Jennie of Blackpink has reportedly filed a trademark request for her brand name Jennie Ruby Jane in the midst of rumors about her contract negotiations with YG entertainment.

Jennie of Blackpink. Photo from Jennie’s Instagram

The Blackpink star has applied to trademark the name across ten different categories in Jan. this year at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, reported South Korean news site Koreaboo.

The act is believed to be an attempt to protect her name in a spectrum of business no matter how the contract discussions between her and YG Entertainment turns out, according to The Times of India. It has also stirred speculation that the singer is about to leave her management agency and establish her own business, as her exclusive contract with YG Entertainment is rumored to have reached an end earlier this year.

However, neither her nor the agency have publicly commented on her future career directions.

Jennie has used Jennie Ruby Jane as her username on Instagram for some time. She also adopted it as her stage name when she made her first screen appearance in HBO’s drama series “The Idol” earlier this year.

Born Kim Jennie in Seoul, the 27-year-old singer spent five years studying in New Zealand before moving back to her home country and making her debut with Blackpink in 2016.

She launched a solo career in 2018 with her single “Solo.” Her latest music release “You & Me” topped various charts worldwide, including the UK Singles Downloads Chart, making it the first song by a Korean female soloist to garner the achievement.

Along with music, Jennie has also established her name in the fashion industry, serving as the face of several brands including Chanel and Calvin Klein.

Sources estimated her net worth to range around US$10 million excluding inheritance, per the South China Morning Post. Her mother is reportedly a shareholder of CJ E&M, one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea.