Keywords "Lisa", "Lisa Blackpink" have been causing a storm on platforms over the past few days after the performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony.
The World Cup has long been not only the biggest football festival on the planet but also a stage where sports, music and culture intersect.
Besides the top matches, the theme songs and art performances are always an important part of creating the attraction of the tournament.
In recent years, K-pop has increasingly made a strong impression at the World Cup, reflecting the strong influence of the Hallyu wave globally.
In recent days, not only Lisa (Blackpink) has become a search keyword, Jungkook's performance from the 2022 World Cup has also been mentioned, and another Kpop female singer is also contributing to spreading music at the World Cup.
That is Jihyo - the leader and lead vocalist of TWICE. The female idol contributed her voice in the song "Follow me", one of the songs from the official music album of the tournament.
The project gathers many international artists showing that K-pop artists are increasingly trusted in global music products.
Previously, Jungkook (BTS) opened a new chapter for K-pop at the World Cup. In 2022, the male singer became the first K-pop solo artist to perform at the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar with the song "Dreamers".
The song was performed with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi and quickly created a global effect after release.
At Al Bayt Stadium, Jungkook brought a performance highly appreciated for both his singing voice and stage presence. The image of a BTS member appearing at one of the most watched events in the world has become a memorable milestone for K-pop fans.
The success of "Dreamers" afterwards also contributed to affirming the increasing position of Korean music in the international market.
The link between K-pop and the World Cup actually started more than two decades ago.
In 2002, when South Korea and Japan co-hosted the FIFA World Cup, singer Lena Park and the Brown Eyes duo collaborated with Japanese artists Chemistry and Sowelu in the Voices of Korea/Japan project.
The group released the song "Let's get together now", the title track in the official album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The song performance at the opening ceremony in Seoul at that time was considered a symbol of solidarity between the two host countries, and also marked one of the first times Korean music appeared on the World Cup stage.
From regional cooperation projects to performances watched by billions of viewers around the world, K-pop has had a long journey to become a notable part of the FIFA World Cup.
The participation of Jungkook, Lisa and Jihyo in FIFA World Cup music projects is clear evidence of the increasingly solid position of K-pop on the global cultural map.
As the boundary between music and sports is increasingly blurred, the FIFA World Cup is becoming an ideal stage for K-pop to continue to expand its influence.
And with what has been shown in recent years, the journey of K-pop singers at the biggest football festival on the planet may continue to write new chapters with greater spread.
