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BLACKPINK’s Jennie recently appeared on Dua Lipa’s At Your Service podcast, where she shared insights about her journey as a K-Pop idol and addressed the struggles she faced in her busy life. However, a particular comment she made about her label, YG Entertainment, sparked rumors and tension among fans regarding the group’s future.
Jennie, who has had a whirlwind year with BLACKPINK’s comeback album, a world tour, attending the Met Gala, making her acting debut, and releasing a collaboration collection, candidly spoke about the challenges she faced during performances.
She admitted, “I would constantly hurt myself during performances and lives compared to other girls, and it was just a stressful thing in my life.” She expressed regret for moments when she felt she had disappointed her fans, but clarified that she struggled to control her body properly.
During the podcast, Jennie also touched upon the importance of breaking boundaries and encouraging self-expression. She stated, “I wanna break more boundaries for people in my culture to understand that expressing yourself as however you want isn’t…there shouldn’t be a standard…there shouldn’t be a reason to judge.”
However, it was her comment about her trainee days at YG Entertainment that caused a stir among fans. Jennie said, “But the good thing about the label I was under was, not only they wanted us to be able to sing in Korean but we would cover so many pop songs.”
With BLACKPINK’s contract with YG Entertainment coming to an end in August, rumors had already been circulating that not all members would renew, especially Lisa and Jennie. This particular comment heightened fans’ concerns about the future of the group.
Fortunately, fans were quick to point out that Jennie’s comment was taken out of context. She was specifically referring to her trainee days, which is why she used the past tense “was” when talking about the label.
A fan explained the full context of Jennie’s statement, emphasizing that it was about the variety of vocal styles and the experience they gained during their trainee period.
Jennie had elaborated on how the label’s approach helped them in their music careers, saying, “The good thing about the label I was under was not only that they wanted us to sing in Korean but we would cover so many pop songs as a trainee. So, by the time we had to record our actual songs for BLACKPINK, we were able to play around with the language, the rhythm, and all sorts of things that affect the music with the cultural difference.”
BLACKPINK, who made their debut in August 2016, will mark seven years in the industry on August 8, 2023. While YG Entertainment confirmed that contract negotiations are still ongoing, the comments made by Jennie have shed some light on the group’s journey and the experiences they gained as trainees. It is important for fans to understand the full context of her words and not jump to conclusions about the members’ future plans.
As BLACKPINK‘s contract renewal remains a topic of discussion, fans eagerly await official announcements from both the group and YG Entertainment.