BLACKPINK member Lisa recently shared a special moment from her trip to Japan with her fans. Singer Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal posted an Instagram Story today showing her visit to Punch-kun, the viral Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. She also brought a special gift for him. The photos have now gone viral.
BLACKPINK's LISA went to visit the Monkey Punch, who became popular on the internet after his story touched thousands of people. pic.twitter.com/E6m8pqYQz2
— EMPIRE (@EmpireIX) March 7, 2026
The post included several photos and quickly went viral, leaving social media users smiling. In the pictures, Lisa carried an orangutan plush toy that looked identical to the one the seven-month-old macaque often clutches. She also shared a photo of Punch-kun sitting to the side. In one picture, she waved at him with a big smile, which melted the internet.
Many people found the moment especially heart-warming, almost as if two old friends had arranged to meet. After the image appeared online, Blackpink fans and animal lovers flooded social media with comments praising Lisa for her affection for Punch-kun.
Punch-kun has become the centre of a deeply moving viral story that has touched people around the world. His mother abandoned him, and the troop later rejected him. Soon after, people noticed that he constantly carried an orangutan plush toy and held it tightly, using it as a substitute for a mother’s embrace. To help him recover, zookeepers Kosuke Shikano and Shumpei Miyakoshi introduced a creative and unconventional solution.
They first tried using blankets and towels, but these attempts did not work. Eventually, they gave Punch an orange, bug-eyed IKEA orangutan plush toy. Instead of simply playing with it, Punch accepted it as his surrogate mother. His growing group of online fans affectionately named the toy "Ora-mama".
Viral videos showed the tiny monkey dragging the oversized plush toy around his enclosure. When he felt nervous, he buried his face in its fur and often fell asleep peacefully in its arms.
Punch-kun soon became a symbol of resilience. His story drew visitors from across Japan and even inspired IKEA to donate dozens of extra toys so he would never feel alone. Recently, however, clear signs of progress have appeared. Punch-kun now leaves the plush toy behind more often and approaches other monkeys in the troop with growing confidence.
