HOUSTON — Often referred to as the "biggest girl group in the world," Korean girl group, Blackpink, kicked off the American leg of their Born Pink World Tour in Dallas last week before making their way to Houston.
The group's fans, known as "Blinks", flocked to Houston this weekend for back-to-back concerts at the Toyota Center. Some concert-goers flew to Houston from out of state, while others traveled from different countries just to see their favorite group in concert.
Just before the opening number, a message appeared on the big screens stating "Pray for Itaewon". The tour offered "deepest condolences to the victims, families, and those affected" by the Halloween tragedy in Seoul, South Korea where a crowd surge killed over 150 people.
Their 2-hour set started with an energetic performance of their hit, "How You Like That" which set the tone for the rest of their show.
The crowd matched the group's energy, singing along to every song. It was clear that both Blackpink and their fans were excited to see each other in person for their first world tour in nearly three years.
Blackpink's "Born Pink" World Tour comes to Houston, TX
One of the group members, Rosé, called Houston "one of the loudest crowds" they ever heard. Saying with such an energetic crowd, "I know tonight is gonna be a crazy night ".
Formed by YG Entertainment in 2016, the K-pop phenoms have been credited with helping to spread K-pop music worldwide, with more than one of their music videos surpassing one billion viewers on YouTube.
Blackpink released their second studio album, "Born Pink", this September after a two-year hiatus.
Concertgoers were treated to some of the first live performances of newer songs like "Shut Down" and "Pink Venom" alongside fan favorites like "Kill This Love" and "DDU-DU DDU-DU".
Each member had a chance to shine with solo performances. Jisoo's cover of Camila Cabello's "Liar" was well-received. Jennie performed an unreleased solo song, rumored to be titled "You + Me". Rosé showed off her signature vocals while performing "On The Ground" and "Hard to Love" (while wearing an incredible coat). The audience's cheers for Lisa's dance moves during her performances of "LaLisa" and "Money" was almost deafening.
The concert ended around 10 P.M. after an encore that included "As If It's Your Last". If the excited buzzing of fans as we left the arena is any indication, their tour is off to a strong start.
