On March 7, Jennie’s album RUBY was released at midnight and its title track Like JENNIE quickly gained attention. The music video surpassed one million views on YouTube within an hour of its release, just 14 hours after the album dropped.
In Like JENNIE, Jennie embraces self-love and confidence while acknowledging the criticism directed at her. In the chorus, she boldly chants her own name, singing, “I think I really like (JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE) / Haters, they don’t really like (JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE) / ‘Cause they could never ever be (JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE) / But havе you ever met JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE?” In the second verse, she addresses those who criticize her, rapping, “Name, shame, blame tryna burst my bubble,” followed by the Korean lyrics, “Pop it up in a bigger hall.”
What caught particular attention was the song’s opening lines, which seemingly reference her past controversy. Jennie raps, “I’m leaving clues in the fittin’ room and it’s hot tea,” leading some to speculate that she intentionally included a nod to her 2023 indoor smoking scandal.
The controversy arose in July last year. A video surfaced on YouTube showing Jennie in a backstage dressing room at a fashion show in Italy. In the clip, she appeared to be using an electronic cigarette while getting her makeup done. This sparked criticism for allegedly smoking indoors.
At the time, her agency, OA, issued an apology, stating, “We sincerely apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie’s actions in the video. Jennie acknowledges that smoking indoors was inappropriate and regrets causing inconvenience to staff members. She personally reached out to those present at the time to apologize.”
Jennie’s recent pre-release tracks, including “Love Hangover,” “ZEN,” and “ExtraL,” received positive attention. As a result, the controversy had largely faded from public memory. Thus, her decision to reference it in “Like JENNIE” comes as a surprise. One industry insider commented, “Thanks to Jennie’s continued success, the controversy had been forgotten. Bringing it up now could be reopening old wounds.”
However, others view her honesty as a refreshing approach, praising her for directly addressing past issues rather than avoiding them. Whether her lyrics will have a positive impact on her image or reignite criticism remains to be seen.
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