K-pop singer Lisa thrills Thai fans with traditional headgear in solo video

BANGKOK, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Thai-born K-pop singer Lalisa ‘Lisa’ Manoban has so delighted her fans in Thailand by wearing the traditional golden headdress in the video for her first solo single that some are going out and buying their own.

The video for Lalisa, hit band Blackpink member Lisa’s first solo song, has amassed more than 100 million views on Youtube since its release on Friday.

One segment features Manoban sitting on an ornate golden throne and wearing the traditional tall, pointed headdress which in modern Thailand is worn mainly in traditional dance forms.

Traders at a popular market in the Thai capital Bangkok told Reuters on Sunday that since Friday there had been a surge in sales of traditional outfits and accessories.

“A lot of people have been ordering from us via our online shop, while here at the shop, we’ve had a constant flow of customers coming up to us, showing interest every day, the whole day, asking what kind of headgear we have, what style, what colour,” said Samorn Suthiwong, who works at Fashion Point, a clothes’ store in the market.

Customer Mew Lalita, 40, agreed with Manoban’s fans that her incorporating Thai national costume in her video would help to make their cultural heritage more accessible both at home and abroad.

“I think it’s a perfect combination (of fashion and tradition). This makes it easier for Thai culture to be applied to our everyday lives,” said Mew.

At Fashion Point, the handmade head accessories cost between 250 to 1000 baht ($7.65 – $30.58) per piece.