Why Blackpink’s Jisoo’s solo climb burns quiet, but bright: Bold acting, chart-topping hits and fierce fire

From the beginning of her career itself, Jisoo piqued fans interest. Perhaps, it was her 30-second ad with Lee Min-ho, where she had a few seconds to display a range of emotions. Her raw, raspy vocals during Blackpink’s rise only deepened the intrigue around her. And then came the acting roles, one after another—even as she built her solo career during Blackpink’s hiatus.

Jisoo’s choices have always stood apart from the Blackpink image. She never chose the safe, quintessential romcom route that fans expected her to take. Instead, she took on Snowdrop, a romantic thriller that stirred controversy, where she plays a woman who falls in love with a spy. Stockholm syndrome or not, it was an unusual debut. And she’s kept the momentum going—with Newtopia, a zombie apocalypse thriller, and now Omniscient Reader, starring alongside Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, and Chae Soo-bin.

She moves quietly. But her difference is unmistakable. She may not be front row at the Met Gala, and her songs may not chart like Rosé’s Apt—but you feel her presence. In her music, her fashion, her acting, Jisoo brings something raw, metallic, and wholly her own. There’s a quiet confidence in her solo career. A strange, unwavering calm.

That calm belies a career of milestones. According to Soompi, Her debut single album ME, released in March 2023, shattered records. It sold 1.03 million copies in under two days, making her the fastest female soloist to surpass a million sales on the Circle Album Chart and the first-ever female solo million-seller on Hanteo. “Flower,” the lead single, achieved 876,249 first-day sales, the highest for any female solo K-pop artist at the time. On YouTube, the video racked up over 40 million views and 4.8 million likes in 24 hours—the biggest launch for a K-pop solo MV in 2023.

She broke Spotify’s single-day debut record for a female K-pop soloist with 4.67 million streams. “Flower” also debuted at #2 on the Billboard Global 200 with 108.7 million streams, marking the third-largest debut for a solo artist. It went on to surpass 100 million Spotify streams in just 32 days, eventually crossing 400 million within a year. The song also became the first UK top-40 entry and Canadian Hot 100 top-30 entry by a Korean female soloist.

In February 2025, Jisoo released her follow-up EP Amortage. Its lead single, Earthquake, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart—her first solo chart-topper.

Beyond music, Jisoo’s global fashion presence is formidable. She has served as a global ambassador for Dior (since 2021), Cartier (since 2022), Dyson, Alo Yoga (Spring 2024 campaign), and Tommy Hilfiger (Fall/Winter 2024). Her fashion campaigns consistently generate millions in media value—proof of her influence in both beauty and branding.