BLACKPINK's Jennie Sparks Dating Rumors with Mystery Man in Polaroid, Fans React to Shared Name with Ex-Boyfriend Kai

BLACKPINK member Jennie has been actively promoting her new song, “Less Than A Lover.” On the 18th, she unexpectedly shared a polaroid photo on social media, showing her intimately leaning her head on the shoulder of a man in a blue shirt, both looking at the camera. Jennie deliberately covered the man’s face with a heart sticker and provided no caption, immediately sparking intense speculation about his identity. Many netizens exclaimed, “Could this be a new relationship reveal?”

As more MV teasers for “Less Than A Lover” were released, the identity of the mysterious man gradually came to light. Many netizens compared details and concluded that the male lead is Nah Kai (凱), a 23-year-old Taiwanese model currently active in South Korea, making him an overnight trending topic online.

However, what truly ignited discussion was not the male lead himself, but his name. Since “Kai” coincidentally shares a name with Jennie’s former boyfriend, EXO member Kim Jong-in (김종인), who goes by the stage name Kai, it instantly brought back memories for many fans. Jennie and Kim publicly confirmed their relationship in 2019, and although their romance ended shortly after, the “JENKAI” couple still retains a significant following.

Some netizens even created analysis videos, suggesting that Jennie’s new song—from its main visual color palette and styling to the male lead’s name—might contain “easter eggs” hinting at her past relationship. These speculations continue to spread across social media platforms.

On the 20th, Jennie officially unveiled the MV poster for “Less Than A Lover,” revealing the male lead’s face for the first time and further confirming that the collaborator is indeed Nah Kai. Following the news, netizens commented, “Kai? That name is too familiar!” “My 2020 memories are flooding back,” “He really does resemble Kai a bit,” and “JENKAI CP fans are going to riot!”

However, as of now, Jennie’s representatives have not responded to any of the external speculation. All current discussions stem from the male lead sharing a name with EXO’s Kai, and there is no evidence to suggest a direct connection between the MV content and Jennie’s past relationship.

Meanwhile, Nah Kai, who gained attention for appearing in Jennie’s new song MV, has also become an unexpected focal point of discussion. Born in 2002, the 23-year-old is a Taiwanese model currently active in South Korea. He previously shared his journey of developing his career in Korea during an interview with Korean fashion media outlet eyesmag.

Kai revealed that he was born in Taiwan and moved to Korea to pursue his modeling dreams. He often interacts with fans in English and Korean. When discussing his appearance, he laughed, saying he is frequently compared to other celebrities. While many people think he resembles RIIZE member Wonbin (원빈), he doesn’t see it himself, noting he is more often told he looks like Japanese actor Kento Yamazaki, a comparison even the interviewer agreed with.

Beyond sharing his work experiences, Kai has also spoken about his views on relationships. He mentioned that he had been single for about six months at the time of the interview. His ideal type is a cute, polite, and gentle girl, admitting he isn’t a fan of the “sexy type.” As for his most admired Korean celebrities, he named actress Kim Tae-ri (김태리), praising her outstanding aura and charming smile. He also mentioned ILLIT member Wonhee (원희), finding her very cute and impressed by her stage presence and dance skills.

In fact, Kai initially gained popularity not through acting projects, but by sharing his daily life and fashion photos on Instagram and Threads, before being discovered and entering the modeling industry. Now, his collaboration with Jennie on the MV, coupled with the leaked polaroid photo, has dramatically boosted his recognition, leading to a rapid increase in his social media followers.