An ancient proverb from Thailand continues to resonate: “If Lisa Blackpink does it, so will everyone else.”
Just one day after Blackpink Lalisa Manobal shared photos of herself relishing a glass of orange fresh juice in Paris, Merchants from her northeastern hometown of Buriram experienced a significant increase in their sales.
While this may not be the type of “soft power” that significantly impacts the global stage, it is recognized for uplifting sales and promoting healthier lifestyles locally.
Fruit juice stalls reported that there is a sudden surge of new clients demanding freshly-pressed citrus beverages.
Surachai Kasikorn, a forty-five-year-old owner of a juice stall at Khlong Thom Market in Buriram, informed journalists that this unexpected rise in demand prompted him to introduce a delivery service.
Following the pop sensation’s sharing of her juice-sipping snapshots on Monday, many hailed her for indirectly promoting healthier beverage options, beyond those simply admiring her shiny, lengthy hair.
This isn’t the initial, secondary, or even tertiary instance where the Thai K-pop phenomenal sparked a trend among her massive fanbase with just a simple gesture.
The previous month, it was Lisa’s photos donning a sarong in Ayutthaya that led fans straight to the silk shops.
Last year, after teenage Thai rapper Milli had Coachella music festival attendees craving mango sticky rice, the Thai government became fixated on soft power via arts and culture, similar to what South Korea has been nurturing over decades.
