Competitiveness lies at the core of K-pop. From the moment trainee idols enter the training grounds, they are immediately pitted against each other — either in competition for a spot in a debuting group or later on, competing with their peers. BTS and BLACKPINK are no different.
Despite being the two biggest K-pop groups in the world, BLACKPINK and BTS are constantly compared and seen as rivals. However, it is not the idols who fuel this rivalry; far from it. It is the fans who are always feuding as if the world isn’t large enough to accommodate two musical powerhouses from South Korea. According to some, there can be only one. So if you’ve seen fans online advocating for their favorite group on X/Twitter but don’t know what all the fuss is about, allow me to explain.
What is the BTS vs. Blackpink vote?
The current voting poll being shared on social media is part of the polling website TheTopFamous, which aims to find the most popular names in entertainment. Pitting names like Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, or even Nigerian singers, against each other, this website seeks to proclaim the best and most popular person or group in various categories. In this case, the poll pits BTS against BLACKPINK to determine the best K-pop group.
With brief descriptions about each group, the website explains the members and provides very summarized sentences depicting their beginnings. For BLACKPINK, the website describes them as a K-pop girl group that debuted in 2016 under one of the largest companies in Korea, YG Entertainment. They immediately reached milestone after milestone upon their debut, including their first number-one entry on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart that same year.
As for BTS, TheTopFamous explains their acronym and its meaning — Bangtan Sonyeondan, or Bulletproof Boy Scouts — alongside brief mentions of the various genres and themes they explore throughout their vast discography, from hip hop and R&B to EDM. The website also briefly mentions all the members and highlights one of their largest milestones: being the first and only group to receive the Order of Cultural Merit from the South Korean government.
Despite the three paragraphs about BTS compared to the single paragraph about BLACKPINK, the latter is currently the frontrunner in this race, with over 700 thousand votes. Alternatively, BTS is currently standing with a little over 600 thousand votes from fans. Although this poll isn’t in any way affiliated with YG or Bighit Entertainment, fans are taking it seriously, with over a million votes already counted.
Whoever wins, expect drama.