BLACKPINK's Jennie Reflects on Her Coachella Experience

On May 7, Jennie of BLACKPINK appeared as a guest on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' (유 퀴즈 온 더 블럭). She reminisced about her groundbreaking performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where she became the first K-pop artist to headline a major stage as a solo act.

Jennie expressed her longing for Korea, saying, "I really wanted to be in Korea. I spent my time resting at home and eating delicious food. I ordered six rolls of kimbap in different varieties and enjoyed them with ramen. Tuna kimbap is my favorite."

Reflecting on Coachella, she noted, "It's one of the largest music festivals in the world, featuring numerous artists over two weeks. I felt a sense of relief for the first time in my life. It was like, 'Put your phones down and enjoy.'"

Although Jennie typically avoids watching her performances, she made an exception for Coachella, reviewing the full video twice. The only part she skipped was when she sang her final song, 'Starlight,' and tearfully shouted, "I love you, Mom."

"I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but seeing my mom made me emotional. I couldn't bear to watch that part of the video because I was sobbing so much," she shared. "While my work appears glamorous, there are times when I feel overwhelmed and question my dreams. I realized that I just want to live happily with my mom and be a daughter she can be proud of, which is what the lyrics remind me of. I saw the video of my mom crying below the stage, and after the performance, she comforted me, saying I did well. I thought she would be excited, but I must have looked too pitiful."

This was Jennie's first solo performance at Coachella, although she had previously performed there twice with BLACKPINK. During her 50-minute set, she delivered an impressive 15 songs. Jennie admitted, "I usually struggle with full rehearsals. I felt like my stamina was a wall I needed to overcome, so I practiced by running while singing the setlist whenever I had time. I even sought treatment when necessary. It was a battle with myself. The pressure was immense, and the emotional rollercoaster was so intense that I was scared of myself."

Her pride in being Korean helped her cope with the pressure. Jennie explained that her outfit in the 'Jennie' music video was designed to reflect her desire to showcase Korean culture, stating, "'Jennie' is one of the music videos where I wanted to incorporate a lot of Korean culture. The reason is my pride in being Korean."