Jennie

Who Is Jennie Kim?

Jennie Kim, known professionally as Jennie and also by her artistic name Jennie Ruby Jane, is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter, actress, and label founder. She was born on January 16, 1996, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, South Korea.

She is a woman of many firsts. She became the first solo artist to win Artist of the Year at the Golden Disc Awards and Record of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, and the first Korean soloist to win a Billboard Women in Music Award. Furthermore, she appeared on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2026 and on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 in 2025–2026.

Her debut solo album Ruby sold one million copies worldwide. Her single “Like Jennie” became the most-streamed K-pop song on Spotify in the first half of 2025. She headlined Coachella, Governors Ball, and major European festivals as a solo act.

Jennie Kim is not simply a K-pop idol. She is a global cultural force.

Early Life: Between Seoul, Auckland, and Seoul Again

Born in Seongnam, Raised Between Two Worlds

Jennie Kim was born on January 16, 1996, an only child. She spent her early years in South Korea before a pivotal move abroad changed everything.

In 2004, at the tender age of eight, Jennie moved to New Zealand, where she lived and studied for five years. This international upbringing gave her a bilingual confidence and cultural fluency that would later set her apart from many of her peers in the K-pop industry.

Education in Auckland, New Zealand

Jennie spent part of her childhood in Auckland, New Zealand, where she attended ACG Parnell College. Her time abroad sharpened her English skills and broadened her perspective. It also shaped her unique global appeal — a quality that would later make her as compelling to Western audiences as to Korean ones.

At the age of 14, Jennie returned to South Korea, where she auditioned for YG Entertainment. She passed. It was the beginning of one of the most remarkable careers in modern pop music.

Six Years of Training at YG Entertainment

After successfully auditioning for YG Entertainment in 2010, Jennie trained for six rigorous years. YG Entertainment’s intensive training spans dance, vocals, language, and performance, effectively serving as a second education.

After joining YG Entertainment, Jennie underwent rigorous training for six years. She did not pursue higher education during this period. Instead, she devoted herself fully to becoming one of the most complete performers in the industry.

Before her official debut, she made several appearances in music videos and songs by other YG artists, building valuable experience and name recognition.

BLACKPINK: Debuting With the World’s Biggest Girl Group

Square One and the Birth of BLACKPINK (2016)

Jennie debuted in 2016 as BLACKPINK’s main rapper and lead vocalist with the release of their single album Square One.

The group — comprising Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa — was unlike anything K-pop had seen before. They were global from day one. Their debut singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah” introduced them to the world. The response was immediate and overwhelming.

Record-Breaking BLACKPINK Achievements

BLACKPINK became a phenomenon. BLACKPINK became the first K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 with Born Pink. Additionally, BLACKPINK is the first music group to have five videos on YouTube that accumulated over a billion views each.

Honorary MBE and Global Recognition

She and her BLACKPINK bandmates were appointed honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire in 2023. It was a landmark moment — not just for BLACKPINK but for K-pop as a genre.

Solo Career: From “Solo” to Ruby

“Solo” — The Debut That Changed Everything (2018)

In November 2018, Jennie made her debut as a solo artist with the single “Solo,” which topped both the Gaon Digital Chart and Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart.

She was the first BLACKPINK member to debut as a solo artist. The song became an instant anthem. It also introduced the world to a side of Jennie that was entirely her own — confident, sharp, and stylistically fearless.

Her 2018 single “Solo” topped South Korea’s Circle Digital Chart and Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart.

Founding Odd Atelier (2023)

In 2023, Jennie established her own label named Odd Atelier. This was a defining act of artistic independence. It signaled that she was no longer content to operate within the boundaries of a major entertainment company for her solo work.

She proceeded to sign as a solo artist with Columbia Records in partnership with Odd Atelier in September 2024. This partnership with one of the world’s most prestigious labels gave her global distribution power while keeping creative control firmly in her own hands.

“Mantra” and the Road to Ruby (2024)

Jennie released “Mantra” in October 2024 and “Love Hangover” in January 2025 through Odd Atelier and Columbia Records as the first two singles from her debut studio album, Ruby.

The singles built anticipation beautifully. Each release felt deliberate. Each one revealed a new dimension of who Jennie had become as an independent artist.

Ruby — Debut Studio Album (March 7, 2025)

Ruby is the debut solo studio album by Jennie, released on March 7, 2025, by Odd Atelier and Columbia Records.

The album was a critical and commercial triumph. Ruby debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, with 26,500 copies sold in the United States in its first week. Jennie also secured a No. 7 debut on the Billboard 200 and landed in the top 10 across 19 countries.

It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the highest-ranked album by a K-pop female soloist and tying for the highest-ranked album overall by a K-pop solo artist.

Her debut studio album Ruby (2025) sold one million copies worldwide and tied for the highest position on the UK Albums Chart by a Korean solo artist.

Star-Studded Collaborations on Ruby

The album announced Jennie as a fully global artist through its collaborators. Ruby features collaborations with Dua Lipa and Doechii, as well as Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis, and FKJ. Each pairing felt natural. Each song earned its place.

“Like Jennie” became Jennie’s third number-one hit on South Korea’s Circle Digital Chart as well as the most-streamed K-pop song on Spotify in the first half of 2025.

