There are many forms of patriotism.
This is one of them.
Jennie stepped onto the stage, carrying the delicate beauty of mother-of-pearl and lacquerware — crafts passed down through generations.
In her new music video "Seoul City," she wore a tube top, fashioned not from silk or cotton, but from the shimmering fragments of tradition once reserved for treasured chests and mirrors.
Mother-of-pearl and lacquer.
What once adorned quiet corners of old homes now flowed softly along the lines of her figure, reborn in a way the world had never seen.
As soon as the video was released, the world stirred.
“Never seen anything like it,” people said, hurrying to uncover the mystery of the unfamiliar material.
Words like "mother-of-pearl," "lacquer," and "Korean crafts" suddenly crowded search engines across distant seas, carrying with them the faint fragrance of old workshops.
This tube top was crafted by LE JE, a Korean brand led by two designers.
It is said that each piece is born only after more than 300 hours of work with artisans who have devoted over fifty years to their craft.
The price, too, reflected its rarity.
A dress similar to Jennie’s is listed for over ten million Korean won — more than seven thousand dollars.
But Jennie's gesture was not simply about cost or splendor.
Once embroiled in debates over stage outfits, she had smiled away the controversy with a playful lyric:
"Is it a crime, whatever I wear?"
This time, she answered with something deeper — a quiet pride stitched into every thread.
Jennie also released seven music videos alongside her first full album, nearly half of all the songs.
Such diligence, too, felt tender and earnest.
Sometimes, patriotism does not shout.
It glows softly, like the iridescence of mother-of-pearl,
and sinks deep, like lacquer into wood.
