In the constellation of 21st-century pop culture, few stars burn with the complex and often paradoxical incandescence of Jennie Kim. She is the main rapper and vocalist of BLACKPINK, the world’s biggest girl group, a product of the notoriously meticulous K-pop idol system; yet she is also the founder of her own independent label, a symbol of artistic and entrepreneurial autonomy.
She is a global fashion icon, so intertwined with the luxury house Chanel that she is affectionately nicknamed “Human Chanel,” yet she is also a lightning rod for cultural debate and controversy.
Profile
- Real name: Jennie Kim (김제니)
- Date of birth: January 16, 1996
- Zodiac Capricorn
- Position: Main Rapper, Lead Vocal
- Hometown: Cheongdam-dong, South Korea
- Height: 1m63
- Weight: 50 kg
- Blood type: B
- Instagram: jennierubyjane
Fun Facts
Connections
- During her trainee days, she was close with TWICE’s Nayeon, and there are photos of her with Nayeon and Jisoo either taken together or by fans.
- She is also close to Red Velvet’s Irene. On Weekly Idol, when asked about her relationship with Jennie, Irene shared that they went to the same salon and that Jennie kindly approached her first, which led to their friendship. The two are known to meet in private when their schedules align and have meals together. They were even spotted together in LA in February 2019, and various fancams from award shows show them frequently together. Jennie is also close with Red Velvet’s Seulgi and Yeri, with photos showing Jennie hugging Irene and Seulgi, and another photo capturing Jennie and Yeri hanging out.
- Jennie is childhood friends with Chahee of Melody Day, as they were classmates at Cheongdam Middle School. They are often seen together in public.
- She is very close with model and actress Jung Ho-yeon.
- Jennie is friends with Dua Lipa. Their bond deepened after BLACKPINK’s collaboration with her.
- Jennie is also close with Grimes, Canadian musician and Elon Musk’s ex.
- She’s also friends with Simi & Haze, the American celebrity twin sisters, reportedly through Jaden Smith, with whom she is also close.
- Jennie is also connected to Suzy through a mutual staff member.
- Jennie supports WOODZ, attending his concert and promoting his releases on Instagram Stories.
- She’s been spotted at a SEVENTEEN concert, and reportedly gifted member Woozi a pair of Gentle Monster sunglasses.
- Jennie is said to have become close with SZA during the Jacquemus fashion show in Hawaii. SZA frequently likes Jennie’s Instagram posts.
Personal Details
- Jennie’s full English name created during her time studying abroad is Jennie Ruby Jane Kim.
- She’s fluent in Korean and English, speaks some Japanese, and mentioned on Knowing Bros that she is learning French.
- Among the members, Jennie is the only one who initially said she didn’t know her MBTI, as mentioned during a video call fan sign for Lovesick Girls. But in 2025, on Hells Club, she revealed her type to be INFJ.
- She has two dogs—Kuma, a Pomeranian she adopted, and Kai, a Cocker Spaniel from her family home.
- She is believed to come from a wealthy family, having grown up in Cheongdam-dong, studied abroad at a young age, and transferred from a private school in New Zealand to the U.S. to prepare for further education.
- She’s known to be physically delicate, often preparing her body with low-sodium meals, healthy diets, yoga, or Pilates before comebacks.
- Jennie said she became close with Jisoo on the third day of trainee life, bonding while talking about their dreams in a bathhouse. They called it “exposing themselves” both literally and emotionally.
- Jennie has many celebrity fans, including Olympic gold medalist Lim Hyo-jun, SNH48’s Xu Jiaqi (who called her “my little kitty Jennie~”), short track skater Hwang Dae-heon, basketball player Yeo Jun-seok, singer Lee Mu-jin, and swimmer Hwang Sun-woo.
- Jennie was chosen by Karl Lagerfeld as the final Chanel ambassador before his death.
- Jennie has said her favorite school subjects were science and English.
- On an American talk show, Jennie once said her favorite snack was Banana Kick, which caused Nongshim’s stock to spike by ₩264 billion.
Career
Pre-debut
In 2010, Jennie auditioned for YG Entertainment, one of the country’s most powerful and influential music labels. She performed Rihanna’s “Take a Bow,” and despite being so shy she could barely introduce herself, she was accepted as a trainee.
In 2012, she appeared as the lead actress in the music video for G-Dragon’s “That XX”. In 2013, she featured on Seungri’s track “GG Be” and Lee Hi’s “Special”. Most significantly, she featured on G-Dragon’s single “Black,” recording the hook and performing it with him on the popular music show.
