Feature: Sandara Park ‘Star Diary’ Part 6: “I secretly ate chocolate in the bathrooms, I have a greedy appetite”

”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.

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Feature: Sandara Park ‘Star Diary’ Part 5- “When I first entered YG, ‘Dara, how about being an actress?”

SORRY for the late late late post

”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

Feature: Sandara Park ‘Star Diary’ Part 4: “The truth about the sexy pictorial controversy…”

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.

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