Until the stage becomes a playground.
Though she had been looking forward to it for so long, Sandara says she was transfixed with the pressure and anxiety on her first performance. Because she’d never even considered becoming anything other than a singer, Sandara felt so much pressure thinking it was her one chance to make a good first impression on the public, and show how much effort she’d put in.
A music video production diary written by Sandara herself will take the place of Part 7 of Sandara Park’s Star Diary. She wrote her own subheadings and posted the pictures herself too.
This is Reporter Dara! I see my reporting skills have been recognised by the outside world as well, so I get to be a reporter for the day.
It’s been a hot topic on the net lately. I am thinking of releasing the behind story of the filming of our ‘Try To Follow Me’ (‘TTFM’) music video.
”I’m going to see if you have the potential to be a singer for the last time. Show me your results in a month.”
It was like a ray of light for Sandara who was having a hard time overcoming the sadness of her situation. For the first and last time, President Yang had given her a chance.
”I practised SO hard for a month. CL, Park Bom and Gong Minzy gave me a lot of help as they watched me practise. I made a planning chart and practised until dawn.”
Park Bom taught her things on breathing, pronunciation and where to accent in songs. CL helped with selecting outfits, and Minzy with making choreography.
”At the time, the members pretty much made me up from head to toe. I think it was in spring of 2008, I tried really hard with the thought that it was the last opportunity I’d get.”
President Yang said ”For the first time, I see potential. Practise with the rest” and allowed Sandara to become a singer trainee.
”To tell the truth, I thought that meant I’d become a singer soon after. But I was deluded. I lived as a trainee for a year. There were 6 trainees in YG at the time and I think President Yang was paying close attention to all of us to decide on the best combination.”
Sandara was in a delicate situation for a year. She couldn’t let her guard down after President Yang told them ‘Noone knows whether there will be six members or five.’ As time went by, hip hop became a part of Sandara’s life too and she started becoming more and more like the other members.
”Dara, I don’t think you really fit the YG image. How about becoming an actress?”
To Sandara who had even given up her popularity in the Philippines to become a singer, these words came to her as a huge shock. Working with Yang Hyun Seok had seemed like a dream come true for Sandara as she had liked Seo Taiji & Boys and copied their dances and songs from a young age. Sandara got on her plane excited about fulfilling her dream as a singer in Korea, and that under her childhood hero too.
”I was really shocked at President Yang’s words. He was right though. In the Philippines I had a teenager image, and I lacked skill as well as being ignorant about black music. But even so I never even imagined that he’d tell me to become an actress instead. It felt like the hardships had come.”
Back in 2007 when Sandara signed an exclusive contract with YG Entertainment, the singers of YG who were active at the time included highly skilled artists like Se7en, Wheesung, Gummy and Lexy. There were also countless trainees in YG looking to follow their dreams as a singer. It caused some controversy when it was reported that YG was signing Sandara.
”I think people made the judgement that I didn’t suit YG after seeing my image in the Philippines on KBS’ ‘Human Theatre’.”
Eventually, Sandara officially started off her activities as an actress. She appeared in the music video of Gummy’s ‘I’m Sorry’ with T.O.P, member of the group Big Bang. Sandara looked a little bashful as she recollected her memories from filming the music video.
”TOP is quite shy around strangers, and I’m not exactly social either so we hardly talked at the studio. My conversations with TOP consisted of only three phrases: ‘Hello. Goodbye. Good work.’ To tell the truth, we’re still awkward. (laughs)”
Her first proper step into the Korean entertainment industry was with the MBC drama ‘The Return of Iljimae’. Her role in ‘The Return of Iljimae’ was the ninja, Lee. Sandara showed an elegant charm and performed fierce action scenes.
”I filmed ‘The Return of Iljimae’ for about a week. The director and all the staff were all so nice to me. I swear they treated me better than they did to Iljimae (Jung Ilwoo) himself. (laughs) I tried really hard and it was a fun experience.”
Just as she began to enjoy being an actress, Sandara was hurt deeply and fell into a state of despair. She had been chosen for a drama, but while she was practising her lines she was suddenly dropped from the part.
