K-pop or Thai pop? Blackpink Lisa’s ‘Rockstar’ prompts debate

Lisa in a promo photo for “Rockstar.” Image: Instagram/@lalalalisa_m

Right after Lisa of Blackpink released her new solo single “Rockstar” on June 28, a heated debate ignited online between Korean and Thai fans about whether the song should be classified as K-pop or Thai pop.

Lisa moved to Korea in 2011 at the age of 14 and underwent more than five years of training at YG Entertainment before debuting as a member of what is now K-pop’s most successful girl group.

Korean fans argue that her identity as a K-pop star justifies calling her new single a K-pop song. In contrast, Thai fans claim it is Thai pop, pointing to the music video’s strong emphasis on her Thai heritage. The video features a local dance team and was directed by Thai producers.

Some Korean music critics, meanwhile, argue Lisa’s work is an example of the “localizing” strategy that K-pop powerhouses like Hybe, SM Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment are pursuing for future growth.

“Lisa, who debuted as a member of a K-pop girl band and rose to global stardom, is now pioneering a new market in the US mainstream music market as a pop star. Her new single ‘Rockstar,’ shot in Thailand with local staff, marks the beginning of her career as an Asian pop star, which is not common worldwide,” music critic Kim Do-heon said Wednesday.

‘Localizing’ K-pop

Popular culture critic Cha Woo-jin said, “Lisa, a K-pop star trained in Korea and originally from Thailand, demonstrates that the ‘globalization’ or ‘localizing’ that K-pop has aspired to can occur in cities outside of Seoul.”

But Lisa’s case is slightly different from the usual “localization” vision pursued by K-pop agencies, which focuses on discovering talented local youngsters, putting them through a K-pop training process, and debuting them in specific regional markets.

In Lisa’s case, “Rockstar” is released through a partnership between her own independent management company, Lloud, and global record label RCA.

However it is categorized, Lisa has achieved remarkable success in her home country, leveraging her K-pop experience, and now aims to rank on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US as a new Asian solo artist.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun believes Lisa is an effective example of K-pop localization.

“The key is to maintain the K-pop style while also appealing to the local audience. Nowadays, the gap between K-pop and American pop genres has significantly narrowed. Although idol bands were popular in the global pop market until the early to mid-2000s, their presence has since diminished, which I believe has a reason,” said Lim on Wednesday.

“Personally, I don’t think multiple members are necessary to enjoy music. For K-pop groups to attract local fans, the elements that excite K-pop fans need to become more mainstream,” he said.

Lisa (center) in a scene from “Rockstar’s” music video. Image: Sony Music Entertainment Korea via The Korea Herald

Lisa has kept up with international musical trends by releasing sped-up and slowed-down versions of “Rockstar,” playing with beats-per-minute variations. With the rise of short-form content on platforms like TikTok, there’s a growing need to pack a lot into videos under a minute long, making sped-up versions of songs particularly popular.

For the new single, Lisa continues to showcase her pop star persona aimed at electronic hip-hop artists, just as she did in her previous hit “Money” released in 2022. Offering five different versions of her tracks, including sped-up and slowed-down versions, makes it easier for DJs to use them in remixes at clubs and parties.