Lazy Jennie is back? BLACKPINK star stops dancing mid-performance during high-priced tour; fans call it a repeat of past concerts

Time of India

15-07-2025

BLACKPINK made a grand return to the U.S. stage with their DEADLINE tour, opening with two sold-out nights at LA's SoFi Stadium. Over 100,000 fans gathered to witness the four-member powerhouse - Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa - deliver high-energy group stages and captivating solo performances, reigniting the group's global spotlight.
However, the excitement was quickly met with criticism. Fans have voiced growing concerns over the tour's steep ticket prices, with many calling them "unreachable." Complaints about overpriced concerts have followed BLACKPINK in the past, and this tour seems no different.
Adding fuel to the fire, YG Entertainment is under pressure for giving fans just a single reunion song instead of the full album many had hoped for. The company's handling of the group's comeback has left a section of the fandom feeling shortchanged.
To top it all off, the infamous "Lazy Jennie" discourse has made its return. A viral clip showing Jennie pausing mid-performance has sparked déjà vu among longtime fans, drawing comparisons to past tour controversies.
'Lazy Jennie' makes a return
Jennie has long been targeted for her so-called "lazy dancing" - criticism that followed her throughout her career and during BLACKPINK's BORN PINK world tour. Now, the accusations have resurfaced once again. During one of the DEADLINE tour performances in LA, Jennie was seen stopping mid-dance while the other three members continued. A video capturing the moment even shows Rosé appearing to ask her if something was wrong.
Jennie takes rest on stage amidst her performance. pic.twitter.com/ALSNP87PjK
The clip quickly went viral, reaching beyond the K-pop fandom, with many online users questioning how fans are paying premium prices for what they've described as "mid-performances."
'JOJO, HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING?!'pic.twitter.com/X8q7a87oIZ
The concept of being over a decade into the music industry and still unable to perform on stage, so you resort to acting cool and nonchalant..it's actually wild. https://t.co/uKoKnMK6KL
https://t.co/Homk3Qb6En pic.twitter.com/wCxf8skpai
ok but on a serious note.. how did she even debut? It's honestly embarrassing to call yourself an idol when you can't deliver a single ounce of energy on stage. like, stage presence is the bare minimum if you can't handle that, what are you doing here? https://t.co/FofEKLq16U
BLINKs, however, were quick to defend Jennie. They claimed she was simply staying professional while fixing her in-ear monitor, which had come loose during the song. Supportive fans even shared footage showing Jennie adjusting the wire.
Jennie fixing her monitor on stage* https://t.co/E9BhhykKDw pic.twitter.com/9a5qJtPE9S
She was clearly having issues with her in-ear monitor and paused briefly to fix it. It's laughable how people try to dramatize it when she absolutely crushed her performances last night.pic.twitter.com/UOola1er97
jennie was obviously fixing her IEMs and that wasn't even the first time she had issues with her IEMs. yall just be hating on anything when she clearly devoured every stages last night and got every attendees hyped 😭 leave her alone. pic.twitter.com/Krh0441SpX https://t.co/GA2rAgw3lz
god forbid jennie paused to fix her mic she was signaling to the staff and even when she nodded you can barely hear her still and she kept adjusting it throughout the set yet she still managed to sing loud and clear https://t.co/ystIBAhQpI pic.twitter.com/rQxbPtSIsG
Still, the incident sparked debate. Some questioned why such issues seem to happen repeatedly with Jennie. During the group's South Korea leg, a similar moment stirred controversy when her shoelace came undone mid-show - an incident that spiraled into backlash after she was accused of being rude to a staff member helping her.
using the excuse of "her IEM wasn't working" for the lack of stage presence and laziness. yeah, pack it up. This is what having trouble with an IEM actually looks like and how to professionally handle it. 🤷‍♀️ https://t.co/RGmG4rxuqX pic.twitter.com/aZyGATz9DQ
Jihyo was fixing her mic while performing, and her dance was still perfectly in sync that's the difference between a truly passionate artist and a lazy fool https://t.co/693vRTn4v9 pic.twitter.com/bg4Ac3w9d6
blinks excuses used to be believable 💔Wdym your fave has been in the industry for 10 years and still can't be professional and just stop dancing (to a very easy choreography too) and you call her a professional?Other idols continue dancing why can't her?pic.twitter.com/2SqzgyOji3 https://t.co/tlsiiZtqDr
About DEADLINE World Tour
BLACKPINK released their new single JUMP on July 11, which quickly dominated iTunes charts in over 60 regions and soared to the top of YouTube's global trending list. As part of their DEADLINE tour, the group will next perform at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 18.
Spanning 16 stops, the tour had kicked off in South Korea and entered the USA, and will proceed to Canada and more, It will wrap up in Hong Kong on January 24.
For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.