”I was chosen as the lead for a masterpiece. So I’d been practising my lines and making preparations and such. But I was suddenly told that I was being dropped. It was a huge shock, I cried my eyes out.”
But Yang Hyun Seok gave Sandara a golden opportunity during her time of sorrow and despair.
Source: asiae.co.kr
Translation Credits: sjay.x @ YGLadies.com
After getting known in the Philippines by the show “Star Circle Quest” Sandara Park started to live on the high-end celebrity life.
Sandara Park had as many as 4 programs confirmed to film in one week. The more she went on to the shows, the more she became popular. However the unique broadcasting ways in the Philippines is hard to understand for foreigners.
“In the Philippines, we had to act with the couple or person that we were paired up with on the show. Also in the Philippines, taking time off to rest is deadly for stars.”
Like the saying ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’, Sandara Park followed this trend faithfully.
“Truthfully, when I was doing ‘Star Circle Quest’ I thought ‘after this I will be able to rest’ and held on. But right after ‘Star Circle Quest’ I had to do 4 programs at once. Whew~ I couldn’t rest at all for one year. It was to the extent that I just slept in the car. But, I think I have good stamina. I never got sick. (laughs)”
Although she had looks of a child, Sandara Park, who boasts her strong stamina, held a positive view on it all and took on all those schedules without a problem. Looking at her bright expression – when she talks about how after her debut, she formed many memories doing her schedules around Philippines – one can feel her love for the country.
[under picture]Sandara Park during her activities in the Philippines
[Star Diary] This is a continuation from Sandara Park(2).
[Economy Asia’s reporter Lim Hye Sun] Sandara Park, who has first started her entertainment activities in the Philippines is a leading figure in the ‘Reverse-Hallyu’ Wave.
Starting from the time her face was known the the public of the Philippines in 2003, Sandara Park has held incredible popularity to the moment she returned to Korea. It was so incredible that it was said that one was not a citizen of the Philippines if they did not know Sandara Park. With the popularity in the Philippines as a base, when Sandara Park returned to Korea, the fans in Korea gave her the nickname ‘BoA of the Philippines.’
“Entertainment work in the Philippines was by chance. One day, a friend suggested that I try out for the audition in ABS-CBN’s ‘Star Circle Quest.’ I thought, ‘This might be a good experience,’ and decided to try it, but the results turned out to be very good.”
‘Star Circle Quest’ is similar to America’s FOX program ‘American Idol’ and Korea’s Mnet program ‘Superstar K,’ and at that time in 2004 had been a very popular program.
After moving to the Philippines, due to language and cultural barriers, Sandara Park had, at one point, stopped talking, but she did not once lose her dream of becoming an entertainer. Sandara Park’s parents consoled her, promising to send her back to Korea after she graduates high school. For Sandara Park, who was only waiting for her high school graduation, ‘Star Circle Quest’ was a fateful opportunity.
“At that time, I could not speak the Philippine language at all. I was the first case of a Korean coming for an audition. I didn’t know anything, and everything I did was awkward and clumsy. My clumsiness was probably something new to them. I think I got lucky.” ( This is why Krung -Krung is her nickname, means wacky or crazy. It’s not an insult but is actually more of a ‘term of endearment’ for her. Filipinos really love her uniqueness 🙂 )
[under picture] Sandara Park during her entertainment activities in the Philippines
Sandara Park took the audition in November 2003 and began broadcast activites in April 2004. Because the program was so popular that it was broadcasted six days of the week from Monday to Saturday, Sandara Park’s popularity also grew with it.
“The definition of an artist in the Philippines was different from that of an artist in Korea. In the Philippines, they wanted an all-around entertainer who can do everything from singing to acting to hosting. I understand a hundred times what the participants of ‘Superstar K’ were going through. I had gone through the bloody ordeal of survival myself.” ( A multi-tainer is a MUST in Philippine entertainment)
Sandara Park started with the thought of it as a learning experience, but she tried her best. Even in the horror experience the participants had to go through with the theory that it is to give them a stronger heart to be able to do good horror acting, Sandara Park did not step back. For a young female student to withstand, the horror experience was very merciless. “
We had to make dishes out of mice and lizards and eat it, and even go through a house said to be really haunted. There was even a mission where we had to cut a chicken’s throat, and more horrifying missions of the kind. To be honest, I couldn’t eat the mouse.”
