BLACKPINK's Lisa has garnered hot reactions from both the public and industry for her transformation into a pop star with the single "ROCKSTAR," stepping away from her K-pop roots.

However, amidst Lisa's performance and styling challenges, there remains disappointment over the lack of musical innovation.

On the morning of June 28th, Korea time, Lisa released her single "ROCKSTAR." She attracted attention by personally participating in songwriting and composition alongside Ryan Tedder of the American rock band OneRepublic and Sam Homaee.

The public response to the music video, filmed at one of Bangkok's major tourist attractions, Yaowarat Road, has been positive. It was noted for effectively showcasing her identity in her homeland of Thailand.

Particularly, the public took notice of her daring styling. From the album cover and concept photos released before the comeback, Lisa's visuals sparked discussions. Her unprecedented short shaggy haircut, goggles, chains, and jewels showcased bold styling choices.

Regarding Lisa's styling, fans praised, "It's a new look. Feels like Rihanna vibes, looking forward to it," "Lisa is no longer just an idol. She's a pop star," "She's not just showing K-pop, but challenging with her own pop style," and "Initially slightly surprised, but she exudes a strong pop star vibe upon closer inspection."

Music critic Kim Dohun commented, "Regardless of K-pop's image, Lisa established her identity as an artist by expressing her desired music in her own way, which seems to have labeled her as a 'pop star'."

In line with overseas trends, Lisa included variations in BPM (tempo) with sped-up and slowed-down versions, which caught attention. As online short platforms like TikTok thrive, these versions quickly became a global trend.

Kim Dohun suggested, "Separate from short forms, aiming for DJ remixes and making such choices seems strategic. Lisa targeted electronic hip-hop artists in her last album and showcased herself as a pop star."

He further explained, "This will likely have a positive impact on future collaborations with other pop stars. Until now, finding an artist's identity in collaborations between K-pop artists and pop stars has been difficult. However, through this album, Lisa has established her artistic identity. When combined with the symbolism of being an Asian solo female pop star, collaborations attributed to 'thanks to Lisa' may emerge."

While receiving continuous acclaim, some audiences also recalled Lisa's previous global hit "MONEY."

In fact, 'ROCKSTAR' shares the same genre of hip-hop as its predecessor 'MONEY,' from BPM to the bass rhythm and rap structure at the beginning of the song. Moreover, the repeated bass material in 'ROCKSTAR' consists of a distorted 808 bass in the low register, composed of the same scale as 'MONEY.'

In the industry, opinions emerged that Lisa may have been influenced by the success of her previous work during her participation in songwriting and composition.

As Lisa's first solo endeavor since her debut, 'ROCKSTAR' holds significant meaning as an album that solidifies her image as a 'pop star' and 'artist' beyond the framework of a 'K-pop artist,' which has garnered public acclaim.

However, there remains a lingering sense of disappointment among the public and industry regarding the lack of musical innovation compared to her other challenges.

Source[1]

IU recently revealed that she watched her own concert film in a public theater, but shockingly, no one recognized her—even when she dropped a hint!

On February 27, a new video featuring IU was released, showing her inside a car on her way to Daejeon.

She excitedly shared, “This is a surprise stage greeting for UAENA! I picked this location through a ladder game when I did stage greetings.”

Previously, IU had let fate decide which city she would visit after her stage greetings. She happily said, “There are UAENAs everywhere I go. Wherever I go, it's a flowery path.” The game ultimately led her to Daejeon.

IU originally hoped to explore the city, saying, “I wanted to visit Daejeon's pride, Sung Sim Dang, and walk around, but my team said it wouldn’t be possible. The lines are too long, and it’s freezing outside.” She sighed, adding, “So, things turned out this way.”

Dressed up for the occasion, IU smiled, saying, “I don’t get to meet UAENAs in Daejeon often, so I wanted to make a surprise appearance looking my best.”

She also joked about enjoying surprise events, adding, “As long as Hanteo oppa drives me safely, I’m happy.”

But what really caught fans' attention was IU’s unexpected confession—she had secretly watched her concert film in a theater, but no one noticed her! “No one recognized me at all. There weren’t that many people, and it was a weekday… but still! I even gave a hint!” she said, sounding both amused and surprised.

Later, when IU finally appeared at the theater, her fans were overwhelmed with emotion. Some even burst into tears, prompting her to gently say, “You really didn’t expect me to come, right?”

After wrapping up her stage greeting, IU laughed at herself, saying, “Wait, did I just do a 40-minute one-woman show? I must have talked so much.”

On her way back to Seoul, IU reflected on the day, sharing, “It was so cold today. I shook hands with all the UAENAs. My hands are usually cold, and since the weather was freezing, I think I made a lot of people’s hands cold, too. But after touching so many warm hands, mine became warm, too. I still haven’t washed them.”

Her love for her fans truly knows no bounds!

Source: [1]