K-pop star Lisa has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding a decade-old video in which a racial slur directed at Black people could be heard, saying she did not understand its meaning or racist history at the time.
The Thai rapper and singer, whose full name is Lalisa Manobal, is the youngest member of the globally successful South Korean girl group Blackpink. She spoke about the controversy following the premiere of her documentary, Always Lalisa, at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September.
The documentary explores Lisa’s solo career and aspects of her personal life during periods when she was working away from Blackpink. It also offers an account of experiences she encountered as she established herself independently as a performer.
The documentary is scheduled to be released in cinemas and IMAX on 12 October, with a YouTube Premium release planned later this year.
Speaking in an interview after the Toronto premiere, Lisa apologised for the incident and explained that she had grown up in Thailand, where she said she had not been taught about the racial implications of the word.
The video at the centre of the controversy was more than a decade old and resurfaced publicly in 2025, around the time Lisa was preparing for her first solo Coachella performance. Its emergence prompted widespread discussion because the footage contained a racial slur aimed at Black people.
At the time the footage was recorded, Lisa and the other Blackpink members were teenagers. They were practising songs by other artists, and the offensive word appeared in the lyrics they were rehearsing.
Lisa has now acknowledged that she did not understand the meaning of the term or the history of racism associated with it when the footage was made. She said she has since learned about the issue and understands that using the word was wrong.
The documentary also shows that Lisa’s agency advised her not to speak publicly about the controversy at the time. Recalling the period, she described feeling upset because she wanted to concentrate on her performance. She also said that some situations arise beyond a person’s control, but she continued working and moved forward with her career.
Lisa said she now understands the significance of the word and has educated herself about the issue. She also made clear that she would not repeat such behaviour.
The controversy has resurfaced at a significant point in Lisa’s career. All four Blackpink members — Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo and Rosé — have been pursuing individual projects while continuing their association with the group.
Despite their solo activities, Lisa has indicated that she does not see herself permanently separating from Blackpink. She said she would still want to perform with the group even at the age of 50.
For Lisa, the documentary provides an opportunity to discuss not only her rise as a solo performer but also difficult experiences that have accompanied her international career. Her comments on the old video reflect her current understanding of an incident that occurred when she was much younger, while her continued commitment to learning from the episode forms part of the wider story presented in Always Lalisa.
