From Insects To Poverty: BLACKPINK Reveals The Dorm Life Hardships They Faced As Trainees

“Back then we didn’t have money.”

The fifth episode of BLACKPINK‘s reality show 24/365 With BLACKPINK was revealed on August 1. The girls detailed the harsh experiences they had to go through when they were still unknown trainees.

Over a set of snacks after dinner, the girls opened up about the differences between their present life and the one they lived only a few years before.

We didn’t have much delivery food like fried chicken during our trainee years.

— Rosé

Although BLACKPINK usually dines in luxurious restaurants, buffets, and more, their meals were much simpler when they were trainees.

Jennie: I remember having scrambled eggs and strawberry jam the most.

Rosé: Dumplings and oriental dressing! Honestly what kind of combination was that?

Jennie: We honestly had that everyday.

They explained that they had no money to eat whatever they wanted daily, and they would only rarely visit the grocery.

Back then, we didn’t have money to get food everyday. When we did grocery shopping once a month, we would always get things like eggs and strawberry jam.

— Jennie

After a staff member commented that he was not aware of the hardships they faced, the girls disclosed even more things they went through.

We even once lived with cockroaches!

— Jennie

To the cries of Jisoo‘s, “Cockroaches are the worst!”Rosé revealed that the small creature wasn’t the only animal they lived with.

Rosé: We even lived with centipedes this long!

Jisoo: We couldn’t even catch it so we used a cup. And just as we caught it, there was another one!

Lisa was their maknae in shining armor. She agreed, “It was me, it was me” when the members praised her continuously.

We couldn’t even go near her and we were just like, ‘Good job, Lisa’. But she was like, “Um, what should I do with this?’ We eventually let it out with a piece of paper.

— Jisoo

Even entering the dorm for the first time was difficult and full of sorrow for the members. Rosé wasn’t even aware that she was leaving her family.

I wasn’t even told I had to be separated. I arrived at the dorm and my mom and dad were like, ‘Ok, we’re leaving now’. And I was like, ‘Where are you going?’ They said I have to live with the other trainees here.

— Rosé

Jennie made a point that people only see their glamorous life now, but it was not always sunshine and flowers for them.

People only saw our new place after we moved out from the old ones.

— Jennie

Despite their hardships, these experiences solidified their bond and made BLACKPINK the sisters they are today.

Those were the times we bonded the most.

— Jennie

Catch BLACKPINK’s full heart-to-heart in the episode below.

BLACKPINK