BLACKPINK’s Jennie she candidly reflected on her years as a trainee and the struggles she faced before debuting as part of the global K-pop sensation on the March 9th episode of YouTube show Fairy Jaehyung.
Jennie revealed that she gave up studying abroad in the United States at 14 to join YG Entertainment, where she trained for six years before debuting with BLACKPINK in 2016.
“The evaluations were so harsh, and it was difficult to accept that friends would leave every time there was an assessment,” Jennie recalled. “When you’re young, you learn to give and receive love, but trainee life was all about competition.”
She continued, “It was heartbreaking to see close friends leave, but I had to wipe my tears and keep going. I constantly told myself, ‘I have to debut no matter what.’ It wasn’t because I thought I was exceptionally talented, but because I believed this was the only path for me.”
Host Jung Jae Hyung empathized with her struggles, saying, “You must have felt a lot of anxiety. If this didn’t work out, there wasn’t anything else you could do.” Jennie agreed, saying, “That was probably one of the reasons why I pushed myself so hard.”
Regarding her activities with BLACKPINK, Jennie admitted, “My body couldn’t keep up. There were so many unbelievably hectic moments.” When Jung mentioned that some people wish they could live like her, she responded with a laugh, “I doubt it. I always say I’m only doing this for this lifetime. There’s so much to endure.”
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Despite the challenges, Jennie has reached yet another milestone with her first full-length solo album Ruby. The Grammys have officially recognized Ruby as a “Must-Hear Album,” further cementing her position as a global pop superstar.
The album has received widespread acclaim, with NME giving it a 4/5-star rating, praising it as a work that “mixes defiance, vulnerability, and bold creative vision.”
Jennie emerges from BLACKPINK’s shadow on her debut solo album, ‘Ruby’, showcasing fully realised artistry that mixes defiance, vulnerability and bold creative vision
Read the four-star review of ‘Ruby’ here: https://t.co/kliRqlaHAD
— NME (@NME) March 7, 2025
Reflecting this recognition, Jennie and Lady Gaga are currently among the highest-charting female artists worldwide, securing spots in the Top 10 alongside industry heavyweights such as Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Drake, Bruno Mars, BLACKPINK’s Roséand Tate McRae.
Congratulations to BLACKPINK’s Jennie on this remarkable achievement.
