Did reaching the Oscars give Lisa everything she wanted?

I was a bit surprised to see Lisa from K-pop group BLACKPINK at the Oscars ceremony. I knew that over the past two to three years, Lisa had been doing well in the North American and European markets. She reportedly received many top opportunities in the fashion industry and Hollywood, and had previously performed at the Grammy Awards. But her presence at the Oscars still amazed me. As far as I knew, Lisa had no connection to the film industry. Even my friend who watched the ceremony with me (somewhat of a film buff) asked when she appeared: “Who is she? Why is she here?”

Obviously, Lisa couldn't justify her presence on this stage with just a performance, but I don't mean to belittle her singing abilities. On the contrary, I've followed K-pop for many years, and as the top girl group of the past decade, BLACKPINK's influence is unprecedented. Not just in East Asia, but even in South America, the farthest from East Asia, I could hear their songs playing at roadside fruit stands. As K-pop idols, their influence on Generation Z globally might be unmatched by any Korean girl group from previous eras.

When you've reached the peak, what do you choose to do if you want to keep climbing? The answer might be to climb another peak. So three years ago, all four BLACKPINK members began different paths toward their "American Dream." They each released solo albums, appeared at various awards ceremonies and fashion weeks, and collaborated with top Western celebrities. Some collaborations proved successful, like Rosé's work with Mars on "APT." Whether you like the song or not, it's incredibly catchy. Other collaborations proved unsuccessful, like Jennie's role with Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in HBO's The Idol. It's truly the worst TV series I've watched in the past two years. Lisa recently also appeared in another hit HBO series: The White Lotus Season 3. Compared to Jennie's role, Lisa's opportunity is far better. Even if it can't maintain the popularity of the first two seasons, it certainly won't be terrible.

It seems Lisa's development in the Western market has been very successful, and as a former fan, I should be happy for her. But honestly, I feel more melancholy and worried.

Lisa and her companions have sacrificed too much to break into the Western market. Let's be frank: due to over two centuries of colonial history, East Asian countries often have complex feelings toward the Western world represented by America and Europe. There's a competitive mindset on one hand, and admiration on the other. So gaining recognition from Western markets has always been a source of pride and glory for East Asian idol fans. Even in the 2020s, this culture hasn't completely disappeared. In Korean society, where social hierarchy runs deep, these emotions are even stronger. BLACKPINK's explosion in East Asia and entry into Western markets wasn't coincidental. Their management company had considered future "internationalization" needs when recruiting them. So among the four members, except for Jisoo, none are Korean nationals: Lisa is from Thailand, Rosé is Australian, and Jennie grew up in Australia. They all basically speak English. Like other K-pop of their era, their released songs are almost all in English, even though their audience primarily consists of non-native English speakers.

But even this isn't enough. As K-pop's top stars, breaking into Western entertainment still requires paying a higher price, often with a sense of inferiority. Rosé maintains blonde hair and a skeletal figure to make her style more acceptable to Western audiences (and less likely to be confused with others). Jennie's performance in The Idol could be considered harmful to her. And Rosé, her sacrifices might be more invisible. She used to have a very sweet style, with hints of coolness and charm. Now, she's become more sexualized. This sexuality is sometimes wild and incongruous with her thin frame; sometimes it's a pandering sexuality, typical of the white gaze's view of East Asian women. As a guest performer, she participated in the Paris Crazy Horse show, sparking feminist discussions about whether women accepting the male gaze represents freedom and progress or deeper alienation, a trap of capitalist neoliberalism. Her rumored relationship with LVMH heir's son attracted attention while raising another layer of questions about female self-realization.

She's changed, some of her former fans have left, but she's also gained new fans. She seems more successful now, finally accepted by the Western market. But has she really gotten everything she wanted?

I hope she has. I hope everything she's doing is exactly what she wants to do. I hope she's doing this because she genuinely enjoys it: loves performing, loves art, loves getting more attention and opportunities, becoming more powerful. Not because she sees this success as a higher peak, continuing to perpetuate that white-centric value system, becoming that sexy and naive Asian woman in the eyes of yellow fever.