BLACKPINK Lisa’s Hard-to-Erase Stain
Since her five-night performance at Crazy Horse (France), Lisa has lost the favor of many Chinese viewers. This was once a lucrative market that helped the Thai idol gain fame and wealth.
Crazy Horse Leaves a Stain on Lisa’s Reputation with Chinese Public
Lisa (BLACKPINK) has recently been announced as the brand ambassador for the luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton. The 27-year-old singer hinted at this role when she was invited to the brand’s Fall/Winter 2024 fashion show in Paris last March.
This news quickly became a hot topic on Weibo—China’s largest social media platform—with over 240 million reads and 50,000 discussions. Many negative opinions have been directed at Lisa, especially after the controversy surrounding her performance at the Crazy Horse strip club, which has caused the Chinese audience to lose their favor towards her.
Chinese audiences believe Lisa is harming her own prospects in this market. Throughout her time at YG, she was the only member to receive shows and advertisements in China. Many people have reposted images of Lisa in revealing outfits, performing five nights at the strip club, posing with dancers, and referring to her new ambassador role as a “reward for performing at a strip club.”
There are also mocking comments suggesting that the Thai idol is leveraging her rumored boyfriend Frédéric Arnault to advance her career, with the notion that “strip club performances are just a stepping stone.” Frédéric is the son of billionaire Bernard Arnault, owner of LVMH—the largest luxury goods conglomerate in the world, with 70 fashion and cosmetics brands including Sephora, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Tiffany & Co…
Some comments argue that the fashion house is devaluing itself by choosing Lisa as its brand ambassador. There are also threats to not purchase Louis Vuitton items in the future.
Despite strong criticism from the public, Lisa performed five nights at the famous Crazy Horse strip club in Paris in late September 2023. Frédéric also brought his family and friends to support her.
Lisa’s actions have sparked intense debate. For the Chinese market, the situation is more tense than ever, even though she was previously the most active member of BLACKPINK in China. In 2020, Lisa was invited to be a coach on the show “Youth With You 2” during a time when K-pop idols faced restrictions in China. Her popularity soared in China, earning her numerous advertising contracts, ranging from food and technology to game endorsements.
Lisa has faced backlash from the public who believe she is a public figure negatively influencing young people’s thoughts and actions, with concerns that girls might see exposing their bodies as something to be proud of. In China, striptease is considered obscene.
Lisa’s five-night performance at Crazy Horse (Paris, France) has led to a loss of favor with the Chinese public and restricted her activities. Artists who attended her performance, such as Angelababy and Zhang Jia Ni, have been blacklisted and faced limitations in their activities. Angelababy had a difficult time returning to showbiz after months of silence.
Furthermore, Lisa’s Weibo account and her fan group’s accounts were suspended. Luxury brands she endorsed quietly removed related videos and images from their Weibo pages.
Despite this, news about Lisa remains hot among Chinese internet users. Information about the Thai beauty easily ranks high on entertainment hot searches, but the positive sentiment is no longer as strong as before. The most recent rumor about Lisa being a third party attracted 300 million reads on Weibo.
Nevertheless, strong actions from the Chinese authorities regarding Lisa’s striptease performance make it difficult for her to return to this lucrative market.
Outside of the China market, Lisa remains unaffected.
After refusing to sign a personal contract with YG Entertainment, Lisa has focused on her solo activities and explored new roles. Earlier this year, she established LLOUD—a company described as “a platform to showcase vision in music and entertainment.”
Later, RCA Records announced a collaboration with Lisa to release recordings. This agreement allows her to release new solo music under RCA Records while retaining full ownership of her work.
Her MV for “Rockstar,” released at the end of June, has garnered over 124 million views. Despite being posted on a YouTube channel with only 3.5 million subscribers, it still attracted a high number of viewers.
The 27-year-old rapper will perform as a headliner at the Global Citizen Festival 2024 in September, marking her first international solo stage appearance.
After leaving Celine, she quickly became a Louis Vuitton brand ambassador, showcasing her significant influence in the fashion industry. Lisa’s appeal to luxury brands remains strong despite the controversy surrounding her striptease performance.
In addition to her success in music and fashion, Lisa is beginning to explore acting. She confirmed her role in the HBO series “The White Lotus” season three.
Details about her character remain confidential. The film began shooting in Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok, Thailand in February. The plot details are still under wraps, except that the film will follow a group of tourists at the White Lotus resort.
Recently, Lisa has been traveling between France, Thailand, and Japan for her personal work. She has publicly been dating her boyfriend, Frédéric Arnault, and they have appeared together at events.
In May, Lisa and Frédéric attended the launch event for a collaboration between Kith and Tag Heuer, which sponsors the F1 Grand Prix 2024 in Miami, Florida. They also took on the role of waving the checkered flags to signal the finish for drivers at the F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024.
Despite losing the Chinese market, Lisa remains active in exploring potential markets in Southeast Asia and is focusing on opportunities in the United States.
