Eight years after being launched into the spotlight as part of South Korean girl group Blackpink, Jennie is in her solo era, and she says the pressures are that much more potent.
K-pop has become such a massive industry since it first arose in the ’90s that the South Korean government helps fund the careers of its stars, Jennie included. But that privilege doesn’t come without its rules, which include: no romantic relationships, no smoking, and no acting in a way that may upset the country’s people or misrepresent its culture.
Recently, the singer suffered heavy backlash after a clip of her vaping indoors in Italy went viral. Her team had to issue a formal apology to appease her Korean fans. “What can I do? If Korean people think it’s wrong, I’ve got to make up for it,” Jennie tells Harper’s Bazaar in her new cover story.
She understands the culture in Korea is very different from the culture in the United States or Europe, and says that despite the strict guidelines she must follow to remain a representative for her country, she is committed to making everyone proud.
“It is so important for me to have my culture, and everyone around the world, love me,” she says.
When she’s onstage she is Jennie, a striking global superstar adored by millions. But who she is off the stage—a shy, humble girl who just wants to spend time with her friends—is kept secret and private. Leading this kind of double life is a lot of pressure, and she is trying hard to not let it get the best of her.
“I believe that I have learned,” she says of balancing her two worlds.
Moving forward, as she leans into creating her own music, Jennie hopes she can share a more raw version of herself. “I have gained the trust from people to kind of break those boundaries and just open that little gap for our culture,” she says.