PUBLISHED ONSeptember 15, 202610:15 AM
Blackpink star Lisa has apologised for using a racial slur when she was just starting out in the industry.
The 29-year-old’s rise to fame as the first non-Korean trainee at South Korean record label YG Entertainment is documented in new documentary Always Lalisa, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Monday (Sept 14).
In one part of the film, Lisa and her Blackpink bandmates, who were all still trainees at the label, could be heard using the N-word while rapping in a clip which dates back to over a decade ago.
In response to the controversial moment, Lisa told Variety: “I really have to apologise. To be honest, I’m Thai and I grew up in Thailand. There isn’t any education for that, so at the time, I didn’t know.”
Lisa — real name Lalisa Manobal — added that now that she’s “learned and got educated about that”, she would “never do it again”.
She concluded: “This is not OK. Seriously.”
The video clip of the moment was leaked ahead of Lisa’s solo performance at the Coachella music festival in 2025, with the singer admitting: “I was just sad because I really wanted to focus on my performance, but things happened, and you can’t control stuff.
As well as forging a successful solo career and making a name for herself as an actress, after starring in the third season of The White Lotus, Lisa insisted that she’ll never leave Blackpink behind entirely.
She smiled: “”If I’m 50, I still want to do Blackpink. We just finished our tour earlier this year, but we talk a lot about this and have discussions about doing a little break — like I did almost two years ago — but we’re always going to be together.”
Always Lalisa features interviews with Lisa’s nearest and dearest, and also shows a more vulnerable side of the singer.
Asked why she decided to agree to the documentary when she did, she replied: “I feel like it’s about time. I’m more confident now, so I want to share my story to fans who have a big dream like me.
“I hope that this could inspire them.”
Always Lalisa will hit cinemas on Oct 12.
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