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“This is embarrassing” – Internet reacts as Pitchfork scores BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE a 5.7/10


BLACKPINK returned with their five-track EP DEADLINE on February 27, 2026, marking the quartet’s first united album release in nearly four years since Born Pink. Led by the title track GO and featuring Jump, Me and My, Champion, and Fxxxboy, the project arrived following the members’ extensive solo activities.

Soon after release, American music publication Pitchfork reviewed DEADLINE and assigned it a score of 5.7 out of 10. In its critique, the outlet described the EP as a brief project with limited standout moments, while acknowledging the group’s continued cultural stature. The review noted that tracks like Go and Jump showcased awareness of evolving K-pop trends but argued that much of the record felt stylistically familiar.

Pitchfork highlighted Go as the EP’s strongest entry, pointing to its production and the songwriting credit shared by all four members alongside Chris Martin. The publication also referenced production contributions from Diplo and Dr. Luke across the latest project of BLACKPINK.

Following the review’s publication, online reactions quickly surfaced across X and other social media platforms. Many users compared the score to previous BLACKPINK releases and the members’ solo work. Some fans expressed disappointment, while others debated whether the rating accurately reflected the EP’s impact. Referencing comparisons with member Jennie’s solo album Ruby, which reportedly received a higher Pitchfork score, one comment read,

“This is embarrassing.. Jennie please stop working with the group and just doing your solo for the rest of your life.. I know when u under misogynistic company u can’t done anything much.”

This is embarrassing.. Jennie please stop working with the group and just doing your solo for the rest of your life.. I know when u under misogynistic company u can’t done anything much

Fans continued pointing out that BLACKPINK member Jennie’s solo album Ruby receiving a higher rating, using the comparison to further critique the newly released DEADLINE.

Still more than Alter ego and Rosie, but less than Ruby, congratulations @BLACKPINK

pitchfork scores: ruby – 7.1 born pink – 6.5 kill this love ep – 6.2 deadline- 5.7 rosie – 5.5 alter ego – 5.2

Ruby got 7.1 Jennie really most successful out of this grp

This is what you get for reheating alter ego nachos, Jennie ended it mess

Meanwhile, some critics argued that the album’s 5.7 rating was still too generous.

how are blinks going to defend this one??😭

Too high, deserves 4 at best

This is still kinda too high, but at least for once a sensible review

BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE posts record-breaking sales and strong global streaming debut

DEADLINE arrived roughly three years and five months after the group’s previous full-group release Born Pink. Despite mixed online discourse and Pitchfork’s rating, DEADLINE released with strong commercial indicators across major music platforms. According to Hanteo Chart, the release recorded 1,461,785 copies sold on its first day, setting a new personal record for the quartet.

Their previous high was achieved by Born Pink, which logged about 1.01 million first-day sales. The new figure also broke the record for the highest first-day total sale reported for a K-pop girl group.

Streaming data reflected similar momentum. On Spotify, the title track Go debuted at No. 9 on the Global chart, while DEADLINE ranked as the fourth-highest K-pop EP on the platform at the time of release. The project additionally topped iTunes album charts in 32 regions. BLACKPINK also maintained a No. 20 position on Spotify’s Global Artists chart.

The group’s digital footprint expanded during promotions. Their official YouTube channel reportedly added around 10,000 subscribers daily and surpassed the 100 million subscriber mark, making them the first artist globally to reach that milestone. The music video for Go also climbed to No. 1 on YouTube’s global trending and Most Popular Music rankings and was reported as the platform’s most-watched video within its first 24 hours.