BLACKPINK member Jennie is in the spotlight as she prepares for her comeback.

On September 19, Harper's Bazaar USA published an interview and photoshoot with Jennie, bringing renewed attention to the indoor smoking incident from July.

The magazine noted, "The private lives of K-pop idols are closely protected, with no room for dating or smoking. Given BLACKPINK's reputation, their actions can lead to controversy, which may affect fans' empathy." This highlights the pressure idols face beyond their music.

In response to the controversy, Jennie said, "What can I do? Koreans often try to make up for things they think are wrong. I understand why people are upset." She expressed her desire to see things from her fans' perspective.

The trouble began in July when Jennie posted a vlog from Italy on her YouTube channel. A clip of her smoking indoors while getting her makeup done sparked backlash, especially since staff were present.

As criticism grew, her agency, OA Entertainment, issued an apology: "We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt discomfort from Jennie's actions. Jennie understands the impact of smoking indoors and has reached out to apologize to the staff directly."

However, international reactions questioned the need for an official apology for indoor smoking. Outlets like CNN and BBC remarked on the intense scrutiny K-pop celebrities face and the strict moral standards expected of them.

Jennie also faced rumors regarding her fandom name and dating allegations. She sent a voice message saying, "Hello, Rubies. It's Jennie. Please watch over me; see you soon," leading fans to speculate that her personal fandom name might be "Rubies."

However, this raised concerns because it overlaps with singer Kwon Eun Bi's fandom name. Her agency clarified, "Rubies is the name of a news page for fans. It is not the official fandom name."

Additionally, rumors of a relationship with GOT7's BamBam surfaced after they were spotted dining together at a popular restaurant in Los Angeles. Photos taken by paparazzi fueled dating speculations.

The agency responded, "BamBam and Jennie are friends who had a meal together. The dating rumors are not true," adding that managers were present during their outing.

Amid these controversies, Jennie is set to make her solo comeback. This will be her first album in about a year since her special single "You & Me," released last October.

While she remains a part of BLACKPINK, this album marks a significant moment as it will be her first release after effectively leaving YG Entertainment.

Expectations are high!

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Kim Young Chul shared an interesting story about spotting the famous couple, Won Bin and Lee Na Young, during a flight to France.

In the latest episode of "Catchphrase is an Excuse", Kim Young Chul told a funny and surprising story about meeting the celebrity couple while traveling. He was chatting with Heo Kyung Hwan when the topic of airplanes came up. Kim Young Chul explained, “I was on a flight to Paris, and I slept for 10 hours. Even though people wear hoods, there are some celebrities who still stand out as celebrities. I was curious, so I checked out who it was.”

As he went to the bathroom and returned to his seat, he noticed two familiar-looking people. He realized it was none other than Won Bin and Lee Na Young sitting together. Kim Young Chul was so surprised by their beauty that he said, “They are such a good-looking couple, I couldn’t help but gasp. I said ‘Woah!’ out loud,” which made everyone laugh.

Yoo Jae Suk and Heo Kyung Hwan playfully teased him, saying, "You should've at least acted like you knew them," and "If you're going to be surprised, you should’ve greeted them." But Kim Young Chul calmly explained, “I didn’t greet them because I wanted to respect their personal space.” Yoo Jae Suk responded with a smile, “But if you’re going to gasp like that, it’s strange.”

Kim Young Chul continued, “I don’t think Won Bin and Lee Na Young noticed me, so I didn’t act like I knew them.” He then quickly changed the subject, mentioning, “Let me talk about the top 3 most handsome men,” and brought up Song Seung Heon. Yoo Jae Suk, confused, asked, “So, Lee Na Young and Won Bin went to Paris?” Kim Young Chul confirmed, “Yes, they went. But there’s no big episode after that,” adding that nothing exciting happened after their brief encounter.

Yoo Jae Suk couldn’t help but joke, “If you went all the way to Paris and didn’t talk to Won Bin, there must be a story to tell!” Kim Young Chul replied, “They both left right away, so I couldn’t greet them.”

Meanwhile, Yoo Jae Suk also mentioned, “Won Bin is one of the few people I’ve never met. I’ve been in the industry for so long, but I’ve never had a chance to meet him.”

Won Bin has been on a long break from acting, with his last major appearance over 15 years ago. Recently, he made headlines after attending the funeral of his late co-star from The Man From Nowhere, Kim Sae Ron.

Fans are still waiting for his big return to acting.

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