Blackpink used to break the internet, now “Jump” feels more like background noise than comeback.
These girls have been in the industry for 9 years already, and during those years, I can say that I was a fan at times. During their earlier years, I was hooked on their unique, not-that-typical cutie girl group that most girl groups in K-pop had. They had a great discography that makes me listen to it multiple times. Not after they went on a long hiatus, during which they mostly focused on their solo careers. After three long years of expecting something new from their sound, they dropped their song Jump.
Blackpink Headlining Coachella Image: Getty Images for Coachella
The song was first performed during their “Deadline World Tour” before it was released. Fans’ reactions were divided, and from a casual listener like me, I am too. The problem is that Jump doesn’t sound like a long-awaited return. It sounds like a B-side that just exists to remind us that BLACKPINK is still around. There’s no particular vocal moment and no unique switch-up. It seems as though they attempted to imitate the formula of previous hits but lacked the originality and grit that made those songs so successful. Even the chorus, which is a repetitive chant over a simple beat drop, sounds less like a chorus composed by a world-class girl group.
Image: KatherineDoesKpop
The music video was kind of confusing. The rawness and high-fashion charisma that BLACKPINK typically possesses are taken away by the extensive use of computer-generated imagery and AI-like backgrounds. Rather, it feels strangely over-processed and random.
Blackpink Jump M/V
It’s not just me, either. Jump felt surprisingly low effort, as Korean netizens noted in a widely shared Koreaboo article. Some blatantly called it a “B-class” track, stating:
“Who gave BLACKPINK a song like this? It’s so bad” – Koreaboo
A group known for exceeding expectations shouldn’t be subjected to that kind of criticism. Experimenting is one thing, but falling short is quite another.
And not only the Korean fans but it is kind of evident from this diagram, five years after its release, How You Like That remains the number one song in BLACKPINK’s discography, according to Kworb.net statistics. Jump, meanwhile, only just makes it into the top 30, ranking 27th out of 109 tracks that have been released. For a song that is supposed to symbolise a victorious comeback, that is a significant decline.
To be clear, Jump is somehow average, but it’s not the worst thing ever. Because it somehow sticks with you when you keep listening to it. Furthermore, for a group with BLACKPINK’s legacy, the average is unacceptable. If this is what we’re getting after years of waiting, maybe it’s time to find out if BLACKPINK still wants to be a group or if they’re just forced to be one (for the fans).
Kathrynf 
Alexander Hanjin De Filippo 
Eabha Quinn
Very interesting perspective as a ex-fan of theirs, this new song ‘JUMP’ for me is actually better than what I expected it to be. It is really great to see them back together, but I think they no longer love the group as much as before.
This take is quite interesting and I agree with it. I was also an ex-fan of BLACKPINK and I feel like they’re falling off because prefer pursuing their solo activities more than their group activities. They’re no longer passionate about BLACKPINK and it shows through their recent concerts and a lot of people’s criticisms on social media.