Jennie (BLACKPINK) suspected of receiving preferential treatment, winning 3 major awards for an 8-minute dance performance; netizens react strongly.

Jennie ( BLACKPINK ) just made history at the 40th GDA with three major awards, including the prestigious Daesang. However, this victory is controversial as netizens believe she was favored, winning the top award despite performing for only 8 minutes.

A historic victory or a self-imposed award?

Becoming the first solo artist in history to win the Daesang award at the Golden Disc Awards, Jennie would have had a perfect night of triumph if it weren't for the introduction of the "Artist of the Year" category. Historically, the GDA only maintained two traditional Daesang awards: Song of the Year and Album of the Year. The sudden addition of a third Daesang category in 2026 has raised questions about the transparency and true value of this award.

On the online forum Pann, a post that garnered millions of views bluntly criticized the GDA for "hastily creating" a new award solely to honor Jennie. Opponents argued that the judging criteria for this category were too vague, not based on specific statistics regarding digital music sales or album sales like traditional awards. The wave of criticism intensified when some netizens argued that Jennie's achievements over the past year, while good, were not "outstanding" enough to stand alongside legendary Daesang winners, even suggesting she should only receive the Lifetime Achievement Award instead of the top award, which is typically reserved for artists with tremendous digital music success.

A heated debate erupts over global influence and actual statistics.

In response to accusations of favoritism, Jennie's fanbase immediately presented compelling evidence to defend their idol. The data showed that the song "Like Jennie" not only had high recognition but also topped the list of K-pop solo artists in terms of streams on Spotify and YouTube Music globally. Supporters countered with the question: "Aside from the hit song 'GOLDEN,' has any other song achieved greater cross-border influence than 'Like Jennie' in the past year?"

They assert that Jennie's global impact is undeniable and that GDA's update to honoring artists based on their overall influence is a necessary step. However, the opposition remains conservative, arguing that naming the Daesang "Artist of the Year" diminishes the sacred meaning of the awards ceremony, leaving viewers feeling disappointed as the scenario seems pre-arranged for an individual with excessive media power.

The organizers remain silent amidst the storm of public opinion.

To date, the Golden Disc Awards organizers have yet to issue any official response to the controversies surrounding Jennie's award. This silence has only intensified the online debates. Meanwhile, Jennie continues to assert her undeniable appeal, appearing frequently on international charts despite the public backlash.

This incident once again exposes the dark side of major music awards, where the line between well-deserved recognition and favoritism for commercial gain is always very thin. Regardless of whether she enjoys public favor in her home country or not, no one can deny that Jennie is currently a "superstar" with brand power strong enough to influence an entire long-standing awards system.

Jennie (BLACKPINK) 'collapses' on stage, looking exhausted; netizens react in shock! Moon17:20:11 13/01/2026Even though the GDA awards ceremony has ended, netizens are still reeling from the moment Jennie (BLACKPINK) collapsed on stage. The image of the idol looking exhausted after her performance has left fans heartbroken and sparked heated debates.