"Less Than a Lover" is a song by South Korean singer and rapper Jennie. It was released through Odd Atelier and Columbia Records on July 24, 2026, as the lead single from her first extended play, Fallen Angel (2026). Jennie wrote the song alongside Tyler Spry, Cashmere Cat, Deborah Jung, Bibi Bourelly and Jelli Dorman, with the former two handling the production.

Background and release On July 18, Jennie posted a Polaroid photo on social media of herself wearing a bright floral dress and leaning on a man's shoulder, with the man's face obscured by a heart emoji. Fans speculated that the man in the photo was Taiwanese model Nah Kai. Shortly afterwards, she announced the single "Less Than a Lover" with a romantic teaser showing the silhouettes of a couple under an arched tunnel in a European alley. The poster credited Jennie as the project's director, writer, and music producer and was captioned "The summer I chose to pause the love story." On July 20, she confirmed the single's release date with a second teaser image depicting Jennie outside a pickup truck with a man, revealed to be Nah Kai. A third teaser on July 20 showed the two running hand in hand through an open field. "Less than a Lover" is the first single from Jennie's first extended play, Fallen Angel (2026).

Composition and lyrics "Less than a Lover" is a "softer, more introspective" alternative pop ballad featuring restrained vocals over a lo-fi guitar, vintage electric keyboards and "dreamy, laid-back" instrumentation. Jennie was creatively involved throughout the entire project and participated in the song's lyrics, musical production, and music video direction. Lyrically, the song explores the dynamics of a casual, seasonal romance that falls between friendship and a committed relationship. Through lines such as "More than a friend, but less than a lover" the singer establishes clear boundaries, expressing a desire for a low-pressure, temporary connection. The track marked a stylistic departure from the singer's previous performance-oriented releases.

Accolades +Music program awards Program Date M Countdown

Music video Directed by Choeey, the song's music video was filmed in Girona, Spain and incorporates a cinematic narrative structure, with Jennie credited as both writer and narrator. The visual also stars the Taiwan-born model Nah Kai. Shot with a muted color palette and intimate camera angles, the visual begins with a spoken intro outlining a script about avoiding long-term romantic responsibility: "So I want a film about a girl. She wants to avoid love, wants to avoid responsibilities. She’s very confused, but also knows what she wants - just to enjoy summer." The narrative follows a summer romance through scenes of road trips, coastal drives, and poolside moments. The video ends with a scene on the beach described through a short voiceover. Just as the two characters are about to kiss, Jennie backs away, choosing to keep the relationship casual.

Live performances Jennie first debuted "Less Than a Lover" live before its release at the Governors Ball Music Festival on June 7, 2026. She further performed it at the Roskilde Festival on July 3, the Open'er Festival on July 4, and Mad Cool on July 9. Following the song's release, she performed it at Lollapalooza on August 1.

Credits and personnel All credits adapted from Tidal.

Jennie – songwriting, vocals Tyler Spry – production, songwriting, bass, guitar, percussion, programming, synthesizer, Wurlitzer piano, background vocals, recording engineering Cashmere Cat – production, songwriting, programming Bibi Bourelly – songwriting, background vocals Deb Never – songwriting Jelli Dorman – songwriting, background vocals, vocal production, vocal engineering Loren Fernard – guitar Joe Henderson – keyboards, recording engineering assistance Serban Ghenea – mixing Bryce Bordon – mixing assistance Dale Becker – mastering Katie Harvey – mastering assistance Paniz Farokhnia – recording engineering

Charts

Weekly charts + Chart (2026) Peakposition Australia (ARIA) 64 China (TME Korean) 1 Hong Kong (Billboard) 1 Japan Hot 100 (Billboard) 60 Malaysia (IFPI) [Select 2026 Week 31] 3 Malaysia International (RIM) 2 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) 5Philippines Hot 100 (Billboard Philippines)19 Singapore (RIAS) 2 South Korea (Circle) 17 Taiwan (Billboard) 1 Thailand (Billboard) 5 Thailand (IFPI) [Select 2026 Week 31] 10 UK Singles Sales (Official Charts) 49 UK Video Streaming (Official Charts) 71 Vietnam (IFPI) [Select 2026 Week 31] 5 Vietnam Hot 100 (Billboard) 8

Monthly charts + Chart (2026) Peakposition South Korea (Circle) 18

Release history + Region Date Format Label Various July 24, 2026 Italy July 31, 2026 Radio airplay Sony Italy

See also List of K-pop songs on the Billboard charts List of M Countdown Chart winners (2026)

References