BLACKPINK will reportedly receive honors at the 2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards The ceremony takes place on October 29, 2026, in Seoul, but the honor has not been officially confirmed by YG Entertainment or the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
BLACKPINK at the 2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards
About Music said on X on October 28 that BLACKPINK will reportedly receive honors at the awards, which recognize individuals and groups who have contributed to the development of South Korea’s entertainment industry and the global spread of Korean culture.
The report follows a TenAsia exclusive published on October 27, which described BLACKPINK as a likely recipient of this year’s award. TenAsia did not specify which grade of honor the group is expected to receive. It also reported that the members are recording separate acceptance videos because their schedules make attending in person difficult.
The honor comes in BLACKPINK’s 10th debut anniversary year. The group debuted in August 2016, and its second studio album, Born Pink, became the first album by a K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart in 2022
2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards date, time and where to watch
The 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Haeoreum Grand Theater at the National Theater of Korea in Jung-gu, Seoul. The poster shared with the About Music post lists the start time as 6 PM KST, which is 2:30 PM IST. The poster also says the ceremony will be broadcast live on Arirang and YouTube.
Broadcaster Kang Ji-young and actor Hwang In-youp will host the ceremony and comedian Yoo Jae-pil will host the red carpet event before it
What are the Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards?
The Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards are a government-run set of honors, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency. The honors conferred include the Order of Cultural Merit, the Presidential Commendation, the Prime Minister’s Commendation and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Commendation.
The official list of recipients is yet to be announced and will be shared at the ceremony or by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
