Who Is Pleum Nachkhu? BLACKPINK’s Lisa Sparks Fresh Dating Buzz With Childhood Friend Amid Frédéric Arnault, Blue Pongtiwat Rumours

BLACKPINK’s Lisa is once again at the centre of dating speculation, but the man generating attention this time is someone who knew her years before she became a global K-pop superstar.

A recent photograph featuring Lisa and Thai actor and former dancer Pleum Nachkhu has gone viral among fans. Their affectionate pose quickly sparked questions about whether their long friendship could have developed into something more.

However, there is an important detail behind the viral moment: Lisa and Pleum have reportedly known each other since childhood, long before BLACKPINK, international tours and global fame entered the picture.

Who is Pleum Nachkhu?

Pleum Nachkhu, also known as Pleum Nachkhun Nuttanon, is a Thai actor, dancer and content creator.

His connection with Lisa reportedly stretches back more than 14 years. The pair were part of the Thai dance crew We Zaa Cool during their younger years and are said to have trained and performed together from around the age of 10.

That makes Pleum one of Lisa’s longtime friends from her pre-fame years.

While Lisa eventually moved to South Korea and became part of BLACKPINK, Pleum continued his own journey in entertainment. He later ventured into acting and appeared in the 2019 Thai television series ‘Hotel Stars’, while remaining connected with dance and digital content.

What sparked Lisa-Pleum dating rumours?

The latest wave of speculation began after Pleum shared several photographs on social media on September 5.

One image in particular grabbed fans’ attention. Pleum could be seen embracing Lisa, who was dressed in bright red and smiling while leaning towards him.

The comfortable and affectionate pose was enough to send sections of social media into detective mode, with fans debating whether the two might be more than childhood friends.

Pleum’s enthusiastic reaction to meeting Lisa again added another layer to the conversation.

“I’ve been so happy since yesterday that I’ve been screaming. It’s really amazing,” Pleum said.

Still, neither Lisa nor Pleum has announced that they are romantically involved.

Their friendship goes back more than a decade

The pair’s long history provides a much simpler explanation for their apparent closeness.

Pleum has previously spoken about how long he has known Lisa, reportedly telling a fan that their friendship dates back to when they were around 10 years old.

That means their bond existed well before Lisa debuted with BLACKPINK in 2016 and became one of the most recognisable Thai entertainers in the world.

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For that reason, a friendly embrace between the two should not by itself be treated as confirmation of a romantic relationship.

What about Lisa and Frédéric Arnault?

Lisa’s personal life has attracted intense scrutiny for years, particularly because of speculation linking her to French businessman Frédéric Arnault, a member of the LVMH family.

The two had been linked since 2023, with their appearances at various locations and events repeatedly fuelling dating reports.

Neither Lisa nor Arnault publicly confirmed that they were in a relationship.

More recently, speculation over their status intensified again, particularly after Arnault’s reported absence from Lisa’s 29th birthday celebrations. Subsequent reports suggested that the two may have gone their separate ways, although neither publicly confirmed a breakup.

As a result, claims about the precise nature or timeline of their relationship remain unverified unless addressed directly by either side.

Blue Pongtiwat also linked to Lisa

Adding another twist to the speculation surrounding Lisa’s private life is Thai actor Blue Pongtiwat.

The two have attracted dating rumours after being spotted together on multiple occasions, including appearances connected to Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan.

Blue also attended Lisa’s birthday celebration and later shared beach photographs featuring the pair, accompanying them with the message, “Cheers to you, rockstar!”

Those moments inevitably generated online speculation, but once again, neither Lisa nor Blue has confirmed a romantic relationship.

Fans have also pointed to their existing friendship as a reason not to read too much into their public appearances.

Lisa has previously spoken about dating pressures

The intense attention surrounding Lisa’s friendships also highlights the challenges K-pop stars face when it comes to keeping their personal lives private.

Lisa has previously discussed the restrictive culture surrounding relationships within the K-pop industry, while her representatives have reportedly sought to keep interview conversations focused away from her private romantic life.

That makes the latest social media frenzy another example of how quickly a photograph or public appearance involving a major celebrity can turn into dating speculation.

So, are Lisa and Pleum Nachkhu dating?

At present, there is no public confirmation that Lisa and Pleum Nachkhu are dating.

What is known is that they share a friendship stretching back more than a decade and knew each other well before Lisa became internationally famous.

The viral photograph may look romantic to some fans, but without confirmation from either person, describing them as a couple would be premature.

For now, the story is perhaps more remarkable for another reason: behind one of the world’s biggest K-pop stars is a childhood friendship that has survived an extraordinary journey from a young Thai dance crew to global fame.