MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC

Treasure announce debut album year after being formed, Blinks say 'but it took Blackpink 4 years for their first'

Rather than a celebration of Treasure's upcoming debut album, Blinks were rather miffed that it took YG so much longer to give the girl band their debut album

K-pop boy group Treasure is returning with a brand-new project and it's coming way sooner than you may think. Taking to social media on December 27, the group announced their first full-length studio album and its due date for next month. Titled 'The First Step: Treasure Effect', the debut LP is scheduled to drop on January 11, 2021.

The group's label YG Entertainment (which also manages acts such as Blackpink, Jinusean and Big Bang) initially tweeted the news which Treasure retweeted. "#TREASURE 1st ALBUM ‘THE FIRST STEP : TREASURE EFFECT’ 1st ALBUM ‘THE FIRST STEP : TREASURE EFFECT’ 2021.01.11."

The announcement also came with a poster featuring a sky-blue aesthetic and an atom designed within a sphere. Check it out below.

As excited as Treasure fans might be, the majority of the comments section (11,000 comments at the time of writing) is filled with arguments with Blackpink fans (Blinks). Many Blinks saw the news since both K-pop groups share the same label and flooded the comments with criticism. "Damn it only took Blackpink 4 f***ing years to get one," says a fan who received the most likes (nearly 3,000). "AND 4 YRS FOR BLACKPINK TO GET THEIR FIRST ALBUM?!? F**K THEM KIDS," said a fan to which another replied, "How is it their fault I’m a blink too but I’m happy that yg is improving."

One Treasure fan showed agitation toward Blinks and said, "Just wondering when will some blinks notice how there are more groups in yg..."

"Stop showing us treasure, we’ve seen it, we don’t want it," wrote a fan and another replied, "Theyre apart of yg if you don’t wanna see them then don’t follow yg."

Meanwhile, Blinks are also using the page to complain about the long-awaited solo from Blackpink member Rosé. One said, "seriously? give us rosé's solo like you promised....they had ENOUGH comebacks," while another said, "Omg already ? sorry but when will we get rosé’s solo?"

For those who need some background, 'The First Step: Treasure Effect' will follow two months after Treasure's single album 'The First Step: Chapter Three', which features the title track 'MMM'. While the group formed in 2019, they officially debuted with the first single album 'The First Step: Chapter One' which arrived in August this year. Blackpink debuted in August 2016 with their single album 'Square One' and like several fans mentioned, their first studio project 'The Album' had been highly anticipated until it finally released on October 2, 2020.

Back in June, YG Entertainment said that Blackpink members plan to release solo projects after 'The Album'. "Rose and Lisa have already wrapped up their recordings, whereas Jisoo is enthusiastically working on her music,” the label said in a statement. “All members agreed that [the] Blackpink comeback and its release of the first full-length album should come first. Thus, the solo songs will be gradually out after September.” For Rosé's project, they said, “It has been taking a longer time because the singer plans to release an album containing numerous songs, instead of a single.”

Whatever the cause of complaints may be from fans, releasing a debut studio album is a huge move and the first major step to letting the world know who you are as a music act. Fans and critics alike more often than not look back at the quality and success of a first studio album, and Treasure deserve not to be tarnished before it even sees the light of day but they should rather be celebrated.