The fear amongst the participants went on air just like that. Sandara Park also, in face of some horrifying missions, would lose energy and sink down, but she could not give up on her dream of being an entertainer.
“Since I kept crying out of fear, the producers knew I wouldn’t be able to do it and gave out harder missions. The one I remember most is the mission in which I had to do a chicken dish myself. Starting from going into the mountains to cut off a chicken’s head, I had to do everything by myself. Honestly, it was so exhausting.” (OMG The chicken! I felt scared for her but that scene was really funny 🙂 I don’t think I can ever behead a chicken. )
But contrary to her slender looks, Sandara Park was very strong. She went through mission after mission of experiences a female student may find hard to do, but Sandara Park did not even show one tear in front of her parents.
“I thought of quitting many times every day. I even cried a lot during filming. It really felt like I was the only one in the world. Since I didn’t know anything, I think it was worse. But I wanted to win this on my own because I thought, ‘I don’t want my parents to be hurt because of my dream.” ( At that time, you can really feel that she’s having a hard time but her strength is undeniable.)
The sincerity of Sandara Park reached the citizens of the Philippines. In the final round in which the final five are chosen, She received a record amount of 500,000 text votes. This was the highest number of votes a female participant had ever received. But sadly, Sandara Park received 2nd place in the ‘Grand Final.’( I though it was 700,oo0 + right? anyway, my mom and I voted for her!!! She’s really the crowd favorite and the most popular among her fellow contestants :). For the Filipinos if you say SCQ, you’ll immediately think of her)
“Actually I was very happy when I was dropped. I tried as hard as I could, but honestly, I was lacking in skills. When the grand prize was being awarded, I was chanting in my head, ‘Don’t call me, don’t call me.’ I felt very pressured by the award. When my name wasn’t called, I was so happy I ‘bounced’ around. Outside people complimented me, saying Sandara Park is sincerely happy for her competitor’s win. In truth, I was happy because my mind was at ease. (laugh)”(She’s really really happy that time :))
The Philippine press introduced Sandara Park’s traits as blunt and honest. The participants in ‘Star Circle Quest’ were mostly already in agencies, but Sandara Park was ignorant of the concept of broadcast.
“I said both things I should and should not say on air. Because I throw out bomb after bomb of news-worthy information, reporters on the scene liked me a lot. I was probably also very honest with my emotions. If I was sad, I cried, and if I liked it, I liked it, and expressed myself clearly. I think people loved me for being pure and real.” (Another thing that I like about her is her straightforwardness. She gets misunderstood at times but none of it became a huge issue because they know that she’s a person that’s genuinely nice, truthful and REAL.)
Sandara Park’s Star Diary part 4 will continue on Asia Economy Newspaper homepage(www.asiae.co.kr) 3/10 at 8am KST.
Source: Asia Economy News
Translated by Orangie@The YG Secret
Re-posted at: letsplay2ne1
Sandara Park’s description – Young Dara’s favourite machine with a mike
Sandara. Her name in Korean means ‘to be wise and brilliant’. This came form Kim Yu-shins’ childhood name. Affiliated with 2NE1, a person who sings.
From early on Sandara Park (26, full name Sandara Park) particularly liked to play with cassette tapes and mikes. Her biggest interest was in ‘fashion’. The clothes loving little kid who liked to wear the then fashionable flared pants, was a ‘fashion guru’ wearing hats to accentuate her fashion. Perhaps this was a phase that helped her to prepare for becoming an artist.
“My parents told me when I was little, my favorite toy was a cassette-player that had a mike attached to it. I don’t remember it very well. (Laughs) I only knew after looking at pictures. I remember liking clothes. Since I was small I’ve been interested in clothes. I don’t know why. I think I liked spending the time to pick out my outfits.”
