Lisa has spoken openly about a controversial chapter from BLACKPINK's early days. She apologised for old trainee footage showing her and the other members rapping along to songs containing the N-word. The footage resurfaced years after it was recorded, bringing renewed criticism as Lisa prepared for her solo Coachella debut in 2025.
The BLACKPINK star addressed the controversy in her documentary Always, LALISA, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She also discussed the impact of leaked footage.
Lisa Opens up About Controversy
The videos in question were filmed during BLACKPINK's trainee years, long before the group made its official debut. In the footage, the young members can be seen rapping along to songs and repeating lyrics that included the uncensored N-word.
The clips were later leaked online, leading to backlash towards the members. The documentary explores the so-called 'YG Leaker', who reportedly leaked the trainee videos. The film shows Lisa and her team wanting to address the situation publicly, but being unable to do so after the label reportedly stopped them.
Asked about the experience, Lisa gave a direct apology.
'I really have to apologise,' she said in an interview with Variety. Lisa explained that she is Thai and grew up in Thailand, adding that there was no education about the issue where she was raised at the time.
'Now I've learned and got educated about that, and I would never [do it again],' she went on, before adding: 'This is not OK. Seriously.'
The timing made the situation even harder for Lisa. The leaked footage surfaced around the period when she was preparing for her first solo Coachella performance, something she had worked towards for years.
'Everything is real. It's all there,' she said of the documentary. Lisa admitted she was sad because she wanted to focus on performing, but events outside her control made that difficult. Still, she said she 'fought through it'.
BLACKPINK members n-word counter.
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Career Beyond BLACKPINK
Lisa has since built a major solo career alongside her work with BLACKPINK. She released her debut solo single album Lalisa in 2021, with the title track and 'Money' quickly becoming major hits.
She later released tracks including 'Rockstar', 'New Woman' featuring Rosalía and 'Born Again' with Doja Cat and Raye. Her first full-length solo album, Alter Ego, arrived in 2025 and reached No.7 on Billboard 200.
Music is no longer Lisa's only focus, either. She made her acting debut in the third season of HBO's The White Lotus, giving fans a completely different side of the star.
Lisa Enters New Era With 'SaWaDiKa'
Lisa is also entering another solo era with her new track 'SaWaDiKa', which was released on 4 September. The title draws from 'sawasdee', the Thai greeting, giving the song a clear connection to Lisa's roots.
'SaWaDiKa' is the first pre-release single from her upcoming EP Press Play, which is scheduled for release on 23 October. Lisa is also set to perform her Viva La Lisa concerts in Las Vegas in November.
For Lisa, the documentary arrives at an interesting point in her career. She is looking back at difficult moments from her teenage years while continuing to build a life and career far beyond her BLACKPINK beginnings.
