Featured image: A young woman is sitting on a wooden floor, barefoot. AI-generated image; not a photograph of the reported event.
Documentary filmmaker Sue Kim gained unprecedented access to Blackpink member Lisa Manobal during a pivotal moment in her life — one marked by personal vulnerability and public scrutiny. Source: bbc.co.uk.
What Happened: A Scandal Unfolds
Leaked videos from Blackpink’s early training days show the group using racial slurs during rehearsals. The clips, which emerged last year, were uncensored and showed the band covering US rap songs.
The controversy intensified when Lisa was preparing for a Coachella Festival performance. Fans expressed outrage, demanding an apology. However, the band’s record label blocked any official statement from the members.
Lisa’s Unscripted Response
Kim followed Lisa into her dressing room during a crisis. She asked, ‘What do you want to say?’
Lisa, then 15 or 16, said: ‘It’s bad.’ She explained she didn’t know the word was offensive because she was raised in Thailand and English was not her first language.
She added: ‘Now I would never ever do that. Now I know better. But I did wrong.’
Why This Moment Matters
Unlike a scripted apology, Lisa’s reaction was raw and unfiltered. She spoke for over an hour in a stream-of-consciousness style, revealing her confusion, shame, and emotional processing.
Kim says Lisa’s in-the-moment reaction is one of the most important scenes in her documentary, Always Lalisa.
Personal Growth and Independence
Despite the scandal, Lisa pursued a solo career. Her debut album, Alter Ego, was set to launch — a moment that was overshadowed by the controversy.
She faced death threats and struggled with public criticism. Yet, she continued performing, saying: ‘I have to take [criticism] and compromise. But sometimes, it’s too much.’
Breaking Free from the K-Pop System
Lisa grew up under strict K-pop rules — including prohibitions on alcohol and adult relationships.
At age 25, she realized this lifestyle wasn’t sustainable. She severed ties with YG Entertainment, her original label, and signed with US-based RCA Records.
Kim says this decision required ‘immense courage,’ especially given Lisa’s reputation for being kind and compliant.
From Talent Show to Acting Debut
Early home videos show a seven-year-old Lisa competing in talent shows. The film draws a parallel between that young self and the woman now reclaiming her independence.
She landed a role in the third season of The White Lotus as wellness coach Mook Sornsin. The show’s executive producer notes: ‘Lisa threw more parties than anyone else. The defining characteristic of a Lisa party is tequila shots.’
Final Return to Blackpink
By June 2025, Lisa returns to Seoul and rejoins Blackpink. As she unpacks her bags, she shows clear conflict — between her personal growth and her group’s legacy.
The documentary, commissioned by Lisa’s record label, is still a marketing product. Yet, Kim credits Lisa with ensuring it remains authentic — she never asked to remove a single scene.
Kim says the film captures Lisa not just as a celebrity, but as a person in transition — learning to speak, to act, and to live beyond the constraints of a rigid system.
It ends with Lisa in Seoul, emotionally torn between her new life and her past.
- Lisa was 15 or 16 when the videos were filmed.
- She did not know the n-word was offensive due to her Thai upbringing.
- She apologized publicly in an interview with Variety, though some fans remained unconvinced.
- Lisa signed with RCA Records after leaving YG Entertainment.
For fans and viewers, the film offers a rare look at the emotional toll of fame and the personal cost of being a global idol.
