South Korean girl group Blackpink released the 2018 hit single “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du.”
The song served as the lead single from Blackpink’s first Korean extended play, Square Up. Written by Teddy Park, Bekuh Boom, and 24, it combines trap-influenced production with a highly recognizable repeated hook. The title imitates the sound of a drum or gunshot in Korean pop stylization.
“Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” became Blackpink’s first number-one single on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart and a major international breakthrough. Its music video also became one of the most viewed K-pop videos on YouTube, helping the group reach audiences well beyond South Korea.
The track is sometimes confused with Blackpink songs such as “How You Like That” and “Kill This Love,” which arrived later. It is also distinct from “Boombayah,” the group’s debut single. “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” specifically marks the Square Up era and is one of the group’s signature songs.