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BLACKPINK become first K-pop girl group to receive Korea's Order of Cultural Merit

BLACKPINK have become the first K-pop girl group to receive the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit, The Korea Herald reports. The four members, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa, were honoured on Thursday at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards in Seoul, the government's highest recognition for pop culture.

Yonhap, writing before the ceremony, gave the full list. A total of 36 individuals and groups were honoured, 10 of them with orders of merit. The late rock singer Shin Hae-chul, who died in 2014, received the higher Eungwan (Silver) Order for popularising Korean rock with bands such as N.EX.T. The Bogwan Order went to five people, including comedian Yoo Jae-suk, singer Han Young-ae and voice actor Park Young-nam, known for Dooly the Little Dinosaur.

The Korea Herald recalls the group's records. “Born Pink” was the first album by an Asian female artist to top both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart, its YouTube channel was the first by a musician to reach 100 million subscribers, and its EP “Deadline” set a first-week sales record for a K-pop girl group at 1.77 million.

How each outlet framed it

• Yonhap — the whole honours list, with the posthumous medal for Shin Hae-chul at the top.
• The Korea Herald — BLACKPINK's “first”, announced by YG Entertainment, and the members' thanks to their fans.

Where the details differ: Yonhap said the ceremony would be held at the National Theater of Korea; the Herald says only that it took place in Seoul.