Sandara Park was born in Busan and when she was 3rd grade moved to Dae-gu. Sandara Park, who instead of the working parents took good care of her brother, started to dream of being an ‘entertainer’ after hearing the song “I know”.
“When I was in 2nd grade, Seo Tai Ji and Kids debuted. Seo Tai Ji and Kid’s songs, clothes, and dance let me dream of being an ‘entertainer’. And also, when watching child-actors on TV, that pulled my blood/pulled me in. When I saw kids my age act I thought, ‘Ah, I want to do that too’.”
It gets tired for an idol who has to live through this ‘multi-talented genius’ phase. It’s because they cannot gain fame just by singing well. They can only survive as celebrities when they can sing, dance, and talk well. On stage they show us their laser-eyed charisma but when on variety shows, they turn totally 180 and take a step closer to the viewers.
Then one day I realized. There was a TV show special featuring the girl groups like SNSD, Kara, and Brown Eyed Girls and all the names of the members rung a bell in [my] head, but 2NE1 was nowhere to be found. Now that [I] think of it, except for the music programs, 2NE1 is almost nowhere to be found.
I got curious. I wanted to know their secret on how they survive this ‘multi-talented genuis’ idol phase without being pushed over and also how they are able to walk on their own paths.
Remember the post before about Alexander of U-KISS choosing Dara as his ideal girl? The video is out so ch-ch-check it out! It’s a MUST-SEE you guys! hahaha
credit: ukissmusicbox @youtube
Thank you crazygirl 😀
The boys are so cute cheering for their ideal girls! Check out 5:02 , Kevin and Alexander’s reaction when Dara’s pic was shown LOL! and is that Kevin holding the picture boards? ohoho juicy! You gotta love’ em<3
Thanks to Rice and leeyanabelle@twitter for the tip!
Our dear Ssantoki’s UFO messages under the cut 🙂
As promised, we now present you the Dara Fanboy List. For those of you who didn’t know, ‘fanboy’ is quite an extreme word. It means a person who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking and enthusiasm for a certain person, team etc. So we thought of having our own take on this word.
According to our limited edition Oh Dara! Dictionary, these are the definitions of a fanboy.
fan-boy (noun) – 1.One who cannot help but declare his liking for Dara in tv shows, radio shows, polls and whatnot. 2. One who chooses Dara even when pitted against other pretty Korean celebrities. 3.One who unconsciously or intentionally channels Dara’s fashion and style. 4. One who finds Dara pretty, cute and sexy 5.One who forgets about other peoples’ presence and zeroes in on Dara instead. 7.One who resorts to desperate measures to get close to Dara i.e. sending a video message to Yang Hyun Suk. 8.One who includes Dara’s name in his song’s lyrics. 9.One with actions being quite fishy. 10. One who likes Dara as a noona. 11. One who wants to meet Dara someday.
A. I-Choose-Sandara-Park-as-my-ideal-girl-fanboys
B. Dara-is-pretty- Dara-is-cute -I-like-Dara – I-especially-like-Dara- statement-giving-fanboys
C. Radio Interview fanboys
D. KBS2 Champagne Ideal Type World Cup fanboys
E. Get-close-to- Thunder-to-get-close-to Dara a.k.a Thunder-is-my-Secret-Weapon-fanboys
F. Dara-poster-and-photo-loving-fanboys
G. Fashion, Style and Imitation fanboys
H. YG-is-the-way-to-Dara-fanboys
I. Dara-is-my-song’s-muse-fanboys
J. Your-action-is-fishy-fanboys
K. I-want-to-meet-Dara-fanboys
L. I-want- to-get-close-to-Dara-fanboys
M. Sandara-Park-is-mine-and-Sandara-Park-I-want-you -statement-giving-fanboys
N. I-like-Dara-more-than-my-noona-fanboys
credit: ohdara [please include the fanboy meaning when taking out]
NOTE: The list will be subject to changes.
xoxo,
mademoiselle deshi & ambassador lee
*****
UPDATED – December 28 , 2010
oh-dara.com 
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