All Four BLACKPINK Members Named for Cultural Merit Orders at 2026 Government Awards
Rosé, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo will each receive the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, with Super Junior, AKMU, NMIXX and ENHYPEN among the other K-pop honorees.
The Desk · filed 2026-10-28
Reported against primary sources.
All four members of BLACKPINK have been selected to receive one of South Korea’s national cultural honors at the 2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards.
On October 29 (KST), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency announced the recipients of this year’s government awards, recognizing 36 individuals and groups for their contributions to Korean popular culture.
BLACKPINK members Rosé, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo will each receive the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit, recognizing their contributions to Korean popular culture and its international reach.
The announcement comes during BLACKPINK’s tenth-anniversary year, marking another significant milestone for the group and its four members.
Several other K-pop artists were named among this year’s honorees.
Super Junior will receive a Presidential Commendation, while sibling duo AKMU was selected for a Prime Minister’s Commendation. NMIXX and ENHYPEN will each receive a Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation.
Singer-songwriter EJAE, known for her contributions to the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, was also named among the Prime Minister’s Commendation recipients.
The honors extend beyond K-pop to recognize prominent figures across Korean music, television, film and performing arts.
The late rock musician Shin Hae-chul will posthumously receive the Eungwan (Silver Crown) Order of Cultural Merit, while comedian Yoo Jae-suk, singer Han Young-ae and three other cultural figures will receive Bogwan (Precious Crown) Orders of Cultural Merit.
This year’s selections comprise 10 recipients of Cultural Merit Orders, seven Presidential Commendations, eight Prime Minister’s Commendations and 11 Ministerial Commendations.
Now in its 17th year, the Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards recognize individuals and groups whose work has contributed to the development of the country’s popular culture and entertainment industries.
The ceremony is scheduled for October 29 at 6 p.m. KST at the Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Seoul.
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Filed by The Desk · filed 2026-10-28 · verified by The Desk (Editorial Desk). The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s October 29 announcement and Yonhap’s recipient reporting confirm the individual BLACKPINK honors, additional K-pop recipients and award classifications.
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Sources cross-checked for this story (4 sources)
- 01
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — Official October 29, 2026 Announcement
https://www.mcst.go.kr/site/s_notice/press/pressView.jsp?pSeq=22806 - 02
Yonhap News Agency — 2026 Cultural Merit Recipients (October 29, 2026)
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261029001900315 - 03
Newsis — 2026 Popular Culture and Arts Awards Recipient List (October 29, 2026)
https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20261029_0003845801 - 04
National Theater of Korea — Official October 29 Ceremony Listing
https://www.ntok.go.kr/ntok/pm/prfmng/performanceDetail.do?mi=21008&perfId=267238