ELLE Digital Cover Star: Winter Has Finally Arrived—The Season JISOO Loves The Most.

Winter arrives quietly, the way JISOO likes it best. When we meet her, the year has almost slipped into December, and she’s thinking about warmth, stillness, and the simple comforts she once admired from afar. Wrapped in thoughts of falling snow, tangerines, and moments of calm between packed schedules and global tours, Jisoo feels reflective — present in a season that asks you to slow down. In conversation with ELLE, she speaks about memory, music, love, and learning how to stay gentle with herself, even while living life on the world’s biggest stages.

Advertisment

ELLE: Today, we captured JISOO beneath a picturesque landscape. What kind of artworks or paintings are you usually drawn to?
JISOO (J): I think preferences change depending on colour harmony. Rather than bright or flashy dark colours, I’m more drawn to soft, calm tones. I like cute, cartoon-like pictures and illustrations, and I also love paintings of trees and flowers — things that feel gentle.

ELLE: Looking back on 2025, how does it feel? What memory stays with you the most — one that resembles your favourite kind of painting?
J: If I think of the warmest and most beautiful memory, something similar to the kind of art I love, this year was truly full of moments. Among my personal experiences rather than work, one memory stands out. After finishing the tour, I was on a late-night flight home and couldn’t sleep. While watching the stars, I saw an incredible meteor shower. It was so big and bright, and it passed by so fast. For a moment, it felt as if I was sharing the same space with it in the sky. When you’re on a night flight, be sure to look outside — you’ll see so many stars.

ELLE: What moment on the tour do you want to remember forever?
J:The world tour DEADLINE is currently in full swing, and one of the most memorable moments for me is singing ‘STAY’. I love the moment when all the BLINKs turn on their phone lights and move together. It’s a memory that stays with me for a long time — something I can take out and look at whenever I’m tired. It gives me strength.

Advertisment

ELLE: You’re a tour veteran now. Have you become more comfortable handling unexpected situations on stage — and enjoying them?
J: I guess I can finally call myself a ‘tour veteran’ (laughs). Even when unexpected things happen on stage, I’ve learned how to respond well and enjoy them. Interestingly, we’ve been good at dealing with these moments since our rookie days. Because we’ve been together for so long, we can tell what’s going on just by looking into each other’s eyes. There have been many unexpected moments, but I don’t think many people noticed (laughs).

ELLE: How does it feel to perform in a member’s hometown?
J: Recently, after finishing the Bangkok concerts, I wrote on SNS, ‘Being able to perform three times in Lisa’s hometown is an honour and a blessing,’ and ‘Thailand now feels like home.’ Visiting a member’s hometown is always especially touching — emotional, and a little painful. Knowing that Lisa came to Korea at such a young age, grew up well, and truly loves Korea makes me feel even more affection for Thailand. When we go there for concerts, Lisa always packs food from good restaurants before the show, buys us snacks, and tells us about the latest trends. Thailand is best enjoyed when you go with Lisa.

ELLE: On this tour, you expressed the mood of each city through a wide variety of outfits. Is there one costume that stands out for you?
J: The moment I danced in a pink dress — one Dior spent 100 hours completing — at the LA SoFi Stadium concert is still vivid in my memory. It was also right before greeting Dior’s new creative director, Jonathan Anderson, so I remember feeling both excited and full of anticipation. When I wore that dress, I truly loved it. It felt amazing.

Especially the fitting scene filmed for the invitation video teasing Dior’s 2026 S/S collection — Jonathan Anderson’s first — felt just like a movie. It became such a hot topic, like watching a fairy-tale princess. Someone suggested releasing the fitting scene as a teaser, and filming the fitting itself felt fresh, playful, and fun. Because we kept shooting the details from so many angles, the team kept sewing and unsewing the same part of the skirt repeatedly. That process was funny — we laughed together while enjoying the shoot.

