After following BLACKPINK for nine years, many fans still hold the impression of Lisa as a doll-like beauty with impeccable stage skills. As one of the rare Thai idols who secured a debut spot under Korea’s top entertainment powerhouse YG and shined as part of the global girl group BLACKPINK, Lisa’s talent and hard work are undeniable. In her early days, she faced many challenges as a foreign idol.
Overcoming language barriers and the discrimination that Southeast Asian idols often experience in Korea, Lisa gradually conquered unimaginable heights alongside BLACKPINK. Over time, the once-little girl became BLACKPINK’s most famous member, amassing over 100 million Instagram followers and achieving countless music milestones.
At the end of 2023, BLACKPINK announced that they had renewed their group contract with YG Entertainment, but all four members ended their exclusive management deals, choosing their own paths for individual careers. Like her fellow members, Lisa took the first steps in her independent journey, founding her company LLOUD and signing a partnership with international record label RCA Records. Opportunities flooded in, expanding Lisa’s influence beyond music to fashion and film. The 1997-born idol is also reportedly in a relationship with Frédéric Arnault, a billionaire from luxury fashion giant LVMH. Lisa was no longer just a K-pop idol—she worked hard every day to prove her versatility and establish herself as a global star.
On February 28, 2025, Lisa released her first full album “Alter Ego” along with the MV “FUTW”, marking a major milestone in her solo career. The album, prepared meticulously over a year, featured collaborations with five global stars: Future, Rosalía, Doja Cat, Raye and Tyla. Lisa pushed her limits with 15 diverse tracks and 5 groundbreaking concepts. Before “Alter Ego” even dropped, Lisa made history as the first K-pop female soloist to achieve 1 billion Spotify streams with just four pre-release singles—”ROCKSTAR”, “New Woman”, “Moonlit Floor” and “Born Again”. Fans were treated to a musical and visual spectacle with fresh experiences.
However, beyond her fandom, reactions to Lisa’s first full album were complicated. Once an idol who who was praised for everything she did, Lisa now found herself under intense public scrutiny. As the most famous BLACKPINK member, she was now at the center of escalating controversy, raising the question: Why has public favor toward Lisa declined so drastically?
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Declining Achievements, Continuous Controversies
With Lisa’s first full album out, all eyes were on her chart performance. Within 24 hours, the MV for “FUTW” garnered 7 million views on YouTube, while the track “Fxck Up The World” recorded over 4.5 million streams. The full “Alter Ego” album amassed over 23 million (unfiltered) streams on Spotify. While these numbers are solid for a K-pop idol, they marked a decline compared to Lisa’s previous releases.
In Korea, Lisa struggled—her new album failed to enter Korean digital charts. In terms of album sales, “Alter Ego” sold just over 30,000 copies on Hanteo on its first day, with only one additional copy recorded on the second day. Fans explained that Lisa’s album was distributed through her own website, but given her status as a top-tier K-pop idol, the numbers still raised eyebrows.
Recently, Lisa’s “FUTW” MV sparked plagiarism allegations involving girl group XG. Lisa’s flow in “FUTW” was compared to XG’s hit “Woke Up”, and her red-haired warrior look was said to resemble XG’s Jurin. Fans defended Lisa, stating that both “FUTW” and “Woke Up” belong to the hip-hop genre, where similar flows are common, making plagiarism claims baseless. They also argued that Lisa’s styling—portraying a rebellious female antagonist—was a familiar aesthetic in the entertainment industry. Many felt critics were nitpicking just to undermine Lisa’s work.
Lisa’s use of 18+ lyrics and diss tracks aimed at her haters in “Alter Ego” also stirred controversy. While her fans were thrilled, general music audiences felt Lisa’s execution lacked impact.
For instance, in “FUTW”, Lisa rapped “They want the old Lisa, then listen to my old shit”, signaling her break from her K-pop idol image. However, some pointed out that Lisa’s past discography consisted of only two solo songs under YG, making her statement seem premature. Critics argued that before taking shots at the world, Lisa needed a more extensive and high-quality music catalog.
Lisa’s attempt to craft a villainous persona with her fifth alter ego, “Vixi”, also faced backlash. Vixi was meant to embody rebellious youth neglected by society, but the execution felt superficial. The concept was criticized as outdated, reminiscent of the early 2000s “emo” aesthetic—dark clothing, eccentric styles and self-inflicted pain as an act of social defiance. When “FUTW” was released, many reinforced the perception that Lisa’s alter ego lacked depth and was merely about flashy appearances.
Adding to the controversy, Lisa was accused of lacking sincerity toward her fans. After “Alter Ego” shipped to buyers, suspicions arose that Lisa used an auto pen (a machine for automated signatures) for the limited-edition signed CDs and vinyls. These hand-signed items are typically priced higher than regular editions. If Lisa had indeed used an auto pen, it would be a major scandal. Many fans felt deceived and sent refund requests to her company.
Trying to Revive Her Popularity in China
Between 2020 and 2021, Lisa was considered the most popular BLACKPINK member in China, with her fans funding massive projects that plastered her image across major cities. However, five years later, her status in China has declined, especially after being “soft-banned” and having her Weibo account restricted in late 2023.