The BLACKPINK Phenomenon
On August 8, 2016, after years of anticipation, Jennie debuted as the main rapper and lead vocalist of BLACKPINK, alongside Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé. From the outset, she held a central role in the group; fellow member Jisoo revealed that Jennie was responsible for many of the group’s general duties and decision-making, underscoring her inherent leadership qualities.
The group’s ascent was immediate and explosive. Their debut single album, Square One, featured the double A-side singles “Boombayah” and “Whistle,” which shot to number one and two, respectively, on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart—an unprecedented feat for a rookie K-pop group. This was just the beginning of a career defined by shattered records and global domination. BLACKPINK has since been hailed as the “biggest girl group in the world” by influential publications such as Rolling Stone, Time, and Vogue, and their impact is quantifiable.
Their success provided Jennie with an unparalleled global platform, but it also functioned as a double-edged sword. The group’s massive and dedicated fanbase, known as BLINKs, created a ready-made audience for any solo endeavor she would undertake, ensuring immense interest and commercial potential.
The Soloist: Crafting an Independent Identity
On November 12, 2018, Jennie made her official debut as a solo artist with the single “Solo”. The release was not merely a side project but a powerful declaration of her individual artistic and commercial power. The song was an immediate and overwhelming success, topping South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart and, crucially, the US Billboard World Digital Songs chart.
Jennie’s musical evolution as a soloist mirrors her journey toward professional independence. Following “Solo,” her next major release was “You & Me,” a track she first unveiled as a solo stage during BLACKPINK’s Born Pink World Tour in 2022 before its official release on October 6, 2023. A sultry dance-pop and EDM track with romantic lyrics, “You & Me” was another commercial triumph. It soared to number one on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and became the first song by a female K-pop soloist to top the UK Singles Downloads Chart, further cementing her global appeal. The single’s release was also a high-fashion event, featuring cover art illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi, the legendary creator of Sailor Moon.
If “You & Me” was a transitional step, her debut full-length solo album, Ruby, released on March 7, 2025, was a revolutionary leap. As the first project distributed by her own label, ODD ATELIER, Ruby represents a complete break from the traditional K-pop production model. The 15-track album is defined by its extensive collaborations with a roster of high-profile, critically acclaimed Western artists, including Childish Gambino, Dua Lipa, Doechii, Dominic Fike, and FKJ. This move signaled a deliberate pivot toward a more diverse, genre-blending sound rooted in Western pop, R&B, and hip-hop.
Ruby is a direct reflection of her evolution from a managed idol to an autonomous artist and CEO, with her music serving as the most potent expression of her newfound independence.
ODD ATELIER: A Declaration of Independence
The establishment of ODD ATELIER (OA) in November 2023 marked the most significant turning point in Jennie Kim’s career. Announced officially in December, the move came after all four members of BLACKPINK renewed their group activity contracts with YG Entertainment but chose to pursue their solo endeavors independently. As the first member to formalize her solo plans, Jennie stepped into the role of founder and CEO, defining her company’s mission as a “space that aims to create new things that attract attention in a different way from what is usual or expected”. The female idol also later signed with Columbia Records, which is in charge of famous names like Beyoncé, ahead of her solo comeback in October 2024.
Her entire career has been an accumulation of brand capital—from the “YG Princess” mystique to the “Human Chanel” status and the record-breaking success of “Solo.” The name itself is a powerful brand statement: “Odd” signifies a deliberate deviation from the conventional, while “Atelier,” the French word for an artist’s workshop, implies hands-on creativity, craftsmanship, and bespoke quality. By launching her own label, Jennie has completed the transformation from being an ambassador for other brands to being the founder of her own.
The Brand: The “Jennie Effect” and Global Influence
The “Human Chanel”
Jennie Kim’s long-standing partnership with the French luxury house Chanel is a cornerstone of her global brand identity. Appointed as a brand ambassador in 2017, her connection to the label has become so profound that fans and media alike have bestowed upon her the nickname “Human Chanel,” a title that speaks to her complete embodiment of the brand’s modern spirit.
For Chanel, Jennie provides a direct and authentic bridge to a younger, global, and digitally native audience. Her influence is not merely anecdotal; it is quantifiable and staggering. According to brand performance analyst Launchmetrics, Jennie’s appearance at a single Chanel fashion show generated an estimated US$3.6 million in Media Impact Value (MIV), a metric that assigns a monetary value to marketing engagement. Studies and sales data have directly credited her with boosting Chanel’s domestic sales in South Korea by 30% and operating profit by 66% in a single year, with campaigns she fronted contributing to revenue figures in the trillions of Korean won.
