The Crown of 100 Million: The Day BLACKPINK Became the World's First Recipients of the 'Red Diamond' Button
On February 20, 2026, BLACKPINK surpassed 100 million YouTube subscribers, becoming the first artists in the world to receive the 'Red Diamond Creator Award.' With their comeback album 'DEADLINE' set for release on February 27 and a simultaneous Guinness World Record for most-viewed band on YouTube with 41.1 billion views, they achieved an unprecedented digital milestone in K-pop history.
Why you need to see this moment: BLACKPINK has surpassed 100 million YouTube subscribers, becoming the first artists in human history to receive the 'Red Diamond Button.' With their comeback just 2 days away, this milestone is more than just a number — it's the signal that K-pop has entered the global cultural infrastructure.
TL;DR
- BLACKPINK surpassed 100 million YouTube subscribers on February 20, 2026 — the first artists in the world to do so
- YouTube presented the 'Red Diamond Creator Award' to all four members: Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo, and Lisa
- 41.1 billion YouTube views achieved; officially recognized by Guinness as 'Most-Viewed Band on YouTube'
- Comeback mini-album 'DEADLINE' set for release on February 27 — a dramatically timed coincidence
- #1 in YouTube subscribers within the K-pop industry, reaffirming their value as a global cultural asset
What Happened: What Is the 'Red Diamond' Button?
YouTube's Creator Awards are granted in tiers based on subscriber counts.
- Silver Button — 100,000 subscribers
- Gold Button — 1,000,000 subscribers
- Diamond Button — 10,000,000 subscribers
- Red Diamond Button — 100,000,000 subscribers (no artist had ever received this before)
On February 20, 2026, the subscriber count on BLACKPINK's official YouTube channel crossed 100 million. YouTube delivered the Red Diamond Button to Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo, and Lisa individually. YG Entertainment officially confirmed this on the 21st, and the news continued to trend near the top of major portal sites through the morning of today (the 25th).
Why It Went Viral: An Analysis of the Spread Mechanism
① Timing Synergy with the Comeback
BLACKPINK's mini-album DEADLINE drops on February 27, just two days from now. Domestic and international fandoms consumed both events simultaneously, crafting a narrative of a 'historic moment.' The three-stage momentum — comeback teaser → Red Diamond Award → album release — dominated algorithmic feeds.
② Guinness-Certified Double Record
Alongside the 100 million subscriber milestone, the figure of 41.1 billion YouTube views was officially certified by Guinness World Records as 'The Band with the Most Views on YouTube.' With certification and the award arriving simultaneously, media exposure was doubled.
③ The Scarcity Effect of 'A World First'
The Red Diamond Button is, quite literally, unprecedented. As the first button ever awarded to an artist (not an individual creator) in the history of YouTube channels, it drew global media attention.
Context and Background: The Completion of K-Pop's Digital Empire
Since their 2016 debut, BLACKPINK has consistently held the #1 spot among K-pop channels on YouTube. With their 2022 world tour [BORN PINK], they set the record for the most concert attendees by a K-pop group, and they broke the 100 million subscriber mark shortly after launching their new 2025 world tour, DEADLINE.
This figure is not simply a fandom metric. YouTube ad revenue, brand collaboration rates, and music distribution contracts are all directly tied to subscriber and view data. 100 million subscribers is the threshold that reclassifies BLACKPINK from 'K-pop idols' into content assets of the caliber of global media companies.
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| YouTube Subscribers | 100 million (first artists in the world) |
| YouTube Views | 41.1 billion |
| Guinness Record | Most-Viewed Band on YouTube |
| Comeback Album | DEADLINE (released 2026.02.27) |
| Time Since Debut | Approximately 9 years and 6 months |
Outlook: What Happens After 100 Million Subscribers?
Short-term (1–4 weeks): DEADLINE release → official MV drops → further explosion in views. A potential single-video record for the music video.
Mid-term (1–3 months): Additional DEADLINE world tour dates expected to be announced. A flood of limited-edition merchandise and brand collaborations commemorating 100 million subscribers.
Long-term: Possible revaluation of YG Entertainment's stock price and corporate value. BLACKPINK's IP set to be reclassified from a music asset to a media platform asset.
Risks: Fan fatigue from excessive commercialization; concerns about group cohesion weakening due to focus on individual solo activities.
Points to Watch
- Who will be the first artist to reach 200 million subscribers after BLACKPINK (BTS? Taylor Swift?)
- Whether DEADLINE's first-week sales will break the all-time K-pop record
- The possibility that YouTube will establish a new award beyond the 'Red Diamond Button +α' for channels exceeding 100 million subscribers
- The volume of BLACKPINK brand collaborations leveraging the Guinness certification (expectations in luxury goods and beauty sectors)
Reference Links
- BLACKPINK receives 'Red Diamond' button... world's first artists (Dong-A Ilbo)
- BLACKPINK, world's first artists to receive 'Red Diamond' (Mediapen)
Image Credit
- BLACKPINK at 2023 Billboard Music Awards — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0