Korean media reported Jennie’s “The Ruby Experience”, a concert to commemorate the release of her first solo album “Ruby”, which was held at Inspire Arena in Incheon on March 15th. The concert was attended by many celebrities, including MC Yoo Jae-suk, actress Kim Ji-won, singer-actress Hyeri, BLACKPINK’s Rosé, BIGBANG’s Daesung, WINNER’s Lee Seung-hoon, NewJeans, etc.
45 minutes after the concert, which started with “Mantra” and “Love Hangover”, Jennie greeted fans, saying “Thank you for coming to my first solo concert”. She continued, “Now that I’m actually up here on the stage, I feel a little shy. It still feels like a dream to me and I still don’t think that this is real. I only feel it after seeing all of you here in person and greeting you guys”. Jennie added, “Rather than showing a glamorous or flawless side of myself, this album reflects my raw, honest, and even a little silly self. Everything feels unfamiliar, like I’m doing everything for the first time.”
Overwhelmed by the audience’s reactions, Jennie teared up. She asked, “Can you all scream for me once again?”, then fans from every corner of the concert hall shouted loudly. Trying to hold back her tears, Jennie shared, “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry. To be honest, it was hard for me to accept the reality when my album was released and received so much love”. Wiping away her tears, she confessed, “But seeing you guys with my own eyes today, I feel incredibly grateful and happy”.
Jennie ended her concert successfully but controversies still arose. Aside from the debate over her revealing underwear-styling costume during the performances, the concert also sparked controversy in terms of production.
The concert reportedly began 10 minutes later than scheduled due to the disturbance of the audience standing up and taking pictures. Starting late, the concert was said to be very short. The running time was said to be 120 minutes in the concert announcement, but the show ended in only 70-75 minutes. During the performances, Jennie looked at the camera most of the time, not the audience in the middle of the concert hall, even though there was no livestream on that day. In addition, the fact that the greeting section lasted for only 5 minutes without any explanation of her album further backed up the claim of Jennie’s lack of communication with fans. Jennie performed while wearing sunglasses throughout the concert, causing regrets as many fans wanted to see her face. Unlike expectations for “The Ruby Experience” with high qualities, the result was rather disappointing.
In addition, the price of her concert tickets also became the center of controversy. The cheapest ticket to Jennie’s concert was 143000 won, which is similar to tickets for other idols’ concerts that last 2-3 hours. In this regard, netizens commented, “It was like watching a showcase for 220,000 won”, “I can’t believe the concert ended after she sang 15 songs”, “She should have lowered the ticket prices”, etc.
Considering the amount paid by the audience, especially overseas fans who had to spend more on travel costs, many questions remain regarding the length and production of the concert.
