Jennie of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK performs during her show "The Ruby Experience," at Incheon's Inspire Arena, Saturday. Courtesy of OA Entertainment
By Pyo Kyung-min
Some griped about the skimpy outfits, others balked at the sky-high ticket prices. But just as the top star herself remarked through her self-love anthem, a piece of art is incomplete without some framing action.
Last Saturday, Jennie sparked another heated buzz from Korea by not simply putting on a show — she transformed an entire arena into her personal canvas with a rare chance to peek into her artistry: her first-ever solo concert, "The Ruby Experience."
Hosting the single-day show at Inspire Arena on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, the BLACKPINK member celebrated the release of her first solo album, "Ruby."
About 10,000 eager fans flocked to witness the hype. Despite the arena's notoriously poor accessibility — more than three hours' round trip from Seoul and an inconveniently unpunctual shuttle service — fan enthusiasm remained unshaken.
Korean entertainment's elite also joined the crowd to get a glimpse of the star. BLACKPINK's Rosé, comedian Yoo Jae-suk, actress Kim Ji-won, BigBang member Daesung, rapper Lee Seung-hoon, all NJZ members and former Wonder Girls members all showed up in unified support for Jennie.
However, the audience's behavior toward these surprise guests was less than ideal. When these celebrities took their seats just before showtime, fans whipped out their phones, shoving them into the stars' faces for a quick snap. Despite repeated requests from the staff to remain seated, many fans stood up, causing a commotion that delayed the show by 10 minutes.
BLACKPINK member and solo singer Jennie performs during her show, "The Ruby Experience," at Incheon's Inspire Arena, Saturday. Courtesy of OA Entertainment
Once the show began, however, Jennie's presence was enough to hush all pre-show complaints. Capturing the crowd with an aura befitting a global star, she opened the evening with tracks "Intro: JANE with FKJ" and "Start a War," mesmerizing the audience with top-tier dancers.
Instead of stopping the music to greet the eager audience, Jennie let her performance do the talking. After the dazzling opening, she powered through "Handlebars," "Mantra," "Love Hangover," "ZEN" and "Damn Right" without missing a beat.
A particularly memorable moment came when Jennie performed the dreamy track, "Seoul City," reflecting her deep affection for her hometown. She also premiered the music video for the same song, drawing raucous cheers from the crowd.
Compared to other K-pop female solo artists’ concerts, Jennie’s show was relatively restrained in production. Unlike concerts that heavily rely on CGI effects, elaborate ceiling structures, and dynamic stages, her performance was enhanced primarily by lighting, occasional fireworks and other pyrotechnic displays.
Jennie proved that a satisfying performance can be achieved without extravagant effects, relying instead on her star power, a passionate dance crew, a live band and her heartfelt music.
The show's highlight came as Jennie belted out energetic dance performances during bops like "Like JENNIE," "With the IE" and "ExtraL."
About 40 minutes in, Jennie finally paused to express her gratitude.
“I’ve learned so much through this album and concert. This album captures my true self — raw and imperfect. Everything feels new and unfamiliar,” she shared with a soft, emotional voice, a stark contrast to her fierce stage presence.
Jennie performs along with her dance crew during her show, "The Ruby Experience," a single-day event held at Incheon's Inspire Arena, Saturday. Courtesy of OA Entertainment
Asking the audience for cheers, Jennie soon became emotional. "I promised not to cry, but seeing all of you here makes me so grateful and happy."
Before the final moments of the show, Jennie once again expressed her gratitude.
"Thank you for accepting me as I am. I'll continue to be myself, Jennie, a good person who makes great music, so please do keep supporting me," she said.
She then performed songs "F.T.S" and "Filter," before closing the show with emotional tracks "Starlight" and "Twin."
Not all post-performance feedback was positive. At 75 minutes, the relatively short duration of the concert sparked controversy, while some fans complained about the high ticket prices, which ranged from 140,000 to 220,000 won.
Criticism also arose regarding her "provocative" stage outfits. Since the release of "Ruby," Jennie has faced backlash, particularly in Korean media, for her supposedly revealing outfits, with some local articles even likening her attire to lingerie.
Despite the ongoing chatter, Jennie's Saturday show made one thing clear: love her or nitpick her, Jennie is, and will remain, unapologetic in blazing her own trail beyond just K-pop.
She previously brought "The Ruby Experience" to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on March 6 and 7, and New York’s Radio City Music Hall on March 10. The Inspire Arena show served as the grand finale.
English (United States) ·