BLACKPINK’s Jisoo recently featured in a pictorial and interview for the December issue of ELLE Korea, sharing her thoughts on her favorite season, her most memorable tour moment, and her philosophical approach to love and self-care.
The interview highlights the global star’s introspective side amid her busy schedule, which includes the ongoing “DEADLINE” tour and her recent solo musical releases.
Winter Plans and Favorite Tour Memory
Jisoo revealed that winter is her favorite season and shared her simple yet cozy plans for the upcoming cold months:
- Winter Wish: She noted that time flew quickly to December and expressed a desire to spend this winter “especially warmly.”
- Ideal Scene: She hopes to stay “cozy under a blanket at home and watch the snow fall,” emphasizing that she doesn’t want to miss the sight of falling snow.
When asked to name her most memorable moment from BLACKPINK’s “DEADLINE” tour, she immediately chose a moment of intimate connection with her fans, BLINKs:
Jisoo in ELLE cover page (Credit: Instagram)
- Memorable Moment: She cherishes the instance when BLINKs turn on their smartphone lights and wave them together as the group performs their emotional track, “STAY.” She anticipates this memory will remain a great source of strength during difficult times. This song is a known setlist track on the “DEADLINE” World Tour.
Exploring the Concept of Love in Music
Jisoo discussed the thematic direction of her recent solo music, which has consistently explored the various facets of love.
Her journey began with her solo album “AMORTAGE” in February 2025 (which included the tracks “Earthquake”, “Your Love”, “Tears”, and “Hugs & Kisses”), and continued with her new single, “ EYES CLOSED ,” a collaboration featuring former One Direction member Zayn Malik.
- Musical Theme: She explained that most human emotions are naturally “connected to love,” which results in her organically exploring different kinds of love in her music. The title of her solo album, AMORTAGE, is itself a portmanteau of the Latin word “amor” (love) and “montage,” reflecting its themes of emotional stages of a relationship.
- The Perfect Love: When questioned about the most perfect form of love, Jisoo offered a mature and realistic perspective: “I don’t think perfect love exists.” She suggests that the final stage of love involves “when two people come to understand each other and live in a way that brings them as close to perfection as possible.”
Philosophy on Self-Care and Resilience
Regarding her personal practice of self-love, Jisoo’s answer highlighted her consistent and unwavering self-assurance:
- Self-Care: She stated that she has “always cherished and taken good care of myself” and simply hopes to “continue living this way.”
- Resilience: Her desire is to maintain her inner strength, hoping to “remember that I always have myself and overcome it without being shaken by even the smallest breeze” whenever hard times arise.
Jisoo’s full pictorial and detailed interview are available in the December issue of ELLE Korea.
In a severe blow to the rookie group FANTASY BOYS , six of the remaining members—Kang Minseo, Lee Hanbin, Hikaru, Hong Sungmin, Kim Gyurae, and Kaedan—have initiated immediate legal action against their agency, PocketDol Studio.
According to a report on November 19, 2025, the members have filed lawsuits seeking confirmation of the non-existence of their exclusive contracts, along with injunctions to suspend the contracts’ validity.
This action stems from a profound and irreparable breakdown of trust, rooted in alleged issues concerning payment, financial transparency, and severe operational neglect.
Core Allegations: Financial Mismanagement and Contractual Breach
The members’ legal complaint outlines specific and serious accusations that PocketDol Studio failed to uphold fundamental contractual and legal obligations:
- Fabricated Expenses and Non-Transparency: A primary issue cited was the agency’s failure to provide accurate and verifiable statements documenting payments and settlements. The complaint alleges that the settlement statements included items that were not actually executed or expenses that were not genuinely paid by the company, suggesting deliberate financial obfuscation.
- Phantom Employees: The contracts reportedly stipulated that substantial amounts for high labor costs would be deducted every quarter. However, the members claim that most of the employees corresponding to these costs did not actually exist or their activities could not be verified. This constitutes a severe allegation of financial impropriety and misappropriation of funds.
- Neglect of Non-Korean Members’ Status: Further compounding the operational negligence, the agency allegedly failed to process the timely extension of residency status for the non-Korean members (Hikaru and Kaedan). This failure caused restrictions on their activities and demonstrated a failure to ensure the basic legal working conditions for its artists.
FANTASY BOYS (Credit: YouTube)
Operational Failure and Deterioration of Living Conditions
Beyond the contractual and financial issues, the members have highlighted the agency’s failure to manage basic operational requirements, directly impacting their welfare.
In a highly public incident earlier in the month, member Kang Minseo disclosed via a fan messaging platform that the electricity in the group’s dorm had been cut off due to unpaid bills.
This incident served as a dramatic confirmation of the agency’s financial and administrative instability.
These collective actions led the members to conclude that the agency had violated its obligation to ensure a safe and supportive working and living environment, leading to the irreparable breakdown of the relationship.
A Pattern of Legal Conflict and Group Instability
The legal challenges faced by FANTASY BOYS are unfortunately not isolated incidents but reflect a broader pattern of conflict under PocketDol Studio:
- Group Shrinkage: FANTASY BOYS was formed in 2023 through the survival program Fantasy Boys with an original lineup of 12 members. However, even before their official debut, the first-place winner, Yu Junwon, withdrew due to insurmountable conflicts with the agency over contractual terms. Following this, member K-Soul officially left the group in January 2025, reducing the active unit to ten members before this current legal action.
- PocketDol Studio’s Track Record: The agency has a notorious history of contractual disputes, extending to its labelmates. Nam Dohyon of BAE173 successfully sued to suspend his contract in 2023 and departed the group. Most recently, BAE173 member Doha also filed a similar lawsuit, indicating a systemic problem within PocketDol Studio’s management practices.
- The six FANTASY BOYS members followed a clear legal escalation timeline: first demanding rectification on September 30, sending a contract termination notice on October 28, and finally filing the lawsuits in November. With a majority of the remaining members now seeking termination, the future of FANTASY BOYS hangs in severe uncertainty.
Since six members have filed the lawsuit, the remaining members who are not named in the complaint are Hong Seongmin, Oh Hyeontae, and Lee Hanbin.
