BLACKPINK member Lisa has revealed that she once had to keep her romantic relationships secret, fearing that being publicly linked to someone could damage the group’s popularity.
The Thai-born singer said the culture surrounding K-pop places strict expectations on artists, including their personal lives and romantic relationships.
“In K-pop culture, we cannot date. If you are dating someone and paparazzi catch you, your popularity will go down,” she said in her upcoming documentary ‘Always Lalisa’.
“When I was younger, I had a few relationships, but we had to keep them secret. I didn’t want my love life to become something that affected BLACKPINK’s popularity.”
The 29-year-old also opened up about the emotional pressure she experienced after leaving Thailand for South Korea in 2011 at the age of 14 to begin training under YG Entertainment.
“I finally get to live my life. Before this, I was not brave enough to speak up or express what I was thinking. I had been living like that since I was 14,” she said.
The documentary captures Lisa becoming emotional as she reflects on her years as a trainee, including the demanding evaluation process that required her to submit performance videos every month and receive constant feedback throughout her training.
She also revealed that her 2025 solo track ‘Dream’, from her album ‘Alter Ego’, was inspired by one of the relationships she had kept hidden.
According to Lisa, she sought the person’s permission before releasing the song, on the condition that their identity remained private.
“They think they already know, but I don’t think they do,” she said of fans who have attempted to identify the person who inspired the song.
Directed by Sue Kim, ‘Always Lalisa’ follows Lisa over the course of a year as she pursues her solo ambitions across music, acting and other projects beyond BLACKPINK.
The documentary will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday before screening in IMAX and cinemas worldwide from October 12.
‘Always Lalisa’ will later be available on YouTube Premium.
