JISOO Explains Why She ‘Felt the Need’ to Make a Solo Album After BLACKPINK Success on ‘Hot Ones’
The star also shared her new favorite English phrase and why she loves spicy foods before shows.
All the members of BLACKPINK have now taken the Hot Ones challenge, with JISOO completing the tetrad by appearing on the Thursday (July 30) episode of the show and opening up about her new album, favorite English phrases and why she loves eating spicy foods before performances.
Though bandmates JENNIE, ROSÉ and LISA each struggled to handle the spice overload on their respective episodes, host Sean Evans noted that JISOO might fare the best, having heard that she has the highest tolerance of the group. (During her 2025 appearance on the web series, JENNIE even made a plea for JISOO to try her hand at the hot-sauce lineup.)
For the most part, the South Korean singer-actress was solid as she ate the increasingly spicy hot wings while answering Evans’ questions, starting with details about her first solo full-length coming soon. “I made the effort to show a variety of charms,” she said of the project. “Whether it’s musical styles that I really liked or putting in different styles I liked listening [to], it was to add a bit of color to the album.”
“Going from doing everything with a group to creating a solo mini album last year, I felt the need to further explore my true colors through this adventure I’m on,” JISOO continued. “I’ve started a much bigger adventure this time that I will work hard with everyone to overcome.”
Staying strong past the midpoint of the show, the Boyfriend on Demand star also revealed her favorite English phrase her bandmates — who have more experience speaking the language than she does — have taught her. She was previously fond of “It’s a pity,” and as JISOO told Evans, “They taught me another one like it: ‘Piece of cake!'”
She added that she likes to whip it out whenever she can to “surprise” the people around her with her English knowledge. “When they ask how I knew that phrase, I just tell them that I simply do,” the performer said slyly.
And though JISOO held strong for the most part, she did start to reach her limit toward the end of the episode, having a bit of milk and ice cream and airing out her tongue. Overall, Evans was correct that she was a good match for the Hot Ones challenge, but as the K-pop star explained, she’s no stranger to spice.
“I’m actually eating spicy foods,” she revealed when discussing what she’s typically doing in the two hours leading up to a concert. “Eating spicy foods relaxes my throat, and as a result, I sing better. I sweat and relieve stress in my body.”
After embarking on a comeback tour in July last year and wrapping this past January, BLACKPINK unleashed EP Deadline in February, which reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200. JISOO is now busy putting the finishing touches on her debut solo album, which will follow her February 2025 EP, AMORTAGE.
Watch JISOO’s full Hot Ones episode above.
