BLACKPINK’s 10th-anniversary celebration has sparked renewed criticism after fans began comparing it with BTS’s milestone celebration — and one seemingly simple gesture has become the biggest point of discussion.

BLACKPINK celebrated their 10th anniversary on August 10 with an intimate event at the National Museum of Korea, where Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa met with just 40 fans.

Attendees reportedly received small bouquets and packages of premium tteok, with online posts claiming the rice cakes cost around 6,900 won, or approximately $5, each.

While some fans appreciated the intimate gathering, others questioned whether the celebration was substantial enough for such an important milestone.

Then BTS’s 10th anniversary suddenly returned to the conversation.

BTS’s much bigger celebration

BTS celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2023 through FESTA, a large-scale celebration that extended far beyond a single fan gathering.

The anniversary included multiple fan events, special merchandise, promotional collaborations and activities across Seoul. The city itself participated through the “Seoul in Purple” campaign, while numerous companies joined the celebrations with special products and promotions.

But for many fans, the biggest difference wasn’t the money spent.

It was the personal messages from the members themselves.

BTS members repeatedly reached out to ARMY during the anniversary period with letters and heartfelt messages reflecting on their decade together.

Jimin, for example, shared an emotional reflection on meeting ARMY as a teenager and reaching the 10-year milestone together. J-Hope, who was serving in the military at the time, also sent a handwritten letter to fans.

That has led some netizens to argue that a personal message from the artists should be the bare minimum for a 10th anniversary.

“It’s not about the rice cakes”

The comparison has shifted the criticism surrounding BLACKPINK.

Initially, much of the discussion focused on the relatively inexpensive gifts. But fans now argue that the real issue isn’t whether the tteok cost 6,900 won.

Instead, they want to know whether the celebration conveyed enough appreciation for fans who have supported BLACKPINK for a decade.

A small gift can still be meaningful. Likewise, an intimate event can be more personal than a massive celebration.

However, critics believe BLACKPINK’s milestone lacked the kind of large-scale fan engagement and personal communication that made BTS’s 10th anniversary feel particularly memorable.

Jisoo’s emotional moment

There is also an important counterpoint.

Jisoo reportedly became emotional while writing a letter to fans during the anniversary gathering, with the members spending personal time with the attendees.

That has prompted some fans to defend BLACKPINK, arguing that genuine interaction cannot simply be measured by the price of a gift or the size of an event.

Nevertheless, the BTS comparison has clearly struck a nerve.

BTS’s 10th anniversary became a huge celebration built around ARMY, while BLACKPINK’s has been perceived by some as surprisingly understated.

And that is why the controversy has grown beyond the rice cakes.

For critics, the question is no longer “Why were the gifts so cheap?”

It has become:

“After 10 years, where was the grand gesture that showed fans how much they meant?”

The answer to that question may determine whether BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary is remembered as an intimate celebration—or as a major missed opportunity.