BLACKPINK's Jennie says she saw others as 'only rivals' during trainee days and had 'negative' thoughts

Jennie reflected on her journey from being a K-pop trainee to a successful idol and revealed if she was willing to go through it again if given an opportunity.

By Peuli Bakshi

Updated on Mar 10, 2025 | 08:56 AM IST | 115.2K

Jennie: courtesy of Jennie's Instagram

BLACKPINK member Jennie recently opened up on the struggles of being a K-pop idol—reflected on her trainee days under YG Entertainment and how it impacted her life and personality. She also shared if the life she led was worth it and if she would want to do it all over again if given a chance. She made these candid and intimate revelations during her appearance in a Fairy Jaehyung YouTube channel's video titled Jennie's story that has never been told, which aired on March 9.

In the video, recalling her trainee days, Jennie mentioned giving up on studying in the U.S. when she was 14 to train at YG Entertainment for six years before debuting with BLACKPINK at 21. She reflected on those six years, describing the trainee period evaluations as "cruel" and the environment as highly competitive. She recalled having to wipe away tears and continue performing after friends left the program. As per her, it was "heartbreaking" and "hard to accept at that age."

She also mentioned her focus on her goal, i.e., debuting as a K-pop idol, making her get "trapped in a mindset where I only saw people as rivals." Despite the difficulties, Jennie persevered, driven by her determination to succeed in the field she'd chosen herself. The BLACKPINK rapper also spoke about struggling with her mental health, admitting that she wasn't taking care of herself and that even though she was "happy performing," she was plagued by "negative thoughts."

However, she credits her time during the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to focus on her health and well-being. When asked if she would do it all over again, Jennie replied, "I only want to do this for this lifetime," stressing the mental and physical toll the entire process of debuting to post-debut idol life takes on an individual. Even though her journey wasn't really easy, she revealed taking it as a learning experience and life lesson.

She expressed her gratitude for the experiences that have shaped her into the person she is today. She acknowledged that while it wasn't an easy journey, it was worth it in the end.