Blackpink: Light Up the Sky
Documentary following Blackpink's rise and individuality.
Blackpink: Light Up the Sky is a 2020 documentary directed by Caroline Suh. It follows the South Korean girl group Blackpink, exploring their journey as both a band and individuals, and chronicles their path to stardom. Released on Netflix on October 14, 2020, the film came out less than two weeks after Blackpink's debut studio album, The Album. It marks the group's first documentary and Netflix's first original K-pop project.
The documentary offers an all-access look at the four years since Blackpink's 2016 debut, using training footage, daily-life glimpses, behind-the-scenes material, and interviews with the members. It covers the challenges of being a K-pop star, the recording of The Album, and member Rosé's upcoming solo debut, culminating in the group's 2019 Coachella performance. The cast includes Blackpink, along with record producers Teddy Park and Joe Rhee.
Director Caroline Suh, known for the Netflix docuseries Salt Fat Acid Heat, was approached by Netflix, which had been working with Blackpink on their first K-pop project. The film was produced by Cara Mones and executive produced by RadicalMedia. Shooting took place in two periods: fall 2019 and February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic became global. Archive training footage came from YG Entertainment. Suh said she hoped the documentary would "humanize" the members and show them as "three-dimensional people." The title Light Up the Sky, Rosé revealed during a press conference, came from a lyric in the group's song "How You Like That."
Promotion began on September 8, 2020, when Netflix and Blackpink announced the premiere on social media. The official trailer dropped on October 5 on Netflix's YouTube channel. On October 13, the group held a global press conference in Seoul, joined by Suh via videoconference from New York, livestreamed due to COVID-19 concerns. Upon the film's release on October 14, Netflix made profile icons of all four members available.
Upon release, the film ranked first on Netflix in 28 of 78 countries and regions. Netflix reported it was the most viewed documentary across Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 94% approval rating based on 16 reviews, with an average score of 6.9/10.
- Field
- Documentary film, K-pop
- Nationality
- South Korean
- Known for
- First documentary about Blackpink; Netflix's first K-pop original content
- Director
- Caroline Suh
- Release date
- October 14, 2020
- Platform
- Netflix
Lore & Background
The all-access documentary covers the four years since Blackpink's debut in 2016, featuring video footage from their training days, a look into their day-to-day life, behind-the-scenes stories, and interviews with the members. It follows the trials and tribulations of being a K-pop star, the recording process of the group's debut album The Album and member Rosé's then-upcoming solo debut, and culminates with their 2019 Coachella performance.
The documentary was directed by Caroline Suh, the Emmy-nominated filmmaker of Netflix docuseries Salt Fat Acid Heat, produced by Cara Mones, and executive produced by RadicalMedia. The project was brought to Suh by Netflix, as the company had been working with Blackpink to develop their first K-pop project. The film was shot over two periods: the first in fall 2019 and the second in February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic became a global issue. Archive footage of Blackpink's training days was provided by the group's agency YG Entertainment.
During the film's global press conference, member Rosé revealed that the title Light Up the Sky came up during the shoot while they were in the studio, and it was one of the lyrics of the group's song 'How You Like That'. The documentary has been described as 'an endearing documentary that emphasizes each member's individuality'.
Reader's Guide
Blackpink: Light Up the Sky holds significance as the first documentary about the globally recognized K-pop girl group Blackpink and as Netflix's first K-pop original content. The film offers an intimate look into the group's journey from training to international stardom, emphasizing the individuality of each member. Its release shortly after Blackpink's first studio album The Album capitalized on the group's peak popularity. The documentary's reception was largely positive, with a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews. Critics praised its humanizing portrayal of the members but noted a lack of deeper examination of the trainee system and YG Entertainment's role. The film ranked first on Netflix upon release in 28 out of 78 countries and regions, and was the most viewed documentary across Asia in several countries including South Korea and Indonesia. Its legacy lies in providing a rare, authorized glimpse into the lives of one of the most prominent K-pop acts, while also sparking discussion about the industry's practices.
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