As 2024 begins, fans of Jennie are delighted with her continuous appearances and opportunities in various shows. As the starting guest on “Lee Hyori’s Red Carpet,” Jennie showcased her “IT girl” charm, causing numerous topics related to the show to trend. Although the program just aired on January 5th, social media has been buzzing over interactions between Jennie and Lee Hyori for days on end. Among these interactions, there’s a notable moment where Jennie fails to execute the “idol challenge” of making the trending “cat heart” pose.
In particular, the “cat heart” pose, which has been trending among K-pop idols recently, where the idols form a heart with their hands and “cat ears” on the heart with their fingers. This cute and unique pose quickly gained popularity, and was even done on stage or during events like fansigns. Therefore, Jennie was asked to make the “cat heart” on Lee Hyori’s show.
However, Jennie failed to accomplish this “idol challenge” since she was … unaware of the trend. Quick-witted, Jennie compensated by creating an oversized heart shape for her followers. Her moment of hesitation and adorable expression gained significant attention on social media. Once again, Jennie’s charm, humor, and wit received praise.
Looking at Jennie’s struggle with idol challenges, meanwhile, make fans recognize a truth: over the past period, YG Entertainment has not allowed BLACKPINK to engage in regular activities typical of an idol group. Throughout 2023, BLACKPINK focused on completing their “Born Pink” World Tour. Additionally, members pursued individual schedules related to the brands they represent or participated in international events. There seemed to be no group activities connecting with fans, and reality shows were also limited. Even Jisoo’s solo promotion only featured a few events for fan interaction.
Therefore, the fact that Jennie was unaware of the “Cat heart” becomes understandable. Alongside praising Jennie’s cuteness, the South Korean online community also expressed opinions about the issue of “YG restricting BLACKPINK’s idol activities.”
Now, with no personal contract renewals, BLACKPINK members are expected to have more autonomy in managing their activities and diversifying their schedules.
Source: K14
