Global superstar LISA, the rapper, singer, dancer, and style icon renowned for her work with the record-breaking group BLACKPINK, has unveiled a breathtakingly vulnerable new short film for her song “Dream,” a standout track from her debut solo album Alter Ego. The visually cinematic piece, released today, August 13, 2025, stars LISA alongside one of Japan’s most celebrated actors, Kentaro Sakaguchi, and marks a significant evolution in her artistry, revealing a depth of emotional expression her fans have never before witnessed in her visuals.
This release is not merely a music video but a narrative journey, one that LISA has been artfully teasing through a series of enigmatic and suggestive posts on her Instagram, where she commands an audience of 106 million followers. The film itself is a masterful exploration of love and loss, with LISA’s character traversing a landscape of bittersweet memories centered on a former partner, portrayed by Sakaguchi. Viewers are taken on an emotional odyssey that transcends from scenes of great, sweeping romance to moments of deep and isolating sorrow, all designed to showcase a profoundly acting talent that expands her repertoire far beyond the stage.
This poignant artistic statement arrives on the heels of significant professional momentum for LISA, who just last week earned her third MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best K-Pop for “Born Again,” her monumental collaboration with Doja Cat and RAYE. This category is familiar territory for the solo phenom; she won the same award last year with her explosive single “Rockstar” from Alter Ego, and first won it in 2022, making her the first solo act in history to ever claim the prize and subsequently breaking a new record as the first solo artist to win it multiple times.
The album itself, Alter Ego, which was released earlier this year, was met with an immediate and outpouring of excitement and praise from both critics and her loyal fanbase. Rolling Stone heralded the project, noting that “Lisa’s versatility is clearly a strength — and one that she’s wielding in her nascent acting career,” and called the album “an encouraging first step in her figuring out how where her solo career might go.” The commercial response was equally impressive, with the album debuting at an impressive #1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart and securing a Top 10 position on the prestigious Billboard 200, landing at number seven.
LISA’s trajectory as a solo force has been meticulously crafted since she launched her own management company, LLOUD CO., in 2024, an effort to create a platform that fully showcases her boundary-pushing vision in music and entertainment. This venture operates in partnership with RCA Records, under which she released the Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee-produced “Rockstar,” followed by the GRAMMY-winning collaboration with Rosalía on “New Woman,” and the evocative “Moonlit Floor,” a song she first teased during her powerful solo festival debut at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City and later performed at the Victoria’s Secret Runway Show.
LISA’s stage prowess was further cemented this past April with her solo Coachella debut on the Sahara Stage, a performance that Billboard raved was “tight, creative, cool and altogether electric,” noting her command of the massive audience and her precise, powerful dancing. During that set, she made sure to shout out her character, Mook, from the Emmy-nominated third season of HBO’s hit series The White Lotus, where she made her captivating acting debut as a member of the hotel staff, a role that opened the door to the kind of nuanced performance she delivers in the “Dream” short film.
Alongside her global dominance in music and her burgeoning acting career, LISA remains a preeminent force in the global fashion industry, known for her unique and trendsetting style. She graced the cover of ELLE Magazine’s highly coveted September issue in 2024 and was announced as the newest House Ambassador for Louis Vuitton, all while continuing her longstanding role as a global face for Bulgari. Yet, even amidst her solo endeavors, she remains committed to BLACKPINK, currently on tour with the group for their sold-out World Tour.
For the “Dream” short film, the choice of co-star Kentaro Sakaguchi was a deliberate and inspired one. Born in Tokyo in 1991, Sakaguchi made his acting debut in 2014 and has built an esteemed career in Japan with work including the TV dramas “Signal: Long-Term Unsolved Case Investigation Team,” “Okaeri Mone,” “The 13 Lords of the Shogun,” and “Beyond Goodbye,” as well as the films “The Last 10 Years” and “Hell Dogs.” His upcoming new film “THE FINAL PIECE” is scheduled for release in Japan on October 31st, and he has recently garnered significant attention across Asia for starring in the 2024 Korean drama “What Comes After Love.” His status as a heartthrob active not only in Japan but throughout Korea and the broader region, evidenced by his fan meeting tours in six Asian cities, makes him the perfect counterpart to LISA’s own pan-Asian superstardom, together creating a magnetic on-screen chemistry that elevates “Dream” into a truly unforgettable piece of visual storytelling.
Adreena is a writer from Nagano, Japan, but is now residing in Singapore. She mostly writes music news and reviews, but in her spare time, she likes writing fiction and poems.