BLACKPINK’s Rosé meets U.S. first lady

BLACKPINK member Rosé met with the spouses of world leaders.

Rosé attended a mental health event for the spouses of summit participants at the APEC Summit held at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. This event was organized to raise awareness of the seriousness of mental health issues and promote interest in them.

On that day, U.S. First Lady Jill Biden introduced Rosé as a “global superstar who uses her position as a force for good for the world” and said, “She bravely shared her story with the hope of actively voicing her opinion to help others resolve mental health issues.”

According to the AP news agency, Rosé expressed, “I feel vulnerable when many people show interest in me on social media and especially when they criticize me.”

She said, “No matter how hard I work, there will always be someone who enjoys having their own opinion or taking the lead (in describing me),” adding, “It’s important to have a conversation about this, no matter how difficult it is. Just as we eat food for physical health and fitness, we must also pay as much attention to mental health.” Rosé also opened up about the challenging journey to success as a singer. She said, “Even now, there are times when it’s tough, but I’ve come to realize that valuing myself is important.” She urged that based on this, she hopes her music can inspire and comfort many people.

Regarding Rosé’s remarks, First Lady Jill Biden said, “We often hide and ignore such (mental health) issues too often, but we can start the healing process by revealing and honestly discussing them.”

Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, also encouraged Rosé, saying, “The global influence of K-pop and Korean culture, including BLACKPINK, is tremendous. We look forward to you touching people’s hearts with music and positive messages in the future.”

Meanwhile, BLACKPINK members, including Rosé, saw their exclusive contracts with YG Entertainment expire in August. YG announced in a quarterly report on the 14th, “The exclusive contract with the artist (BLACKPINK) as of the disclosure date is under renegotiation,” and added, “The final result will be announced later through the disclosure of ‘key management matters related to investment judgments.'”

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