Lisa Manobal is pulling back the curtain on the dating restrictions she faced as a K-pop idol in her upcoming documentary “Always Lalisa.”
The 29-year-old BLACKPINK member’s film will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, with a limited worldwide theatrical and IMAX release following on October 12. In the documentary, she addresses the unspoken rules that governed her personal life during her rise to global fame.
“In K-pop culture, we can’t date,” Lisa explains in the film, as reported by Times Now. “If you’re seeing someone and you get caught by paparazzi, your popularity drops.”
Lisa disclosed that she did have relationships when she was younger, but she took careful steps to keep them hidden from public view. “We had to hide when we’re dating,” she added in the documentary. She made clear that protecting the group’s success motivated her silence, saying she didn’t want her dating life to “be the thing that hurts Blackpink’s popularity.”
The Thai-born singer launched her solo career in 2021 and released her debut solo album “Alter Ego” in 2025. She has also ventured into acting, appearing in the third season of “The White Lotus.” BLACKPINK, which debuted in August 2016 with members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, took a hiatus from group activities after their “BORN PINK” tour to focus on individual projects before reuniting in 2026 for their third mini album, “DEADLINE.”
Lisa is not the only BLACKPINK member to attract dating speculation. Jennie has been linked to BTS member Kim Taehyung, known as V, with rumors circulating in fan communities since 2021, though neither artist ever confirmed or addressed the claims. Lisa herself faced recent speculation when she was rumored to be seeing Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat last month, following years of unconfirmed reports linking her to French businessman Frédéric Arnault. Neither Lisa nor Blue has commented on the newer rumors.
The pressure Lisa describes reflects broader industry practices. CNN has reported that some K-pop stars face “no dating” clauses in their contracts, while others are forbidden from disclosing personal details. Korean music industry executive Bernie Cho told the outlet that the commercial nature of the genre shapes these expectations. “K-Pop music is a big business and K-Pop bands not only endorse big brands but also become big time brands themselves,” Cho said. “As a result, for better or for worse, individuals in such bands are viewed as investments.”
Lindsay Roberts, an outreach coordinator for Korean entertainment site Seoulbeats, expanded on the fan dynamics that reinforce these restrictions. She said that fans invest significant time and money into their favorite idols, and in return, they “expect a certain amount of ‘monogamous’ dedication back from the idols,” Roberts added that although “it may seem unrealistic,” the expectation persists that “fans and their group comes before personal desires.”
Lisa’s documentary arrives as she continues building her profile outside the group that made her famous, with her revelations about the hidden costs of idol stardom likely to draw significant attention at the Toronto festival.