Beyond Chanel: Building a Fashion Empire
She has served as a global ambassador for Calvin Klein, where her impact was so significant that she collaborated on her own limited-edition capsule collection, infusing the pieces with her personal style and a curated pastel color palette. This collaboration was praised for its authenticity, stemming from Jennie’s long-time affinity for the brand. Similarly, her campaigns for the Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster have resulted in record-breaking sales, and her partnership with the French fashion house Jacquemus was preceded by a well-publicized friendship with its designer, Simon Porte Jacquemus, lending it an organic feel that resonates strongly with consumers.
This ability to drive commerce is so pronounced that it has been dubbed the “Jennie effect”. It is a phenomenon where items she is seen wearing, whether in a global campaign or a casual Instagram post, sell out almost instantly. In one notable instance, a skirt from the relatively small Vietnamese brand LSEOUL, retailing for around US$38, sold out its entire stock of 2,000 units in just 15 minutes after she wore it in a social media post.
Jennie is a powerful trendsetter, capable of shaping micro-trends in fashion and beauty on a global scale. During her “Solo” promotions in 2018, the simple hairpins she wore became a nationwide trend in South Korea, widely referred to as “Jennie’s hairpins”. She has been credited with popularizing front hair highlights, the ribbon hairstyle seen in the “How You Like That” music video, and even turning the act of wearing a bandage for a facial wound into a chic fashion statement.
Personal Life
Early Life
Jennie Kim’s journey began not in the spotlight, but in the quiet, affluent district of Bundang in Seongnam, South Korea, where she was born on January 16, 1996. As an only child, her early education started at Cheongdam Elementary School in Seoul, but her path diverged dramatically from that of her peers at the tender age of eight. During a family trip to Australia and New Zealand, her mother asked if she liked New Zealand and wanted to stay. Jennie’s affirmative reply set in motion a formative chapter of her life.
For the next five years, Jennie lived and studied in Auckland, a period that profoundly shaped her character and worldview. She attended Waikowhai Intermediate School and later ACG Parnell College, living not with relatives but with a homestay family. This experience of being sent to live and study abroad alone at such a young age necessitated an extraordinary level of adaptability and self-reliance. It forced her to navigate an unfamiliar culture and learn a new language, English, largely on her own—an experience so unique it was featured in a 2006 MBC documentary titled English, Must Change to Survive.
The critical turning point arrived when Jennie was 14. Her family had planned for her to move to Florida in the United States to continue her studies, with the goal of becoming a lawyer or a teacher. However, having developed an interest in K-pop, particularly the music of YG Entertainment, while in New Zealand, Jennie resisted this path. She chose instead to return to South Korea in 2010 with a new, singular ambition: to become a performer. This decision marked the end of her conventional childhood and the beginning of her deliberate, focused pursuit of a life in the entertainment industry.
Dating History
Jennie of BLACKPINK has often found herself in the media spotlight due to her high-profile dating rumors and confirmed relationships—each one adding to her global star power and public intrigue.
- Kai (EXO): On January 1, 2019, Dispatch revealed that Jennie was dating EXO’s Kai. The two were seen together on multiple occasions, including a romantic stroll in a park. While SM Entertainment confirmed the relationship, stating they were “getting to know each other,” YG Entertainment remained silent. However, just 24 days later, SM confirmed their breakup, citing busy schedules.
- G-Dragon (BIGBANG): In February 2021, Jennie was once again the subject of a Dispatch exclusive—this time involving BIGBANG’s G-Dragon. The report claimed that the two had been dating for around a year, frequently meeting at G-Dragon’s penthouse. Despite growing speculation, YG Entertainment declined to confirm or deny the relationship, stating, “It’s difficult to confirm the private lives of our artists.” In May 2022, fans noted G-Dragon unfollowed Jennie on a private Instagram account, fueling breakup rumors.
- V (BTS): Dating rumors between Jennie and BTS’s V began swirling in May 2022, after a photo surfaced of a couple resembling them driving together in Jeju Island. Although both YG Entertainment and BigHit Music offered no official response, more leaked images—some allegedly from Jennie’s cloud storage—fueled ongoing speculation. When V and Jennie were spotted in Paris in 2023, walking together during Fashion Week, the public largely accepted the relationship as real, though neither party confirmed it officially.
