On the evening of January 2, the K-pop fandom buzzed with excitement after G-DRAGON shared a new photo taken with Lisa.
Although the image was black-and-white and heavily filtered, the relaxed and intimate atmosphere between the two global stars was unmistakable. Lisa appeared completely at ease beside her senior, reinforcing the long-standing closeness between G-DRAGON and the members of BLACKPINK a dynamic that has become increasingly rare as the group focuses primarily on solo activities.
The photo quickly went viral, not only due to the combined star power of the two idols, but also because it reaffirmed G-DRAGON’s enduring role as a trusted senior figure to BLACKPINK.
In recent years, BLACKPINK have had fewer public interactions with domestic peers. Yet whenever they appear alongside G-DRAGON, the impact is immediate. With Lisa, this has included subtle social media support and discreet private gatherings among mutual friends. With Rosé, the “YG Family” bond became especially visible in early 2025, when she interacted closely with G-DRAGON and Taeyang at a charity event in France and even filmed a dance challenge with G-DRAGON for her song APT.
As for Jisoo, public interactions with G-DRAGON have been limited, but indirect connections have sparked discussion. Jisoo was once rumored to be dating Lee Soo Hyuk, a longtime close friend of G-DRAGON. Speculation resurfaced after Lee Soo Hyuk was spotted openly supporting Jisoo at BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE concert in July 2025. G-DRAGON has also been seen casually liking posts related to Jisoo. Overall, G-DRAGON’s relationships with Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo appear to remain warm and respectful—true to the spirit of artists who grew up under the same YG Entertainment system.
However, one exception consistently stands out: Jennie.
Recently, a phrase has circulated widely online: “G-DRAGON can be close with any BLACKPINK member except one.” That member, netizens agree, is Jennie. This observation is not without context when revisiting the history between the two.
Before BLACKPINK’s debut, Jennie was often regarded as G-DRAGON’s protégé. She starred as the female lead in his 2012 music video That XX and featured on his song Black in 2013 long before her official debut. G-DRAGON openly supported her early career, inviting her onto major stages and leading many to call Jennie the “female version” of G-DRAGON due to their perceived similarities in talent and personality.
After BLACKPINK debuted in 2016, interactions between BIGBANG and the rookie girl group were frequent. BLACKPINK even visited backstage at G-DRAGON’s M.O.T.T.E concert and appeared in his concert documentary. However, these interactions gradually declined due to BIGBANG’s military enlistments and the major scandal involving Seungri in 2019.
In May 2020, G-DRAGON made a rare appearance during Jennie’s studio livestream alongside Teddy and the BLACKPINK members widely seen as the last time the two publicly interacted in a relaxed manner.
In 2021, Dispatch reported that G-DRAGON and Jennie had been dating for approximately a year. Although neither party officially confirmed the report, it dominated headlines. In 2022, Jennie became embroiled in separate dating rumors with V (BTS). Around the same time, fans noticed that G-DRAGON had unfollowed Jennie on Instagram while maintaining connections with the other BLACKPINK members.
Since then, public interaction between G-DRAGON and Jennie has effectively frozen.
At major events where both were present such as the 2NE1 concert in October 2024 and MMA 2025 they were never seen in the same frame, avoided appearing together, and did not exchange visible greetings. These moments further solidified the perception of distance between the two.
In contrast, G-DRAGON continues to interact comfortably with Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo, offering support and maintaining a respectful senior-junior dynamic. With Jennie, however, the relationship appears to have shifted into a far more delicate space.
While neither has publicly addressed the situation, fans largely understand the unspoken change. For many, this distance is viewed as a mutual decision to protect privacy and avoid unnecessary speculation yet it also signals that the ease and closeness once shared between G-DRAGON and Jennie no longer exists.
Both G-DRAGON and BLACKPINK remain defining superstars of YG Entertainment’s legacy. Still, their evolving personal dynamics reflect how time, rumor, and public scrutiny can permanently alter even the strongest industry bonds.
Sources: kenh14