TORONTO – Years before K-pop girl group Blackpink was shattering streaming records and headlining Coachella, 14-year-old Lalisa Manobal (known mononymously as Lisa) was flying from Thailand to South Korea, alone, to chase her dream of performing onstage.
The Thai singer rose to fame as a member of the quartet, which also comprise Jennie, Jisoo and Rose, but the new documentary Always Lalisa captures the year she stepped away from Blackpink to try new projects – including making her acting debut in the third season of Hollywood drama series The White Lotus that aired in 2025 – for the first time since that flight to South Korea 15 years ago.
Speaking with Reuters after the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Lisa, 29, discusses how she forged her own path in the industry, what has changed since her year-long break and whom she always invites to watch her perform.
This documentary focuses on one year of your life, in 2024, in which you took a step back from Blackpink to try new things. Was one year long enough?
I thought it was long enough. We ended up squeezing everything in one year. It was a lot, but it was fun. I tried my best to take a little break for myself and just be with my family. During The White Lotus, I got to spend six months (in Thailand). Of course, I was back and forth doing music in Los Angeles, but it’s always nice to be close to your family.
The film touches on how navigating the K-pop world was hard for you, coming from Thailand. Walk me through how your career began and what that extra pressure felt like for you.
I auditioned for YG (Entertainment, the South Korean talent agency and record label) when I was 13. When I turned 14, I flew to Korea to start my training season. It was fun for me because I got to do the things that I love. I went to practice every day. I learnt Korean every day, two hours a day. I trained for five years, then I debuted with Blackpink.
It wasn’t easy for me at a young age to just live there alone. Yes, there’s a little pressure there, but I’m just lucky that I have my girls with me. I think that’s why we bonded a lot and that’s why we’re a family.
When you first started your break from Blackpink, you spoke about how you found it difficult to find your own voice. Do you feel like you’ve reached that point now?
I feel like it’s not so much finding my voice – it’s more like trying something new, something to challenge myself. When I was with Blackpink, my position was a rapper. I always wanted to sing and I never really had a chance to do that on my own, so it was a year of trying to figure things out, (to) try something new.
How were you able to get to a spot where you could be open and comfortable talking about the more sensitive topics in the documentary?
Lisa and director Sue Kim at the premiere of Always Lalisa at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on Sept 11.
PHOTO: REUTERS
I feel like it’s because of Sue (Kim), the director. She has an energy that just makes me feel calm and want to be open about everything, to open my heart. I would talk to her for three, four hours non-stop and then just feel like I wanted to share something about me to her and also to the audience.
You’re back with Blackpink now. What’s changed since you took your break?
I feel like we’ve gained a lot more confidence in ourselves. We were able to do our own stuff and find our own voice, so (now that) we’re back together, we bring good energy. We missed each other so much, so when we’re back together we’re like, “Oh my God, finally back with my girls.”
Was it hard to take the break?
No, (because) I feel like we always have each other’s back. Even when we’re doing our solo projects, we still text each other, we still call, we still FaceTime, we still sometimes meet and eat some good Korean BBQ. Of course, I felt lonely sometimes because I had to do some things alone, and usually I have three more girls to talk and chat with, but it’s always nice to have them as supporters. And we respect our break time – we needed a little break.
What surprised you most about yourself making this documentary?
Being able to open up to my fans and have them see behind-the-scenes stuff. Even though my old archive videos from when I was little are so embarrassing. Like, what is that fashion? Mum, why do you do this to me?
Lisa performing onstage during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept 27 in Los Angeles.
PHOTO: AFP
Speaking of your mum – she and your stepdad were a big part of this documentary. What did that mean for you?
They’ve been my biggest supporters since day one because they trusted me from the start. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to do this. I mean, to send your daughter to another country alone when she was only 14. I don’t think it was easy for them to do that. But they trust me so much and they want me to do whatever I want to do. I’m here now, and they’re super proud.
Before you went onstage for your solo performance at music festival Coachella in 2025, you mentioned something you do before every performance, which is to invite your grandpa and dance teacher, both of whom have since died, to join you. Tell me about why you do that.
I’m super close with my grandpa and during Covid, I couldn’t go back (to see him in Thailand), and that’s when he passed away. He was always my biggest supporter; he always believed in me. And teacher Nok, I think he’s one of the key people that made me, me today. I just want to invite them to come and see me perform because he didn’t have a chance to see me here today, so that’s why I’m always like, “Hey, come watch me. I’m gonna do this here, just watch.”
I feel like they’re my guardian angels. REUTERS
Always Lalisa opens in Singapore cinemas on Oct 12.