- The Weeknd (Rumored): In late 2021, Jennie was photographed having dinner with The Weeknd in Los Angeles. Though this sparked dating rumors, it later became clear the two were likely collaborating professionally, as Jennie was later cast in The Idol, a series produced by and starring The Weeknd.
Net Worth
As of 2025, Jennie’s estimated net worth ranges between $30 million to $40 million.
Controversies
The Performance Paradox: Onstage Scrutiny
Since around 2018, Jennie has been the subject of persistent and intense scrutiny over her stage presence, most notably encapsulated by the “lazy dancing” controversy. Viral clips circulated online showing performances where she appeared to lack energy or execute choreography with less precision than her bandmates, leading to a torrent of criticism from fans and anti-fans alike. For years, YG Entertainment remained largely silent on the matter, allowing the narrative of her being “lazy” or “unprofessional” to fester.
The narrative shifted significantly when Jennie addressed the issue herself on Dua Lipa’s podcast. She provided a rare glimpse into the physical toll of being a top-tier idol, citing recurring ankle and other injuries, the exhaustion and bloating from constant travel, and the physical pain of performing complex choreography in high heels as factors that affected her stamina and performance. She confessed, “I feel like I’ve disappointed my fans… but I did not know how to control my body, and use my body the way I should”.
More recently, this scrutiny has extended to her solo concert, ‘The Ruby Experience,’ which faced criticism for its relatively short 70-80 minute runtime despite high ticket prices, and for her choice to wear sunglasses throughout the show, which some fans felt created a disconnect. Her increasingly bold and revealing stage outfits have also sparked debate, particularly among domestic Korean fans. Costumes that are standard for Western pop stars were deemed “too provocative” for a K-pop idol, placing her at the center of a clash between global pop aesthetics and more conservative local expectations. Her performances and presentation are constantly judged against the unspoken, and often unforgiving, contract of idolhood.
The Idol in ‘The Idol’: An Acting Debut Under Fire
In 2023, Jennie made her official acting debut under the name Jennie Ruby Jane in the HBO series The Idol. The show, created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria) and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, was one of the most anticipated and controversial television events of the year. Jennie took on the supporting role of Dyanne, a backup dancer and friend to the troubled pop star protagonist, Jocelyn (played by Lily-Rose Depp). Reports suggest that Jennie personally chose the role after being approached directly by The Weeknd, seeing it as an opportunity to “be myself and be brave”.
The series was a critical and commercial failure, widely panned for its chaotic production, muddled script, and what many critics described as a “degrading” and misogynistic storyline that amounted to a “rape fantasy”. Jennie was caught in the crossfire of the show’s toxic reception. The backlash against her was twofold. In South Korea, her performance—particularly a sexually suggestive dance sequence with male dancers—was met with shock and condemnation. Many felt it was “provocative” and “inappropriate,” a betrayal of the relatively sanitized image expected of a K-pop idol. Internationally, her acting received a mixed response. Some critics found her performance “bland” and “expressionless,” while others hailed her as the only charismatic and entertaining part of an otherwise unwatchable show.
Navigating Cultural Fault Lines
Jennie has faced multiple accusations of cultural appropriation, a common pitfall for K-pop artists whose industry borrows heavily from other cultures, particularly Black culture. Incidents include wearing cornrows in The Idol, box braids in the “Kill This Love” music video, using sacred Hindu imagery (a statue of the deity Ganesha) as a prop in the “How You Like That” music video, and the resurfacing of pre-debut videos allegedly showing her and other members singing along to rap songs containing the N-word.
Her solo work has also drawn fire. In early 2025, she faced plagiarism accusations from Indian social media users who claimed the beat of her new song, “Like Jennie,” was strikingly similar to the theme song for Alia Bhatt’s character in the Bollywood film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Adding to the complexities of her public image, her own manager, Jeremy Erlich, sparked controversy by reposting a music critic’s review that praised Jennie’s album Ruby as the best K-pop solo work ever, while the same critic had previously written scathingly about fellow member Lisa’s music.
Jennie Kim is far more than a K-pop idol; she is a quintessential case study in the construction, navigation, and evolution of modern, transnational celebrity. Her career is a narrative of paradoxes: the meticulously manufactured persona of the “YG Princess” versus the authentic, vulnerable individual; the pursuit of artistic agency within a system built on corporate control; and the experience of simultaneous global adulation and intense, unforgiving scrutiny. She embodies the tensions between a global pop aesthetic and local cultural expectations, and her journey highlights the immense pressures placed upon female stars in the public eye.
