SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 29: Lisa aka Lalisa Manoban of South Korean girl group BLACKPINK attends the photocall for the BVLGARI 'Serpenti Seduttori' launch event on October 29, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage)
Cover SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 29: Lisa aka Lalisa Manoban of South Korean girl group BLACKPINK attends the photocall for the BVLGARI 'Serpenti Seduttori' launch event on October 29, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage/Getty Images)

Here’s four things you need to know about Lalisa Manoban, one-quarter of the world’s biggest girl group, Blackpink

Lalisa Manoban, better known by her stage name Lisa, is one-quarter of the world’s biggest girl group, Blackpink. Lisa, along with other members Jisoo, Jennie and Rosé, shot to fame in 2016 when the K-pop group released their debut album, Square One.

See Also: 13 of Lisa's Most Fashionable Moments

Blackpink have gone on to cement themselves as one of the world’s biggest girl bands, reaching over a billion views on YouTube, racking up millions of followers on Instagram and topping global music charts.

Here are four things you need to know about global K-pop superstar Lisa.

 

Lisa is the only non-Korean member of Blackpink

Blackpink is celebrated for the diversity of its members’ upbringings, each bringing unique skills to the group. Jennie, though Korean-born, was raised in New Zealand, and Rosé, who is also Korean, was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. However, Lisa, who is Thai by ethnicity, was also raised in Thailand—making her the only non-Korean member of Blackpink.

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PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 23: Lalisa Manoban "Lisa" from the Korean band Blackpink, is seen ouside Celine during Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Spring/Summer 2020, on June 23, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Above PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 23: Lalisa Manoban "Lisa" from the Korean band Blackpink, is seen ouside Celine during Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Spring/Summer 2020, on June 23, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images/Getty Images)

She speaks four languages

Her childhood in Thailand paired with her time in South Korea has made Lisa a master of both Thai and Korean, as well as English, Japanese and some basic Chinese. When Lisa moved to South Korea in 2011 to audition to become a K-pop idol, she couldn’t speak any Korean. She learned the language while completing her K-pop training.

Other Blackpink members are also fluent in a number of languages, including English, Japanese and Chinese. They have also recorded several songs in Japanese.

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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12:  Lalisa Manoban arrives to the Michael Kors fashion show at Pier 17 on September 12, 2018 in New York City.  (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
Above NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Lalisa Manoban arrives to the Michael Kors fashion show at Pier 17 on September 12, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images)

She was in a dance crew before entering the world of K-pop

While she’s a skilled rapper and singer, Lisa is also the main dancer for Blackpink, thanks to an extensive history performing for a dance crew in Thailand as a child. She later auditioned for the YG Entertainment Competition in 2010 when she was 13 years old, where she came first and became an official YG Entertainment trainee.

Today, after years of training it’s her “combination of smooth body rolls, sharp hits and captivating facial expressions, that often become the subject of Blackpink’s viral videos,” reports Time magazine.

She’s renowned for her fashion sense

A common fixture on front row seats of global fashion shows, Lisa is the global ambassador for French fashion company Celine as well as Italian luxury brand Bvlgari. Her Instagram, which boasts almost 60 million followers, also features her diverse style, varying from tomboy chic to streetwear and stagewear.


See more Gen.T honourees from The Arts category of the Gen.T List 2020