The Ruby Experience Tour and Coachella 2025

Jennie celebrated the release with The Ruby Experience, which commenced in Los Angeles on March 6, 2025, at the same time as Ruby’s release. The series of intimate concerts extended to New York and South Korea.

She was also awarded the Global Force Award at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music Awards. She then took the stage at Coachella 2025, marking her third appearance at the iconic festival.

Fallen Angel EP (2026) and European Festival Domination

She released the three-track digital EP Fallen Angel on August 28, 2026, through Odd Atelier and Columbia Records. A six-track physical edition was announced for October 30 in selected markets.

In June 2026, she headlined Governors Ball in New York. In July 2026, she headlined Roskilde, Open’er, and Mad Cool festivals during a run of European solo festival appearances.

Additionally, her collaboration on Tame Impala’s “Dracula” remix reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2026, making her the first solo female K-pop artist to appear on many of Billboard’s rock charts.

Acting Career: Jennie Ruby Jane

The Idol (HBO, 2023)

In 2023, Jennie made her acting debut under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane in the HBO series The Idol.

She stars alongside Lily-Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye in the Sam Levinson and Tesfaye co-created show, which follows an aspiring pop idol who is in crisis after the death of her mother and ends up being seduced by a cult leader.

Kim said what really fascinated her about the series was that it was about the music industry: “I thought I could bring something to the role.” She described the experience as “an opportunity to just be myself and be brave. It was like breaking a wall for me.”

The performance introduced her to a global audience as a dramatic actress — not just a pop star playing a role, but a performer fully committed to her craft.

Heart Eyes (2025)

In 2025, Jennie also appeared in Heart Eyes, continuing to build her acting profile alongside her music career.

Fashion: The Human Chanel

A Fashion Icon Since Day One

Jennie’s fashion influence is arguably as significant as her music. She has been called “Human Gucci” and “Human Chanel” by fans, nicknames that speak to how naturally she wears luxury.

Jennie was chosen as the new model for Chanel Beauty and shot her first pictorial for the brand with Harper’s Bazaar Korea as their new muse in January 2018. In March 2019, the French fashion house officially announced Jennie as the Global/House Ambassador of Chanel.

This was a historic appointment. No K-pop idol had ever held such a senior ambassador role for a French luxury house. It opened doors for an entire generation of Korean artists in the fashion world.

Hera Beauty

Hera, a South Korean luxury beauty brand owned by Amore Pacific, announced in January 2019 that it had chosen Jennie as their new model due to her “elegant and luxurious image” and confidence. Kim’s first advertisement for the brand was in February for the Red Vibe lip series — sales were five times higher than Hera’s previous lip product. Due to their growing popularity, the products are referred to as “Jennie’s lipsticks.”

Gentle Monster x Jentle Home (2020)

In April 2020, Jennie teamed up with the South Korean luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster to create a collection called Jentle Home. The collaboration was a sellout success and further established her as a tastemaker with genuine design influence.

Awards and Historic Achievements

• Jennie has accumulated an extraordinary list of firsts and records throughout her career.
• She became the first solo artist to win Artist of the Year at the Golden Disc Awards and Record of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, and the first Korean soloist to win a Billboard Women in Music Award.
• She emerged as the most-awarded soloist at the 2024 MAMA Awards.
• She received the Global Force Award at Billboard Women in Music in 2025.
• TIME included her in its 2026 list of 100 influential people, with a tribute written by Gracie Abrams.
• She appeared on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 in both 2025 and 2026.

Personal Life

A Private Life Behind a Public Persona

Jennie Kim keeps her personal life largely away from the spotlight. She was born as an only child. While she has shared glimpses of family life on social media, she maintains clear boundaries between her artistic persona and private world.

She has been open about the pressures and demands of life in the K-pop industry from a young age. Her training, she has noted, was “stricter than school.”

Jennie and BLACKPINK: The Group Continues

In December 2023, it was revealed that Jennie and the other members of BLACKPINK had renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment for group activities. This meant she could build her independent solo career through Odd Atelier while continuing to be part of the group that made history.

Discography at a Glance

Solo Singles

Year	Title	Chart Highlights
2018	Solo	#1 Circle Digital Chart; #1 Billboard World Digital Songs
2023	You & Me	—
2024	Mantra	Lead single from Ruby era
2025	Love Hangover (feat. Dominic Fike)	Ruby single
2025	ExtraL (feat. Doechii)	Ruby single
2025	Like Jennie	#1 Circle; Most-streamed K-pop song Spotify H1 2025
2025	Handlebars (feat. Dua Lipa)	Ruby single
2025	Zen	Ruby track
2026	Fallen Angel EP	3-track digital EP; physical edition Oct 30, 2026
2026	Tame Impala — Dracula (remix)	Top 10 Billboard Hot 100

Albums and Projects

Year	Title	Label	Highlights
2025	Ruby (Studio Album)	Odd Atelier / Columbia	#7 Billboard 200; #3 UK Albums Chart; 1M+ WW copies
2026	Fallen Angel (EP)	Odd Atelier / Columbia	3-track digital; 6-track physical Oct 2026