BLACKPINK first debuted through YG (Yang Goon) Entertainment in Aug. 2016, almost a decade ago now. Their last album “Born Pink” was released back in Sep. 2022, and the K-pop group’s fans have been eagerly awaiting the next. On Feb. 27, the group’s silence was finally broken with a new EP (Extended Play). While the launch of “Deadline” may not be exactly what fans were awaiting, I’d say it’s just as good. The EP consists of five songs, four of them having never been released before, and it includes a variety of genres and styles.
“JUMP,” the EP’s first song, was originally released July 11, 2025 as a single. In my opinion, the song is exciting and has a dance-pop style to it. The lyrics tell a story of self-assurance and confidence, as well as being the only song out of the five to have a considerable amount of the lyrics in Korean. This is pretty out of character when compared to the group’s previous songs, which usually have a verse, if not majority of the song, being in the language the genre is named after. Personally, I found the song to be a fun beat that, in the end, I ended up loving. While it’s not my favorite, I certainly didn’t find it the worst of the EP.
Speaking of favorites, that title is going to belong to the fourth song, “Champion.” I’ll be the first to admit that this song made its way onto my liked playlist pretty quickly. The song tells a story of never giving up, and gives an upbeat, but not overwhelming feeling throughout the music. I found myself replaying the song a couple of times since I first heard it, and it’s definitely the highlight of the five songs.
“Me and my,” the third song on the mini album, ended up being my least favorite. It’s very heavy in the rapping aspect of K-pop, something that I’ve found isn’t my style. I didn’t end up finding any part of the song that really clicked for me and made it something I could listen to over and over again, as I did with “Champion.” That being said, the song carries on the EP’s main messages of girl power and confidence, and for those who are into rap-focused songs I can definitely see this being fun.
I would recommend “Deadline” to anyone who has been a fan of BLACKPINK before its release, as well as anyone who enjoys K-pop or girl groups in general. The EP has a great variety of styles for all types of people, whether you like rap, pop or something else, I’m sure you’d find something that you enjoy.
Overall, I found the EP to be just okay. There were some highlights and some lowlights throughout the five songs, and the majority of them I wouldn’t be jumping to listen to again. Despite this, I did enjoy the majority of the songs featured and would be perfectly alright to hear them on the radio. I think the mini album is fun, and the messages of self-assurance and confidence that are in the songs I found to be meaningful.
“Deadline:” ★★★☆☆
