BLACKPINK‘s Jennie appeared at the recent Governors’ Ball Music Festival in the U.S., unveiling a new song while showcasing striking dental decorations. Immediately after the performance, “Jennie Grills” quickly spread across social media and online communities, becoming a hot topic.
What Jennie wore on stage was not “tooth gems”—jewels attached to the teeth—but “Grills,” decorative pieces worn over the teeth. Made of metal and gemstones, these devices are detachable. Originating in the East Coast hip-hop scene of the 1980s, they have since spread throughout popular culture.
The design Jennie chose was a custom Grills featuring a blue rose motif. Crafted from 14K white gold set with VVS1 grade diamonds, the piece was created by renowned American jewelry artist Mark Cruz. The blue rose is a symbol Jennie has consistently expressed affection for. Mark Cruz is also known to have worked on various Grills for Jennie’s music videos and related performance footage.
Public reaction to Jennie’s grills is mixed. While there is praise saying, “Only Jennie can pull this off,” there are also opinions that they “look like cavities” or are “overwhelming from a distance.”
This trend is spreading throughout K-pop. Seventeen’s Dino, Lee Young-ji, and LE SSERAFIM’s Huh Yun-jin have garnered attention by showcasing the “tooth gem” style, which involves attaching jewels to the teeth. Actor Lee Kwang-soo also wore “gold tooth-shaped dental ornaments” for a character in a project. This was intended to portray a character obsessed with gold, and the unique visual was created after discussions with the production team.
Grills and tooth gems differ in how they are worn. While tooth gems are attached directly to the teeth, grills are designed to cover them. The way they are expressed also differs. If tooth gems are closer to a small accent, grills create a strong impression through their design itself.
There are also some concerns regarding dental health. Concerns have been raised regarding the risk of enamel damage or cavities associated with tooth gems due to the direct attachment process to the tooth surface, and the fact that a significant number of procedures are performed in the ‘non-medical realm’ is also pointed out as a problem. Grills can also affect oral health if proper hygiene is not maintained.
