Mickey 17 director Bong Joon Ho under fire for skipping Lisa while giving shout out to BLACKPINK; know what happened

Director Bong Joon Ho named BLACKPINK as his favorite K-pop group but left out Lisa when mentioning members. Fans debate whether it was intentional or just a casual omission. Read more!

By Iqra Siddiqui

Updated on Mar 05, 2025 | 10:19 AM IST | 57.2K

Bong Joon Ho, BLACKPINK members: Courtesy of Getty Images & BLACKPINK Twitter

Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, best known for his critically acclaimed movie Parasite, recently shared his admiration for K-pop sensation BLACKPINK. While his response delighted many fans, it also sparked unexpected controversy after some noticed that he failed to mention Lisa, the group’s Thai member, when discussing his favorite members.

Bong is currently promoting his upcoming sci-fi film Mickey 17, starring Hollywood actor Robert Pattinson. As part of his press tour, he participated in Buzzfeed’s beloved The Puppy Interview, a lighthearted segment where celebrities answer questions while playing with adorable puppies. The interview, released on March 4, provided a rare glimpse into Bong’s personal preferences and unexpected fandoms.

Among the many revelations, Bong disclosed that he was a longtime Twilight fan, firmly aligning himself with Team Edward in the infamous vampire vs. werewolf debate. However, the moment that truly caught the attention of K-pop enthusiasts was when he was asked about his favorite K-pop group. Without hesitation, the director answered, "BLACKPINK," immediately sparking excitement among fans of the globally renowned girl group. The interviewer then asked him to name his favorite member, to which he initially responded, "Rosé...” before quickly adding, “Jisoo, Jennie, everyone!”

At first, Bong’s response seemed to be a casual and affectionate way of expressing his admiration for the entire group. However, some BLACKPINK fans, particularly Lisa’s supporters, were quick to notice that her name was absent from his answer.

What began as a simple moment of appreciation soon spiraled into an online debate. Some fans speculated whether Bong had deliberately omitted Lisa’s name, with a portion of netizens accusing him of racial bias against the group’s only non-Korean member. Given the long-standing discussions surrounding discrimination faced by non-Korean idols in the K-pop industry, some Lisa fans believed his omission was part of a larger pattern.

However, others were quick to defend the filmmaker, arguing that the controversy was being blown out of proportion. They pointed out that Bong is primarily known for his work in cinema, not K-pop, and at his age, it would not be unusual for him to forget the names of all the members of an idol group, even one as globally recognized as BLACKPINK. Many also emphasized that his response did not indicate favoritism but rather a general appreciation for the group.

As expected, the discourse quickly spread across various social media platforms, with some fans expressing disappointment, believing Lisa should have been included in his answer. On the other hand, several netizens found the backlash unnecessary, arguing that Bong’s response was casual and should not be scrutinized so deeply. Some even pointed out that he might not have intended to list every member individually but rather named the ones that came to mind first.