BLACKPINK Jennie, Secondhand Smoking Scandal Resurfaces…Benefit or Backfire?

BLACKPINK's Jennie has sparked discussions with the lyrics of her new title track 'like JENNIE' from her first full-length album, 'RUBY'. The song appears to reference her past controversy involving indoor smoking, leading to mixed reactions from the industry.

Released at midnight on the 7th, 'RUBY' quickly gained attention, with the music video for 'like JENNIE' surpassing one million views on YouTube within an hour of its release. In the song, Jennie confidently addresses criticism and maintains her self-assured persona. The chorus features lines like, 'I really like myself / Haters don't like me / Because they can't be like me / Have you ever seen me?' showcasing her self-love.

In the second verse, she raps, 'They name me, blame me, and try to burst my bubble,' followed by a line in Korean, 'Try bursting it, then we'll meet in a bigger hall, Jennie.'

The song's opening lines have drawn particular attention for seemingly alluding to her past controversy. Jennie raps, 'Left a clue in the fitting room, it became a huge gossip,' which some industry insiders believe references her indoor smoking incident.

The controversy dates back to July last year when a video surfaced showing Jennie appearing to smoke an e-cigarette in a dressing room during an Italian fashion show. Her agency, OA, issued an apology at the time, stating, 'We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie's actions in the content. Jennie also reflects on smoking indoors and the inconvenience it caused to other staff members. She has personally reached out to the staff present at the time to apologize.'

Prior to this release, Jennie had been gaining positive attention with pre-released tracks like 'Love Hangover', 'ZEN', and 'ExtraL', which helped the smoking controversy fade from public memory. Her decision to bring it up again in 'like JENNIE' has surprised some. An industry insider commented, 'Jennie's positive image had helped the controversy fade, but bringing it up now might be stirring up trouble unnecessarily.'

However, others appreciate her candidness and see her attempt to confront past issues head-on as admirable. Whether the lyrics Jennie penned for this title track will have a positive or negative impact remains to be seen.