Why does BLACKPINK's Jennie struggle on Korean TV shows?

Jennie of BLACKPINK / Korea Times photo by Pyo Kyung-min

In the global music industry, Jennie embodies formidable brand power. On Korean domestic television, however, she is struggling to leave a lasting impression, drawing criticism for generating only short-lived buzz with little measurable impact on ratings.

Jennie has been active in the entertainment industry since her debut in 2016. During that time, she has risen to the pinnacle of success in music, but far less attention has been paid to her ventures into television — and even less to their results, given the lukewarm reception they have received.

Television appearances were not a one-off endeavor for Jennie: She appeared as a regular cast member on "Village Survival, the Eight" (SBS), "Apartment 404" (tvN), "My Name is Gabriel" (Disney+) and most recently "The Secret Friends Club" (MBC).

Yet the reception has been mixed. Beyond initial buzz, her appearances have not translated into ratings growth or sustained viewer loyalty.

Last month’s "EXchange 4" (Tving) offers a telling example of Jennie’s largely symbolic, low-engagement role. Previous celebrity guests on the show typically built rapport with the cast by sharing their own relationship experiences — a role generally expected of guest appearances

Jennie, however, neither discussed her past relationships nor displayed strong emotional engagement with the cast. Instead, she remained a guest placed in the spotlight rather than becoming part of the show’s emotional narrative.

In the end, news of her appearance had a greater impact on the show than her actual participation. For Jennie, this may be a legitimate concern, as it is a pattern that has repeated across multiple appearances.

What she lacks is a sustainable entertainment persona, critics point out. Variety programs often hinge on how participants define their roles within a show’s dynamics, a factor that critics say has left Jennie yet to carve out a clear on-screen identity.

Jennie / Captured from MBC YouTube channel

For instance, "The Secret Friends Club" featured several moments that generated online buzz after episodes aired — including DEX fleeing from Choo Sung-hoon and Lee Su-ji tossing aside a gift from Jennie. Yet even in these scenes, Jennie herself remained comparatively peripheral.

So far, she has struggled to demonstrate traits commonly associated with variety appeal, such as candid humor, self-deprecating charm and improvisational wit. Nevertheless, she continues to pursue variety show appearances.

The results, however, have not matched the enthusiasm. "The Secret Friends Club" recorded a nationwide household rating of 2.1 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. The figure is roughly half that of the last episode of "King of Mask Singer," the broadcaster’s predecessor program.

For Jennie, variety shows are not a professional necessity. Her continued television appearances appear to be an effort to expand her public reach beyond music.

Yet the sustained lukewarm reception has fueled criticism that her performances fall short of expectations. Simply remaining a symbolic presence on such programs is increasingly seen as neither viable nor sufficient for someone who has made repeated appearances in the genre.

As a musician, Jennie already commands global music industry and fans. But if she intends to continue on with reality programs, she may need a strategy that works within the format.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.