BLACKPINK's Lisa Reveals Past Secret Relationships, Inspiration Behind Solo Track 'Dream'

BLACKPINK member Lisa (리사) recently delved into her journey from a 14-year-old trainee in Thailand to a globally recognized K-pop star in her personal documentary, "Always Lalisa." This comes amidst persistent dating rumors with Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat. Lisa confessed that as an idol, she had to be extremely cautious about dating, fearing that public exposure of her relationships could impact the group's popularity. Recalling these experiences, she became emotional and shed tears.

According to reports from media outlets, including Canada's Toronto Star, Lisa shared rarely disclosed life experiences behind her glamorous stage presence in "Always Lalisa." She emotionally stated, "Only now am I truly starting to live my own life."

Lisa recounted leaving Thailand at just 14 years old in 2011 to begin her trainee life alone in South Korea. At such a young age, she not only endured intense training but also found it difficult to freely express her voice and thoughts. In the documentary, she discussed the monthly evaluation videos she had to submit as a trainee at YG Entertainment and recalled the repeated assessment processes. As the conversation deepened, years of pent-up emotions surfaced, causing Lisa's eyes to well up and tears to fall.

One of the most notable revelations was Lisa's first public discussion of the past rule that "idols cannot date." She admitted, "In K-pop culture, you can't date." Lisa revealed she was terrified of being caught by paparazzi if she dated someone, fearing it could lead to a decline in her popularity.

She also uncharacteristically acknowledged having had several relationships in her youth. "I dated a few times when I was younger, but I had to keep it a secret," Lisa said. She explained that at the time, she didn't want her romantic life to impact BLACKPINK's popularity, so any relationships had to be kept low-key.

Even more surprisingly, Lisa incorporated one of these real-life romantic experiences into her first full-length solo album, "Alter Ego," set for release in 2025. She disclosed that the album track "Dream" was inspired by a past secret relationship.

To include this experience in her song, Lisa even personally contacted her former partner before the track's official release to ask for their consent. She revealed that the person eventually agreed to the song's release but stipulated that fans should not try to uncover their true identity.

As for whether fans have successfully "decoded" the identity of the person in "Dream," Lisa smiled and said, "They think they've found them, but I don't think so." Her remark, far from solving the mystery, has only intensified public curiosity about the enigmatic figure in the song.

With Lisa's personal revelation about the song's creative background, the lyrics of "Dream" have once again garnered attention. The song describes her looking back and missing a former partner, even hoping to reunite in dreams if not in reality. The lyrics specifically mention "2019" and express the sentiment, "If we can no longer be lovers, can we at least be friends?" prompting many fans to re-interpret the story behind the song.

Lisa has rarely discussed her real-life romantic relationships directly in the past, making this candid sharing of her dating experiences particularly noteworthy.

In fact, Lisa has been involved in several dating rumors over the years. Since 2023, she has been photographed multiple times with Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer and son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault, though their relationship has never been officially confirmed by either party. Recently, in addition to rumors of their breakup, Lisa has also been linked to Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat, but this rumored relationship likewise remains unconfirmed by those involved.

Notably, the identity of the real-life romantic interest in "Dream," as mentioned by Lisa in "Always Lalisa," has not yet been revealed. She even personally denied that fans have successfully guessed the person's identity, reigniting discussion about this "mysterious relationship" hidden within the song.