BLACKPINK's Lisa reportedly offered $81M deal to leave YG Entertainment
Months before BLACKPINK's contract with YG Entertainment ends this year, member Lisa has reportedly been offered a whopping 100 billion KRW, or $81 million, to leave their home agency.
The news comes after top Korean brokerage firm NH Investment & Securities stated in a Jan. 19 analyst report that the K-pop girl group is likely to renew its contract with the label.
Four days later, on Jan. 23, local newspaper Munhwa Ilbo reported that the move may pose a challenge to YG Entertainment, as BLACKPINK members are allegedly being offered much higher deals by other agencies.
A source later told entertainment portal Allkpop that Lisa alone has been offered 100 billion KRWS, or P4.4 billion, to switch labels.
It would be impossible for YG Entertainment to match this as according to the portal, the agency would need to give at least 20 billion KRW (P886 million) to each member of the four-piece band.
Shortly after Allkpop released the report, the hashtag #LisaLeaveYG began trending on Twitter, with Lillies (Lisa's fandom name) urging the K-pop star to depart from the agency.
Fans encouraged Lisa to make the move following "mistreatments" she has "suffered from YG."
This includes incidents in October 2021 wherein YG Entertainment reportedly "stopped" the Thai rapper-dancer from attending Paris Fashion Week, although fans believed she was invited by Chanel, Miu Miu, Lacoste, and Louis Vuitton to the event.
Let's go Lisa @catmeow5555 !!!
You have to leave that damned co. @ygent_official 🥹
Look at all these mistreatments you suffered from YG. You have to choose a co. that will take care of you & treat you like the queen you are. 😭#LisaLeaveYG#LISA #LILIES https://t.co/qQYN5cySrT pic.twitter.com/6Lgr41Ev1s— Lilie (@LiliForLilie) January 23, 2023
Reports say that Lillies even reached out to Bvlgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin to confirm Lisa's invitation to the event, and they were left surprised by the executive's response: "Due to COVID, her agency doesn't want her to participate. Pity as we have an incredible Bvlgari event tomorrow in Milano and she won’t attend.”
The hashtag #YGLetLisaDoHerWork trended on Twitter following the incident.
A year later, Bvlgari invited Lisa to its Eden The Garden of Wonders event, with the Money singer sitting on the front row beside CEO Babin and Hollywood star Anne Hathaway.
Apart from controversies related to Lisa's endorsements, YG Entertainment was called out by fans in 2021 for allegedly deleting the singer's playlist on the agency's Spotify account.
YG Entertainment officially deleted LISA's Playlist on Spotify. @ygent_official, we're done with your sh!ts towards Lisa.
— Moi (@lalalalisa_v19) October 5, 2021
FREE LISA
JUSTICE FOR LISA#YGLetLisadoHerWork pic.twitter.com/tubAAMQNDV
The agency has not released statements addressing the rumors as of writing.
Lisa released her first solo album, titled Lalisa, on Sept. 10, 2021, with its debut track debuting at number two on the Billboard Global 200.
BLACKPINK's contract with YG Entertainment is set to end in August after being part of the company since their debut on Aug. 9, 2016.