BLACKPINK’s Lisa opened up about keeping her past relationships private, explaining that she worried public dating news could affect the group’s popularity.
Lisa reportedly discusses her personal life in her upcoming documentary, Always Lalisa, which is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11.
Looking back on her younger years as a K-pop idol, Lisa explained why she felt the need to hide her relationships.
She said, “In K-pop culture, you can’t date. If you’re seeing someone and the paparazzi catch you, your popularity drops.”
Lisa continued, “I dated a few times when I was younger, but when I was dating, I had to hide it. I didn’t want my relationship to become the reason BLACKPINK’s popularity went down.”
The singer also revealed that Dream, a track from her 2025 album Alter Ego, was inspired by someone she had secretly dated.
According to Lisa, before releasing the song, she contacted the person again and asked for permission to share it. The person reportedly agreed on the condition that fans would not be able to figure out their identity.
Lisa joked about fans attempting to solve the mystery, saying, “They think they figured it out, but I don’t think they did.”
Her comments offer a rare look at the pressure Lisa felt while balancing her private relationships with her responsibilities as a member of BLACKPINK.
Lisa has faced dating speculation in recent years, including reports linking her to Frédéric Arnault. More recent online rumors have also connected her to Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat. However, Lisa has not publicly confirmed the identities of the person who inspired Dream or the subjects of those dating reports.
Directed by Sue Kim, Always Lalisa is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before its planned wider theatrical release.
