The viral music video, by K-pop sensation Lalisa Manoban, or “Lisa”, which attracted almost 120 million views on YouTube in the three days following its online release, has been praised by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture for helping to promote elements of Thai culture.
In Lisa’s first solo mini-album, the 24-year-old Thai rapper, singer, dancer and only non-ethnic Korean member of the girl group “Blackpink”, the pop idol is seen in a golden Thai dress, with an elaborate headdress, sitting on a throne at a replica of Phanom Rung Historical Park, a landmark in Lisa’s hometown of Buri Ram in north-eastern Thailand.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Prasop Riengngern, praised Lisa and Thai designer Polpat Asavaprapha, better known as “Moo ASAVA”, who is behind the dress that she wore in “LALISA” music video, for using creativity to enhance Thai culture through fashion, which helps it to gain more recognition on the international stage.
The Ministry promotes and supports the enhancement of Thai culture in various forms and supports creative culture in increasing economic value, especially through the “5Fs” of food, film, fashion, fighting (martial arts) and festivals, Mr. Prasop said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Surat Jongda, acting vice-president of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute explained that the headdress Lisa wears in the video is called “Rad Klao Yod”, which has been used in cultural performances since the Ayutthaya era. These days, this type of headdress is used in various kinds of performances.
The main difference between “Chada”, with which the Thai people are more familiar and was initially thought to be what Lisa wore, and “Rad Klao Yod” in Thai traditional dance, is that “Chada” are used for male actors, while “Rad Klao Yod” are for female actors, where flowers are also attached.
Since the release of Lisa’s music video, the Thai headdress has become extremely popular, with some shops seeing a 10% increase in income.
The release of the highly anticipated video last Friday did not come without some drama, as some Cambodian netizens are saying that the replica of the Khmer castle, featured in the video, is part of Khmer culture and that Lisa was promoting it, while Thai netizens are not happy with such a claim, saying that, while it is true there are several Khmer-influenced temples and Khmer ruins in Thailand, Lisa simply wanted to show off her hometown.
Another social drama revolves around Thai TV host and actor Kachapa Toncharoen, better known as “Moddam”, who, while trying to praise Lisa and her work, appeared to denigrate other South Korean-based Thai K-pop artists “BamBam” Kunpimook Bhuwakul and Nichkhun Horvejkul in the process. “Moddam” has since apologised to them following a backlash.
