BLACKPINK's Jennie becomes the Most Nominated K-pop Soloist at the 23rd Korean Music Awards

BLACKPINK's Jennie is leading the nominations for the 2026 Korean Music Awards, emerging as the most recognized artist at this year's ceremony with five nominations for the 23rd edition of the awards.

BLACKPINK’s Jennie is in the running for "Musician of the Year", while her breakout solo smash hit “Like Jennie” received nods for "Song of the Year" and "Best K-pop Song". Her debut solo album Ruby also secured nominations for "Album of the Year" and "Best K-pop Album".

The Korean Music Awards are widely regarded as one of South Korea’s most prestigious music honors, with a strong emphasis on artistic merit, innovation, and critical evaluation, in addition to, of course, commercial performance. Unlike fan-voted ceremonies, winners are selected by panels of critics, music journalists, and industry professionals.

Regarding the nominations, the Korean Music Award Committee congratulated Jennie and expressed the reasons why Like Jennie was chosen as a contender and possible winner of "Best K-pop Song" and "Song of the Year".

BEST K-POP

This is the moment when the layers of K-pop's pride are expandedly multilayered. Refusing to be defined by the world's standards, the fruits of an artist's agony and journey to find their own path reach a critical point and burst out like fireworks.

Jennie has clearly proven that she will be not just an "it girl" of the era with numerous followers, but a musical icon that transcends borders with strong femininity and a "diva" of K-pop. She has completely internalized and musicalized her own character, which could easily be perceived as bold attitude.

'Like JENNIE,' which redefines the iconicity of K-pop, proves that she is an irreplaceable artist through irreplaceable lyrics that no one but Jennie could sing, an addictive hook, excellent rapping, and a brilliant performance that even carries a sense of grandeur.

This song goes beyond a simple hit number and is the definitive track of the year that has created a new standard called "Jennie." Now, "Jennie" has become a new name for a completed identity and pride, rather than just someone's name.

SONG OF THE YEAR

From the very intro, when she scoffs and declares, “This is gonna be f**king hard,” the track already makes a statement. The intro lightly draws a line between herself and the typical K-pop idol, who is often held to strict moral standards even within their own work.

Over the next roughly two minutes, JENNIE repeatedly chants her own name dozens of times. She exudes confidence throughout, showcasing herself without ever appearing anxious or seeking anyone’s approval. She simply rides the minimal beat, sometimes sharply, sometimes with ease projecting an irreplaceable presence.

With a tight structure, fast-paced flow, addictive chorus, and self-praise that never feels obnoxious, JENNIE instantly stakes her claim in a distinctive space with this iconic “anthem of self-confidence.”

Regarding Ruby's nomination for "Best K-pop Album" and "Album of the Year" and Jennie's nomination for "Musician of the Year," the Korean Music Award Committee stated the following:

BEST K-POP ALBUM

What makes a well-made K-pop solo album? It must secure its uniqueness as a soloist while not completely erasing the link with the group. It should appropriately invite guests for a diverse flavor, yet not be overwhelmed by their presence. Above all, it must stand tall with an irreplaceable presence in the middle of the album.

Jennie’s Ruby is an album that leisurely smiles from a place where it has lightly surpassed the aforementioned, seemingly quite demanding conditions.

Even a bold lineup of participants spanning from 15 tracks to FKJ and Childish Gambino cannot overshadow the light of the "red fruit" that Jennie has deeply borne in Ruby.

From Asia, women, Seoul, religion, and solidarity to the loneliness cast behind a glamorous life, all of these diverse stories begin with Jennie and end with Jennie. It is the birth of an elegant and powerful pop icon who will lead a new era.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

JENNIE’s first full-length album, Ruby, is as striking and solitary as the red of a ruby. This is not the result of the fame attached to BLACKPINK, but rather the outcome of JENNIE’s own intense self-reflection, a pure, singular achievement. Ruby is especially fresh and daring because it reveals attempts and a clear thematic consciousness that had never been seen in JENNIE’s previous work.

Once you set aside the expectation of flashy features, the album stands out with lyrics that include coarse language, bold and distinctive outfits, and performances that command attention. These elements present a new image of womanhood, delivering a shock that seems to break the taboos of being a female idol—an impression that lingers. At the same time, each track conveys messages of sincerity, love, and selfhood over trendy R&B-hip-hop–infused sounds, leaving a lasting impact.

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

There is a nationalist notion that those who achieve the highest results in their country go out into the world to compete much like the Olympics and thinking about K-pop is not entirely free from this influence either. In this case, Jennie's Ruby clearly offers something both “K-pop” and unmistakably novel. It exists on an entirely different level. One might even feel the illusion that Jennie was from the very beginning a foreign artist in the world of K-pop.

This is because the self-image JENNIE establishes and conveys through this album approaches us as an individual standing on a coordinate system that is, in a sense, beyond Korea. Naturally, it is true that this was possible because she is a member of BLACKPINK, and because of the accumulation of various methods tried by her team, peers, and seniors in the scene. Yet what she has created is a presence that starts in K-pop but moves beyond it, JENNIE as an individual.

This bold and weighty work stands as an important milestone for an era that has increasingly demanded a fundamentally different way of seeing K-pop in the world, Jennie simply leads this image and these trends.

Congratulations to BLACKPINK's JENNIE!

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