ELLE: You’ve shared a long journey with Dior. What has that journey given you?
J: Spending time with Dior helped me find my own colour and gain confidence. I discovered sides of myself I didn’t even know existed, and many of my fears disappeared. Being able to enjoy the present moment feels like a big reward.

ELLE: Let’s talk about music. You recently released the duet single ‘EYES CLOSED’ with ZAYN. Many people were surprised by this unexpected pairing. How did it come about?
J:Around April this year, while recording the song in LA, someone suggested, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if this were a duet with Zayn?’ I laughed and said, ‘Of course it would be amazing — but isn’t that just a dream?’ And then it became reality. With Zayn’s participation, the song finally felt complete.

What we talked about the most was the worldview of the music video. The space-floating concept was so unique and beautiful — it really surprised me. At first, suddenly having to shoot a music video together felt a bit awkward, and we were stiff. But as we talked about music, the tension eased. Once filming started, we sang together, enjoyed ourselves, and gradually became more comfortable.

ELLE: The lyrics talk about a more mature kind of love — ‘We should fall in love with our eyes closed.’ How was it exploring that theme?
J: There are so many ways to love in the world, and all of them are worth exploring. I find that fascinating. Since many human emotions are connected to love, I naturally end up talking about it in different forms. Even sadness, anger, or feeling low — I’ve come to see those as another form of love. Because of that, I’m able to shift my mood and thoughts more quickly.

ELLE: What does perfect love look like to JISOO?
J: Perfect love doesn’t exist. Maybe the final stage of love is trying to understand each other while getting as close to perfection as possible.

ELLE: Your vocal tone on this song feels lower and more delicate — slightly unfamiliar. Was there anything new you tried vocally?
J: I try to record every song a little differently. Just as my emotions change from song to song, I want to express different feelings through my voice as much as possible.

ELLE: With your 10th debut anniversary coming up, does music still feel exciting — and difficult — each time?
J: While preparing my next solo album, as well as BLACKPINK’s new album set to be released early next year, I think I’ll be living completely inside music. I still feel new emotions through new songs, and when I do, I want to share them with everyone as soon as possible. Thinking that someone else might feel the same emotions I felt while listening to a song makes me excited.

ELLE: As an artist, what does ‘doing well’ mean to you right now?
J: Rather than showing a flawless, perfect image, I think it’s more important to show something that carries your own unique colour. It’s still difficult. Everyone wants different things — you can’t satisfy everyone, and you can’t walk only one path. So you have to move flexibly and adapt to each moment. I’m still learning.

ELLE: You recently changed your YouTube channel name from ‘Happy JISOO 103%’. Some fans were sad to see it go. How did you feel?
J:Honestly, so was I. I’ve never really liked taking photos and didn’t use SNS much, so starting YouTube felt like a big 부담 (pressure). I chose a simple, smile-inducing name because I wanted to share small moments from my daily life. But after starting my own company, I realised I needed a channel for music promotion. So I changed it to JISOO — something easy to search and directly connected to me. Still, if everyone feels comfortable and happy, that’s ‘Happy JISOO 103%’ too.

ELLE: I think the world has finally realised that JISOO is actually very funny (laughs). When was the last time you made people around you laugh?
J:I can’t think of a specific moment, but people say I don’t really have ‘filters’. Maybe they’re laughing because I’m honest (laughs). I think that’s possible because I know how to love and protect myself well.

ELLE: These days, what are you consciously doing to take good care of yourself?
J: I make sure to cherish myself 충분히 (laughs) as I live my life. I just hope I can continue like this. When things get hard, remember that you always have yourself. Don’t be shaken by even the smallest worries — stay strong and get through it well.

Team Credits:

Photographer: An Sang Mi; Fashion Editor: Lee Ha Yan; Stylist: Choi Ja Young; Set Stylist: Kwon Do Hyung; Art Designer: Lee So Jung; Digital Designer: Kim Min Ji; Makeup: Lee Na Kyeum; Hair: Lee Hye Young; Nails: Park Eun Kyung; Assisted by: Lim Ju Wom; Translation: Samreen Dingkar