In a recent interview with Billboard, Blackpink’s Jennie Kim shared a personal reflection on her journey toward self-love amid the whirlwind of her busy career. With the launch of her own label, OddAtelier, in November 2023, the upcoming release of her solo debut album this year, and the highly anticipated reunion of Blackpink, the 28-year-old has learned how to navigate the pressures of being one of K-pop’s biggest names.
The singer’s raw honesty in the interview shed light on a powerful theme that has been at the core of her personal growth: the ongoing struggle to embrace self-love while constantly navigating the spotlight. Jennie revealed that, for most of her life, her career had been all-consuming. Having spent six years as a trainee at YG Entertainment before being selected for Blackpink — the longest training period among the group’s members, including Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, and Lisa — Jennie never had much time to focus on herself outside of her work.
Many of us can relate to learning to love ourselves through the ups and downs of life; reflecting on the personal journey that her solo album took her on, Jennie shared how her relationship with herself has evolved over time. “It’s a fight between me, myself, and I — I’m not easy to convince,” she said.“It’s not easy working with me.” While being part of Blackpink required Jennie to compromise and work as part of a team, her solo project has forced her to confront her own desires more directly, without needing to negotiate with anyone else.
“This is something I needed,” Jennie admitted in the interview. “I wanted this. The more I get to know myself, the more I try to love myself.” She spoke about how there was a time in her life when she felt lost — when she didn’t know who she was or what she was living for. “The more I get to know myself, the more I try to love myself. I’ve had a time in my life where I didn’t — I had no clue how to do that. I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know what I was living for. The time where I was feeling clueless,” she said. But as she looks back now, Jennie feels proud of how far she’s come. “The fact that I’ve moved on from that phase and become so committed to myself, I’m very proud,” she commented, the sense of accomplishment clear in her voice.
She also discussed the complexities of being part of the global K-pop machine, especially the pressure to succeed in the international market. “It’s so easy to lose yourself, which is OK,” Jennie reflected. “There was also a time where I was feeling lost about ‘K-pop,’ ‘pop music,’ all these labels that I was chasing after…” But she now sees those moments of uncertainty differently. “Now that I look back, I just want to tell myself, ‘Maybe enjoy it a little, feeling lost in the struggle, because there will be a time where you don’t even have time to think you’re lost’,” she said with wisdom beyond her years.
Looking forward, the young star is rather determined to make her mark not just in the K-pop world, but on a global scale. She and her team have set their sights on the American music market, hoping that Jennie can become a cultural figure similar to how Bad Bunny represents the Spanish-language music scene. Jennie’s commitment to her own growth and self-discovery, coupled with her dedication to her career, signals that the sky could be the limit for this dynamic artist.
