Inside the room: What it was like to be with Blackpink's Lisa as race scandal erupted
A new documentary explores the fallout of a scandal involving K-pop star Lisa Manobal, who faced backlash for using racial slurs in old rehearsal footage. The film captures her vulnerable reaction to the controversy and her explanation regarding her lack of cultural context at the time.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of global celebrity culture, social accountability, and the impact of digital archives on public figures.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Lisa, who was born Pranpriya Manobal in Thailand, became one of the world's most-recognisable K-pop idols as a member of Blackpink
Music correspondent Published 13 minutes ago What's it like to be the main character of an online scandal?
That's one of the questions raised in a new documentary about Lisa Manobal – one quarter of K-pop phenomenon Blackpink and a breakout star of TV show The White Lotus.
The film captures an unfolding controversy, as leaked videos show Blackpink using racial slurs when they were teenage trainees in the K-pop system.
The clips, which emerged last year, showed the band covering US rap songs during rehearsals. Explicit language, including the n-word, was left uncensored.
The scandal blew up while Lisa was rehearsing for a pivotal performance at the Coachella Festival in 2025.
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