Lisa and director Sue Kim discuss 'Always Lalisa', a documentary on her year away from Blackpink
Blackpink's Lisa and director Sue Kim talked to US trade outlets about 'Always Lalisa', a documentary on the singer's solo year. Kim said Lisa's former label, YG, refused to license Blackpink music and footage.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2'Always Lalisa' is a documentary by director Sue Kim that follows a year in the life of Blackpink's Lisa as she starts a solo career. VarietyLC “a fly-on-the-wall documentary chronicling a year in the life of Blackpink’s Lisa as she embarks on a solo career” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “which chronicles the singer’s year away from the record-breaking girl group Blackpink” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1The film opens with Lisa and her mother recalling a fortune teller who advised changing her name to Lalisa. During the year covered, Lisa released her first full-length album, Alter Ego, starred in The White Lotus and won a solo spot at Coachella. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Throughout that year away, Lisa released her first full-length album, Alter Ego, starred in The White Lotus and snagged herself a Coachella solo lineup spot.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Lisa says the break was not meant to be so full. She planned to travel, but the White Lotus offer arrived and she did not want to waste the year. The Hollywood ReporterLC “But The White Lotus opportunity came in and I didn’t want to waste that one-year time.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1Kim says she approached the project as a chance to work with a K-pop idol outside the K-pop system, with intimacy and honesty. She also wanted the film not to feel like a K-pop film. The Hollywood ReporterLC “I was going to be able to work with a beloved K-pop idol away from the K-pop system”“Kim’s intention was to make sure it didn’t feel like a K-pop film.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2Kim says Lisa's former label did not allow the production to license Blackpink music or footage, including material from the trainee years. She says this was the only contact the production had with the label. Variety's headline likewise says the director discusses YG blocking Blackpink music. The Hollywood ReporterLC “we were not allowed to license the music or the footage, so that was it” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “From YG Blocking Blackpink Music to Lots of Tequila Shots” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1The film addresses the leaked trainee videos in which Lisa and some Blackpink members sang songs containing the N-word. The Hollywood Reporter says Lisa had stayed silent on the matter, apparently because of a mix of the label's suggestion and death threats. In the film she apologises, saying she had not had a chance to do so before. The Hollywood ReporterLC “leaked trainee videos of Lisa and some of the Blackpink members singing songs with the N-word”“I feel like I didn’t have a chance to really say [an apology]” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1Kim says the scene of Lisa reacting on a couch was filmed on the day the videos were released and was not scripted. The Hollywood ReporterLC “That was the day that the videos were released.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1In another candid moment, Lisa says she wants to get married and have children but worries her fans will not like that. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Lisa admits that, like many young women her age, she wants to get married and have children.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1The film ends with Lisa returning to Korea to prepare for Blackpink's world tour and album. Since then the group has released the EP Deadline and toured, and Lisa has returned to solo work. She won best pop at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she performed 'SaWaDiKa', and her EP Press Play is due 23 October. She also has a Las Vegas residency coming up. The Hollywood ReporterLC “The documentary ends with Lisa’s return to Korea to begin preparations for Blackpink’s world tour and the group’s latest album.”“her upcoming EP Press Play, due Oct. 23” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets run director and star interview pieces. The Hollywood Reporter presents the film as an intimate portrait of Lisa stepping outside the K-pop system. Variety's headline stresses behind-the-scenes revelations, including YG blocking Blackpink music, and a lighter note about tequila shots.
- Emphasis
- Lisa's independence from the label, the apology over the leaked videos, her personal vulnerability and her pride in her solo year.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No centre or right outlets covered the story. Neither outlet, in what we have, includes a response from YG Entertainment.
- Charged language
- “most unguarded year yet”“Secrets Behind Lisa Doc”“YG Blocking Blackpink Music”
- For example
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“chronicles the K-pop idol's most unguarded year yet” — The Hollywood Reporter
“Reveals Secrets Behind Lisa Doc, From YG Blocking Blackpink Music to Lots of Tequila Shots” — Variety
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- 'Always Lalisa' is a documentary by Sue Kim about a year in the life of Blackpink's Lisa as she pursues a solo career.
- Director Sue Kim says YG, Lisa's former label, blocked use of Blackpink music.
Lisa (Blackpink) person
Lisa says the film shows the real her and that she is proud of herself and her work. She says she wants fans to understand her better and uses the film to apologise for the leaked trainee videos.
““Truly that’s real me,” she says.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“I just want them to understand me more.” — The Hollywood Reporter
YG Entertainment organisation
YG Entertainment, Lisa's former label, is described by Kim as having refused to license its music and footage. No response from the label appears in the coverage.
“we were not allowed to license the music or the footage” — The Hollywood Reporter
Always Lalisa other
The film is billed as a fly-on-the-wall look at Lisa's solo year, made with intimacy and independently of the label.
“a fly-on-the-wall documentary chronicling a year in the life of Blackpink’s Lisa” — Variety
Left2 articles
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Lisa and Director Sue Kim on Documenting the Star’s Break From the K-pop System in ‘Always Lalisa’
Sympathetic Interview feature presenting the documentary as an honest, label-free portrait of Lisa, with her and Kim explaining key moments.
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Neutral Interview with Kim promising behind-the-scenes revelations, with the label's blocking of music as the lead hook alongside a light note on tequila shots.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 9 Oct 23:45 First The Hollywood ReporterLC Lisa and Director Sue Kim on Documenting the Star’s Break From the K-pop System in ‘Always Lalisa’
- 12 Oct 16:00 +64h 15m VarietyLC ‘Always Lalisa’ Director Sue Kim Reveals Secrets Behind Lisa Doc, From YG Blocking Blackpink Music to Lots of Tequila Shots
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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