BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary celebration was supposed to be a milestone moment—but instead, the group is facing a wave of criticism over what fans received at the event.

On August 10 KST, BLACKPINK marked a decade since their debut. To celebrate the occasion, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa appeared at the National Museum of Korea for an intimate fan event attended by just 40 fans.

The gathering itself was meant to be a meaningful opportunity for the members to meet longtime supporters face-to-face.

However, the gifts handed to fans quickly became the center of controversy.

Fans received flowers and rice cakes

During the event, each attendee reportedly received a small bouquet of flowers along with a package of premium Korean rice cakes, or tteok.

At first, the gifts appeared to be a simple and thoughtful gesture.

But online discussion took a sharp turn after netizens reportedly discovered the retail price of the rice cakes.

According to the information circulating online, each package cost approximately 6,900 won—around $4.90.

That figure immediately surprised some fans, particularly because this was supposed to commemorate BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary, an unusually significant milestone for one of K-pop’s biggest groups.

“They could have bought lipstick instead”

The backlash became particularly intense because of BLACKPINK’s reputation as global luxury ambassadors.

Some Korean netizens questioned why the anniversary event was so small and why the gifts appeared relatively inexpensive compared with the group’s enormous commercial success.

One commenter sarcastically suggested that the members could have simply visited a department store and purchased something as simple as a luxury lip balm for each attendee.

Another criticized the decision to invite only 40 fans, arguing that the combination of a tiny guest list and inexpensive gifts made the celebration feel underwhelming.

One particularly harsh comment questioned how the members could appear to show so little gratitude toward the fans who had supported them for a decade.

The timing made the controversy worse

The controversy is also being viewed in the context of BLACKPINK’s status.

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY BLACKPINK🖤💖 pic.twitter.com/SEfweMOYBF

— 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚🤍 (@personablink) August 8, 2026

After ten years in the industry, the members have become some of the most recognizable K-pop stars in the world, with individual careers, luxury-brand partnerships and enormous international fanbases.

That is why some netizens expected a much more elaborate 10th-anniversary celebration.

Instead, the intimate museum gathering and relatively modest gifts created a stark contrast with the extravagant image associated with BLACKPINK.

For critics, the issue wasn’t necessarily the monetary value of the rice cakes themselves.

Rather, they argued that the gift seemed disproportionate to the significance of the occasion.

Jisoo’s emotional moment complicated the reaction

Interestingly, not everyone viewed the celebration negatively.

Jisoo reportedly became emotional while writing a letter to fans and was unable to hold back her tears during the gathering.

That moment led some fans to defend the members, arguing that the emotional interaction mattered far more than the price tag attached to the gifts.

One online commenter specifically pointed out that seeing Jisoo write a letter and become emotional in front of fans made the criticism feel particularly painful.

For these fans, the value of the anniversary wasn’t measured by how expensive the merchandise was.

Is YG Entertainment responsible?

Another major part of the debate has centered on YG Entertainment and the management of BLACKPINK’s anniversary activities.

Some netizens blamed the company rather than the four members themselves, arguing that the event planning and gifts should have been handled by the agency.

That distinction is important because the criticism has quickly expanded beyond the rice cakes.

Questions are now being raised about the overall scale and presentation of BLACKPINK’s 10th-anniversary celebration.

Why only 40 fans?

Why such modest gifts?

And why was a major milestone for one of K-pop’s biggest groups celebrated in such an understated way?

Netizens aren’t holding back

Comments circulating on Korean online communities reflected the divided reaction.

Some questioned whether this was really an appropriate way for BLACKPINK to celebrate a decade with their supporters.

Others were more blunt, asking how a group with such enormous success could appear to offer so little to the fans attending the special event.

One commenter even joked that simply buying a department-store lip balm for each fan would have been a better choice.

Another questioned the decision to hand out rice cakes during the hot weather—and was even more surprised after discovering that each package reportedly cost only around 7,000 won.

But the controversy may say more about expectations than the gift itself

Ultimately, the BLACKPINK anniversary controversy appears to be less about 6,900 won rice cakes and more about what fans believe a 10-year celebration should represent.

For some, a handwritten letter, flowers and personal interaction with the members are priceless.

For others, a 10th anniversary deserved something much more substantial—especially considering BLACKPINK’s enormous global status.

And with fans now debating whether the responsibility belongs to the members or their management, the controversy has quickly turned a supposedly celebratory milestone into a discussion about gratitude, fan treatment and how BLACKPINK’s decade-long legacy should have been honored.