On its first day, “Alter Ego” sold only 55,000 digital copies in China—a stark contrast to Jisoo’s “Amortage”, which hit 150,000 copies, or Rosé’s “rosie”, which sold 200,000 copies in just 10 hours. The poor sales led to speculation that Lisa was being “ignored” in China.
Earlier, Lisa also sparked controversy across Asia for saying “Happy Chinese New Year” during a livestream. In countries that celebrate Lunar New Year like Vietnam and Korea, this caused significant backlash. Many speculated that Lisa was deliberately trying to win back her Chinese fanbase after losing traction in the market.
On March 2, Lisa attended the 97th Academy Awards (Oscars) as a performer, becoming the first K-pop star to receive such an honor. On the red carpet, she wore a tuxedo designed by Chinese designer Markgong.
Lisa also returned to idol survival shows as a guest mentor on “Chuang Asia 2025″—her first appearance on such a program since “Youth With You 2”, which originally skyrocketed her fame in China. “Chuang Asia 2025” was filmed in Thailand and streamed outside China, with an all-K-pop mentor lineup including GOT7’s Bambam and SEVENTEEN’s The8. This fueled speculation that Lisa was making strategic moves to reclaim her standing in China after being boycotted.
Harsh Criticism from Industry Experts
With “Alter Ego”, Lisa aimed to penetrate the U.S. market, as shown by her English-only tracklist, international collaborations and 5 visual concepts. However, music critics were less than impressed. In 2024, Lisa submitted six nominations for “ROCKSTAR” and “New Woman (ft. Rosalía)” but failed.
Leading international music outlets gave “Alter Ego” underwhelming reviews. The Guardian rated the album just 2 stars, criticizing Lisa’s lack of originality and personal storytelling. The review harshly stated, “She is fond of name-checking brands and flexing her wealth, but never in a way that feels revealing or idiosyncratic. Lyrics like ‘That’s money / That’s motherf***in’ money’ from ‘Rapunzel’ feel like a stale imitation of Miley Cyrus’ outdated Bangerz-era hip-hop aesthetic.”
Meanwhile, NME believes that Lisa’s best works in “Alter Ego” come from her collaboration tracks. Giving the album a 3-star rating, NME describes “Alter Ego” as a disjointed experimental project that fails to showcase Lisa’s artistic vision or differentiate her identity from BLACKPINK’s. Moreover, Lisa is criticized for being overshadowed by her featured artists in the collaborative tracks.
The Thai idol aims to shed the K-pop label, but her first full album fails to reflect this ambition. Similarly, The Times describes “Alter Ego” as a collection of viral sounds catered to audiences who idolize perfection—essentially a product of the K-pop industry. Although Rolling Stone provided a more positive review, it still noted that the album feels patchy and inconsistent.
What went wrong?
There’s no denying that Lisa has been highly active in her first year after leaving YG, fearlessly reinventing herself and breaking boundaries. She has secured “golden opportunities” to conquer the global music scene, from her solo stages at the 2024 VMAs and Oscars 2025 to the upcoming Coachella festival. Reaching this status at 27 is no small feat.
However, Lisa seems to be losing ground on the success she once had—particularly in Asia. The biggest blow to her reputation was her controversial performance at Crazy Horse in September 2023. This led to her being blacklisted in China, one of her largest fanbases going inactive, and further diminishing her already limited support in Korea. Crazy Horse was the tipping point, pushing her into a “no-go zone”.
Lisa’s image transformation happened too quickly. In just one year, she went from being the adorable “living doll” idol to embracing bold, risqué fashion choices. She frequently makes headlines for her daring and sensual looks, sometimes walking a fine line between sexy and offensive. Her drastic image shift has left many fans feeling unfamiliar with her, if not outright shocked.
Lisa’s path to the U.S. market has been paved with gold, but she’s facing backlash due to glaring skill gaps. As a BLACKPINK member, her dancing and rapping were highly regarded. However, that alone isn’t enough to establish her as a true pop star. From the VMAs and Global Citizen 2024 to her latest Oscars performance, Lisa has been repeatedly accused of lip-syncing. Her vocal ability isn’t her strongest suit, and she often relies on backtracks to mask her weaknesses on major stages. International media has slammed her as the “lip-sync queen”, with Entertainment Weekly even listing her Oscars performance as one of the ceremony’s worst moments.
Lisa’s skill gaps turn her high-profile opportunities into controversies. Many believe she’s benefiting from favoritism due to her billionaire boyfriend’s family’s connections, with her talent not matching the scale of her opportunities. In a fiercely competitive market like the U.S., artists who rise through “obvious favoritism” often face public rejection. This is why Lisa receives even harsher criticism when her performances fall short of expectations.
Lisa remains a global star, constantly achieving new milestones in her independent career. However, public recognition and credibility are gradually declining. Fans hope for a stronger future for BLACKPINK’s youngest member, expecting her to prove her star power with more opportunities. To do so, Lisa must take her skill development seriously. As for her music, only quality can win over the public and critics alike.
This July, BLACKPINK will officially reunite for a global tour—an opportunity for the members to reconnect with their fans and shine together once again as a group.