Korean authorities crack down on fake Blackpink merchandise ahead of Seoul concerts

Korean authorities are cracking down on fake Blackpink merchandise ahead of the girl group’s upcoming concerts in Seoul this weekend.

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BLACKPINK will wrap up their year-long ‘Born Pink’ world tour with two final shows in Seoul, South Korea this weekend at the Gocheok Sky Dome, on September 16 and 17. Notably, the second show will also be streamed online via Weverse concerts.

In a statement to Korea JoongAng Daily, the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) said that it has “been monitoring counterfeit Blackpink-related merchandise sold online since last month”.

“[We have been] able to confirm that a large quantity of counterfeit Blackpink-related merchandise was circulating online, which is why we plan to have a crackdown [at the venue],” the KIPO added.

The KIPO’s Intellectual Property Police, which the agency established in 2021 to address intellectual property infringement, will be patrolling train stations and entrances near the Gocheok Sky Dome in order to tackle the sales of unauthorised Blackpink merchandise.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the KIPO has also “de-listed counterfeit merchandise sold online and removed counterfeit sellers from online sales platforms” ahead of BLACKPINK’s concert, working in tandem with entertainment agencies.

In other BLACKPINK news, the girl group recently released an animated music video for their latest song ‘The Girls’. The track is part of the soundtrack of their mobile game, BLACKPINK The Game.

Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s Lisa will become the first K-pop idol to perform at the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris later this month, headlining five exclusive shows at the famed venue. Tickets for the performances are on sale now.

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