Variety calls BLACKPINK “repeat offenders” for lip-syncing at the VMAs, BLINKs voice out their anger

BLACKPINK, one of the most popular K-pop groups, was called out by Variety Magazine as a repeat offender for lip-syncing their performances. The Pink Venom girl group made their MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) debut on August 28, 2022.

A proud moment for fans, with Lisa making history by becoming the first soloist and female idol to take up the Best K-pop award, soon became a nightmare.

In their article titled The Best and Worst Moments of the 2022 MTV VMAs, the author listed K-pop group BLACKPINK, Brazilian singer Anitta, and American rapper Flo Milli under the lip-syncing chaos category. It called them "repeat offenders."

One of Variety's worst VMAs moment categories (Image via Variety)

The author acknowledged the "tricky" status of live award shows but added that lip-syncing was pretty obvious this year. It also included Johnny Depp's cameo and Flea from Chili Peppers' speech in the worst moments list.

The comment about the Kill this Love group, however, brought forth the wrath of the BLINK fandom. On South Korean online forums and Twitter, most comments maintained their position that Variety lied and spread misinformation.

They specifically pointed out the instances when it was clear that the group's mic was on, such as when fans could hear them "touching their mics" or when Jennie messed up the lyrics.

---

Doing it for clickbait: BLACKPINK's fans trash Variety's feature

BLACKPINK's fandom, BLINK, one of the most prominent groups in K-pop, spoke up against Variety, a reputed publication. The criticism arose from what was an excellent night for the fandom.

Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie, and Lisa stunned on the red carpet, making their VMAs debut with Pink Venom (their first album song in two years), Lisa won Best K-pop, and Taylor Swift and the likes grooved to the quartet's song.

As soon as fans read Variety's August 28 article calling BLACKPINK a repeat offender for lip-syncing, all hell broke loose. The BLINK fandom rose to defend their favorite idols. They mentioned that the quartet could be heard singing live despite using a backing track or an AR (All-Recorded).

South Korean netizens' comment on Variety's article (Image via pannchoa)

AR is commonly used across the global music scene to help artists perform without straining their voices. It is beneficial when there's choreography involved. It is a pre-recorded track involving both music and vocals.

However, the pedestal BLACKPINK held on was different than the others. Since one of the key features of K-pop groups is singing live, they are expected to fulfill it. However, fans pointed out that it does not mean they cannot use AR.

Others claimed that it was for "clout" and that the author was an "anti-fan."

Some fans also claimed neither Anitta nor Flo Milli lip-synced, further heightening the conversation. Many demanded that the author and Variety should revise the article.

In other news, BLACKPINK's much-awaited comeback after two long years occurred on August 19, 2022, with the release of Pink Venom. While it was not safe from criticism, it went on to break numerous records, such as being the fastest K-pop music video to reach 200 million views.