completed, with effort focused on maximising the quality.
Blackpink is wrapping up its Deadline world tour, which has spanned 33 shows across 16 cities. The group is set to perform three nights at the Tokyo Dome from Friday to Sunday, followed by three more concerts in Hong Kong from Jan 24 to 26 at Kai Tak Stadium. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
