Sandara Park, part of the K-pop sensation 2NE1, has said that she continues to choose the places she visits in South Korea to avoid being mobbed by fans.
“Noong una mahirap. But it’s been eight years, OK na. Nakikilala pa naman nila kami pero hindi na tulad ng dati na sobrang hirap. Pero pinipili ko pa rin ang pinupuntahan ko,” said Park, during an interview on “Tonight With Boy Abunda” on ABS-CBN.
Park, 31, has said that she and the rest of the girl group used to go to places with bodyguards.
It was in 2009 when 2NE1 blasted the music scene with the single “Fire.” Their other hit singles include “I Don’t Care,” “I Am the Best,” “Falling In Love,” etc. For a time, 2NE1 also became one of the Top 10 concert earners in the world.
Park recalled that she trained for two years before 2NE1 was introduced to the music scene.
“Medyo short lang ’yung training ko. Two years lang. Very short ’yun. Usually 10 years musical training. May four years, six years training yung iba para maging total performer ka. May singing, dancing, acting. Kasama rin ang English, Japanese, and Chinese language lessons. Total package talaga,” she said.
Park said that she enjoys going back to the Philippines but her home base right now is South Korea.
“Mapapadalas ang punta ko dito sa Pilipinas dahil sa ‘Pinoy Boy Band Superstar.’ Andito ako para mamasyal din. Last week or two weeks ago, andito rin ako. Pumupunta ako sa favorite restaurant ko and I meet my friends,” she said.
Asked why she accepted to become one of the judges for the reality show “Pinoy Boy Band Superstar” on ABS-CBN, Park said: “Unang-una, tamang-tama ’yung timing. Dati may ginagawa pa ako sa Korea, may tour ako. So wala akong time.
Ngayon tama ’yung oras na pupunta ako dito.”
“Dati sa ibang audition program, parang kinakabahan ako eh. Pressure. Pero eto, boy band ang hinahanap namin. Iba na ang kwento ngayon. Hinahanap ko ’yung special something na wala sa iba. ’Yung appeal. ’Yung X-Factor. Charisma. ’Yung mga ganun. ’Yung magugustuhan ng masa. May mga cute syempre. May mga cute na may boses naman,” Park also said.
Park said that in her opinion, appeal counts a lot in the boy band competition.
“Ang importante may appeal ka. Kasi boses pwede ka naman magpractice para ma-improve,” she said.
Before she became popular in Korea, Park has been a sensation on Philippine television when she became a runner-up in the first season of “Star Circle Quest” on the Kapamilya network in 2004. The winner – Hero Angeles – was chosen through text votes. She later found success on local television and movies.
Park recalled that Abunda, one of the judges for the star search then, asked her if she bought her votes.
“Natandaan ko you asked me kung binili ko ba ’yung mga text votes. But I know you are doing that for the ratings. I know sinabi mo ’yun because you care for me,” she said.
Abunda apologized to Park, then known as Dara, when he proved her wrong and she later became an international star.
Asked what kind of judge she would be like, Park said: “Parang Tito Boy din yata ako. But I guess your intention is to encourage them to make them better. ’Yung sinasabi ko para sa kanila rin ’yun.”
Park also described her chemistry with the other stars of the reality show as “perfect.” Joining her in the program are host Aga Muhlach, and co-judges Yeng Constantino and Vice Ganda.
“Sobrang excited ako na makatrabaho sila kasi nga idol ko sila. Parang perfect combination ito. Ang ganda ng chemistry namin,” she said. (Robert R. Requintina)