BLACKPINK’s Jennie Was Happier Living In New Zealand Than Korea As A Child—Here’s Why
It’s no secret that BLACKPINK’s Jennie spent quite some time in New Zealand as a young child.
According to the singer herself, she was born in Korea but moved to New Zealand by herself when she was just 9 years old, and she only came back five years later.
It’s hard to imagine such a young girl living away from family, but Jennie surprisingly didn’t mind at all. In fact, she loved the change!
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Jennie revealed that she was able to adjust to the new country in a single day. She didn’t mope around, looking for her mom—quite the opposite, actually. When her mom gave her a call on the second day, she was just eager to head back to her trampoline.
I was actually happier than anyone I knew. I adapted literally in a day—like, my mom called me on my second day [and asked], ‘Are you all right? Do you miss me?‘ And I said, ‘Mom, I gotta go, I have trampolines to jump on!‘
— Jennie
Right away, she was exposed to the huge cultural differences between New Zealand and Korea, specifically in the education system. Children in Korea would head to a hagwon (cram school) after school and stay there until late at night, and Jennie wasn’t an exception.
In New Zealand, however, she was free to play to her heart’s content. Young Jennie took to it immediately and enjoyed it immensely more than attending cram school.
When I was living in Korea, until 10, I’d go to hagwon [for-profit cram schools], or study, or go to school. Korean education is very different. There’s not much outdoor stuff going on. Then I went to New Zealand, and they said I could run around and play every day! It was sad to be away from my family, but I was so happy to be there.
— Jennie
Interestingly, she was even featured in a documentary that was broadcasted on MBC. She could be seen happily playing with her friends, running around the area, and engaging in many other fun activities. It looked like an enjoyable way to spend one’s childhood!
Concluding, Jennie reflected that living alone in New Zealand made her stronger, but it wasn’t something she realized back then. She, at the very least, never felt like she had to endure her stay there.
In retrospect, that life in New Zealand made me tougher, but when I was living in it every day, I wasn’t thinking, ‘I am alone, and I have to endure this.‘
— Jennie
Be that as it may, she still missed her mom, which is why they started living together as soon as it was possible. But now, she’s ready to move out! Learn all about it in the article below.
