By Anjie Blardony Ureta (originally published in F Magazine Singapore/ September 2014 issue)
What
do you do when your reality has far exceeded your dreams? For K-Pop superstar Sandara
Park, success brought a deep yearning to retrace her roots and come home to
where her exciting journey began.
For
most people, it’s hard to believe that it has been a decade since this winsome girl
from Busan, South Korea, won second place in the ABS-CBN reality show, Star Circle Quest. Her quirky
personality immediately drew the attention of the viewers, earning her the endearing
moniker “krung-krung”.
Sandara,
who came to the Philippines when was only ten, became an overnight sensation with
a string of television programs, commercial endorsements, movie projects and recording
deals that kept her constantly in the public eye. She was even named Best New
Actress at the 21st Star Awards for her very first movie, while her debut
album went double platinum in the charts.
When
her family moved back to Korea in 2007, she signed up with one of the country’s
biggest and most influential agencies, YG Entertainment. Despite her earlier
success in showbiz, she went back to basics and entered the company’s training
pool for another two years before joining rapper-leader Lee Chaerin (CL), power
vocalist Park Bom and dance prodigy Gong Minzy to form the girl group, 2NE1. And
the rest is, quite literally, K-Pop history.
Since
its 2009 debut, critics and music lovers all over the world have hailed 2NE1 as
a game changer, smashing all Korean girl group stereotypes with its brash
attitude, fearless fashion sense and loaded arsenal of chart-busting,
multi-genre music. As one-fourth of this phenomenal group, she took on the
stage name “Dara” and became one of the most recognizable faces in K-Pop,
leaving particularly strong impressions with her extreme hairstyles and offbeat
wardrobe choices. Moreover, her stunningly beautiful visage has also made Dara
a staple of cosmetic ads that one can hardly walk through the shopping
districts of Seoul without seeing her image on huge billboards lining the
streets or from posters peeking out of shop windows.
Above
all, there is the music. Last February, 2NE1’s second album, Crush, set a new US record for the
highest-ranking, best-selling K-Pop album when it opened at #61 on Billboard
200 in just three days. At the wake of this astonishing success, the group launched
its second world tour -- All or Nothing
-- which kicked-off in Seoul last March and has since visited 12 countries,
including the Philippines and Singapore.
The
tour made its Manila stop last May 17, playing to a frenzied crowd of over
12,000 screaming fans at the Mall of Asia Arena. It was an auspicious date that
coincided with the group’s fifth anniversary. Not surprisingly, Dara revealed
the timing wasn’t entirely coincidental. “They showed us the tour schedules and
I saw that we were performing on May 17. Sabi
ko, dapat sa Manila ito! Sobrang special day para sa amin ‘yan at siyempre gusto ko kasama namin ang mga fans sa Pilipinas.”
Dara
arrived three days ahead of the group and went through a grueling marathon of
television appearances, pictorials and media interviews. Nevertheless, she
always had a radiant smile as she went tirelessly from one engagement to the
other, often breaking through tight security to greet loyal fans who waited for
hours at every venue just to get a glimpse of the girl they still lovingly
called “Sandy”.
When
the other members arrived Dara lost no time in teaching them basic Filipino
words and phrases, which they gamely used at every opportunity. At the concert,
they even delighted their Filipino fans with a surprise performance of Dara’s 2004
hit song, “In or Out”, as a special
anniversary treat.
“I really wish we could visit Manila more
often. Performing here as part of 2NE1 is a dream come true -- hindi ako makapaniwala!” she enthused.
Now
29, she still spoke Tagalog with ease, admitting that she gets a lot of
practice from watching Filipino movies on video. “I miss acting,” she revealed.
“One of my dreams is to make another movie in the Philippines -- maybe a
romantic comedy? It seems far-fetched at the moment but given the time and
opportunity, I would really love to do that.”
Beyond
speaking the language, Dara’s lifelong bond with the Philippines has likewise remained
strong and enduring in the little nuances of daily life. Fans all over the
world have become familiar with her Tagalog messages on social media when
conversing with Filipino friends, her fondness for sinigang na hipon, gambas, ChocNut and Chicken Joy, her admiration for acoustic group MYMP, as well
as her trademark greeting “Mahal ko kayo”
which comes with a playful wave of the hand.
Even
in the field of foreign relations, Dara’s loyalty to the Philippines has not gone
unrecognized. Last October, she joined state officials, industry leaders and
members of the diplomatic corps at a formal banquet hosted by South Korea’s President
Park Geun Hye in honor of visiting Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, emphasizing
her personal contribution to the cross-cultural exchange between the two
countries.
In
a culture that values a deep sense of gratitude (utang na loob), it is certain that Filipinos will always have a
soft spot for this Korean star who has done more than her share in promoting
the country and its people, and who continues to embody the admirable qualities
of humility, hard work and resilience despite the trappings of fame.
Most of
all, Dara – who proudly calls herself the Pambansang
Krung-Krung ng Pilipinas -- has shown her affinity with the Filipino people
when it mattered most. At the height of Typhoon Haiyan’s devastation, she and
her brother Cheondung (from the boy band MBLAQ) launched an online campaign to
raise funds for rehabilitation efforts. In her video appeal, Dara urged the
public to donate generously in helping a country she affectionately called her
“second home”.
Every
now and then, she admitted that she still gets homesick for the country where
she grew up. “I miss the food, the beaches, the people… especially my friends
and fans who are like family to me. This is a place where I received so much
love and support. Those memories will always be precious to me.”
*******
*PHOTOS
COURTESY OF YG ENTERTAINMENT
