International music sensation Lisa is pivoting toward a fresh career phase that extends beyond her massive success with the K-pop group Blackpink. The Thai performer’s recent professional evolution, which includes her debut in acting, is at the heart of a new Sony Music Vision documentary titled “Always Lalisa.” Following a limited theatrical release that began on October 12, the film is now available for streaming on YouTube Premium. Of the group Blackpink, have probably experienced her global sway, even people unfamiliar with the K-pop superstar Lisa. Who was already in her mid-20s and one of the most famous faces in the world as the film begins, the film also portrays a surreal evolution for Lisa.
Director Sue Kim provides a close look at a transitional year in the artist’s life, documenting her journey as she navigates solo music, the launch of her own management company, high-profile appearances at Coachella and the Oscars, and her foray into television with a role in “The White Lotus.” Now 29, Lisa reflects on the shift from being a member of a global quartet for nearly a decade to defining her own artistic identity. She describes the process as a challenge that ultimately bolstered her confidence, noting that she had to learn how to stand on her own after years of highly structured management under YG Entertainment. I tried things that I never had a chance to try. According to it was challenging, but I’m just so proud of myself,”, Lisa, now 29. “Finding my voice, yes, and finding confidence. But I wasn’t confident and I didn’t know where to start.”, then I wanted to do my own solo project.
The documentary also explores the childhood roots of her fame. Having left home at 13 to become the first non-Korean trainee at YG, Lisa spent five years in a rigorous environment that functioned like a boarding school, with strict prohibitions against drinking, dating, or obtaining a driver’s license. Since the 2016 debut of Blackpink, the group has achieved monumental success, accumulating over 20 million in record sales and 40 billion streams worldwide. Reflecting on those years, Lisa maintains a sense of gratitude for the training that prepared her for the industry, though she admits to feeling a sense of embarrassment when revisiting early footage of her younger self. I’ve been with Blackpink for almost 10 years.
For director Sue Kim, the documentary serves as a portrait of a “delayed coming of age.” Kim, who previously produced the series “K-pop Idols,” utilized her outsider perspective to examine the intense scrutiny surrounding K-pop stars. She points out that the industry often places restrictive pressures on entertainers that would seem unfathomable in other global music scenes, such as public criticism over personal autonomy like dating or operating a vehicle.
The film does not shy away from the complexities of her current career, including the mixed reception to her 2025 solo album, “Alter Ego,” where she experimented with multiple artistic identities. Her fame has also attracted intense and often inaccurate online discourse, such as the false claims that appeared following her choice of a black-lace bodysuit at the 2025 Met Gala. Beyond her professional hurdles, the documentary captures her playful side; she remains a cultural trendsetter, notably sparking a global craze for Labubu plush toys after being seen carrying one on her handbag in early 2024. “I’m sorry!” she jokingly told reporters during the Toronto International Film Festival. “But I can’t help it. It’s really cute. We’re kids!” The Thai singer and rapper was photographed with a strange little plush monster hanging from her handbag, grinning with serrated teeth, in the spring of 2024. That was all it took for the Labubu craze to be born.
