BLACKPINK’s LISA Welcomes Guests to Thailand in ‘The White Lotus’ Teaser

BLACKPINK’s LISA is stepping into her acting debut for HBO Max’s The White Lotus season three.

The HBO 2025 teaser, which features snippets of the new season, offers fans their first look at the K-pop star, credited under her given name Lalisa Manobal. She stars as Mook, a resort manager who greets new guests with a warm, “Welcome to The White Lotus in Thailand, ka.”

Set to premiere next year, White Lotus‘ third season was filmed across Thailand, making the project a homecoming for LISA, who has previously spoken of her excitement about sharing the beauty of her homeland with viewers.

In a recent interview with ELLE, LISA shared her initial reaction to being cast by The White Lotus creator Mike White, whom she called “a genius.”

“I think I cried [when I got the role]. I was with my friends, my mum’s friends, and my mum as well, but I didn’t tell them that I auditioned for it,” LISA said. “I’m super excited and nervous, because it’s my first acting project. So I was happy for a second, and then I was like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, how am I going to deliver this?’”

Although acting is new to LISA, the BLACKPINK star noted some similarities to her work on music videos, saying, “It’s pretty new to me, but I think it’s similar to shooting music videos…I’m excited for my fans to see it.”

She added that filming in Thailand allowed her to reconnect with her roots and enjoy Thai cuisine daily. “I feel like people are going to fall in love with Thailand even more,” LISA remarked.

Beyond her new venture in television, LISA has continued to make waves in the music world. In 2024, she released her single “Rockstar,” which debuted at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200, as well as became LISA’s first-ever No. 1 hit on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. She’s also since released the Rosalía-assisted track “New Woman,” and “Moonlit Floor.”

BLACKPINK, comprised of LISA, Jisoo, Jennie, and Rosé, has set unprecedented records. Their highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 entry, “Ice Cream” with Selena Gomez, reached No. 13. The group made history in 2022 as the first female K-pop act to top the Billboard 200 with their album Born Pink, which also reached No. 1 on the U.K. Albums Chart.

Watch a sneak peek of LISA in White Lotus here.

Jessica Lynch

Billboard