Blackpink: The Fifth Gear

In 2018, Lin Zhixia, a Chinese second-tier singer who had regretfully left the industry after suffering workplace exploitation and a stage accident, opened her eyes to find she had transmigrated into An Zhixia, a trainee at Korea's SM Entertainment who was about to be dropped. At the time, BLACKPINK was preparing to add a member for its push into the Western market. Drawing on her songwriting skills and stage experience from her past life, she broke through with an original song, “Gears,” blending Eastern imagery with K-pop rhythms, and became the controversial “fifth member” of the top girl group.

As a newcomer to the group, she faced doubts about being a parachuted-in member and resistance from fans. Keeping a low profile, she learned rap and practiced choreography, while using her skills to save the day on tour and take part in songwriting. She transformed from a “potential member” into an indispensable “creative force” for the group. She wrote lyrics and composed music for albums, filling gaps in the group's sound; dazzled overseas audiences with performances fusing Chinese-style elements and pop; and won honors such as “record-breaking digital sales” and “Best Creator” with a solo album of self-written songs. Step by step, she broke the curse that “girl group members have short careers,” growing into a top-tier star with her own studio, a voice in the music industry, and international influence.

On this glittering road, G-Dragon (GD) was both an accident and fate. From finding common ground in the creative studio over “breaking boundaries,” to sharing the pressures of being top-tier stars offstage; from hiding their feelings in lyrics while dating in secret, to facing the public hand in hand after their relationship was exposed, the two endured the scrutiny of the spotlight and the constraints of industry rules. They weathered the dual trials of career stagnation and health crises, as well as the difficult choice between losing fans and yielding to pressure from their agency. In the end, they answered their critics with outstanding work and won everyone's blessing.