Always Lalisa: New Documentary Tracks Lisa Manobal’s Racial Slur Scandal and K-Pop Exit

According to BBC News, the documentary Always Lalisa offers an intimate look at Blackpink member Lisa Manobal as she grapples with a high-profile controversy and a transition away from the K-pop system. The film, directed by Sue Kim, captures an unfolding scandal that broke while Lisa was rehearsing for her 2025 Coachella Festival performance. The controversy involved leaked videos from the band’s time as teenage trainees, which showed members using racial slurs, including the n-word, during rehearsals of US rap songs.

Though the band’s record label initially forbade the members from addressing the situation, the documentary records Lisa in her dressing room discussing the incident. Lisa, who was 15 or 16 when the clips were recorded, explains in the film that she did not understand the offensive history of the term as a non-native English speaker from Thailand. "Now I would never ever do that because, now, I've got education," she says. "But I did wrong."

The documentary, which hits cinemas on 12 October, also details Lisa’s decision to move beyond the constraints of Korean entertainment company YG, which limited her personal autonomy, including rules against alcohol and dating. Lisa ultimately signed a new deal with RCA Records in the US. The film follows her pursuit of solo success, including her self-taped audition for the third season of the television series The White Lotus, where she plays a wellness coach named Mook Sornsin.

While the project was commissioned by the film division of the star’s record label, director Sue Kim states that Lisa granted "almost total access" and did not request the removal of any scenes, including those capturing her receiving death threats or being criticized by her vocal coach. The film concludes in June 2025 as Lisa returns to Seoul to rejoin Blackpink, reflecting on the personal freedom she explored during her time in the US.