MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos are witness to Sandara Park’s rise to fame. 

We got to know her as the self-proclaimed “krung krung” who joined and almost won the Filipino talent search TV show, Star Circle Quest. We then watched her rise to K-pop fame when she became part of the Korean girl group 2NE1.

But during a press conference on Sunday, July 29 just before she met with fans for Penshoppe’s 2018 FanCon, Sandara, or now more popularly known as Dara, said that her career as a singer started way earlier in life: During a high school Linggo ng Wika (Filipino Language Week) performance.

Dara said that she used to be a “super shy type.” During high school however, she was made to sing for Linggo ng Wika. Dara describe it as “the day that changed my life.”

“After that [her performance], my friends told me, “OMG, you know how to sing, you have a good voice. Nagkaroon na ako ng confidence (It gave me confidence), and that brought me here,” she said. 

Growing up in the Philippines, it’s no secret that Filipinos are close to Dara’s heart. 

Dara, during the press conference, said that “Pinoys makes me proud.”

She said that her Korean friends are always surprised to see how Filipinos are always so friendly and happy singing. 

“But now, ganun na rin sila (But they’re now also like that). They told me, ‘I know why you’re acting like that. When we come to the Philippines and got to know the Filipino culture.’ And they really loved it,” Dara added.

Dara post-2NE1 

Dara also said that she’s looking forward to more TV shows, something she wasn’t allowed to do a lot as part of their strategy, when she was still with the now-disbanded 2NE1. 

“I would love to try everything. Ngayon (now), I’m doing a beauty show. A traveling show. Maybe, someday, I can try a cooking show, but ‘di ako marunong magluto (but I don’t know how to cook),” Dara said.

Asked for her dream projects in the Philippines, Dara said that she’d like to be in a movie, revealing that her management is already in talks for a local movie with her. 

“I’m just waiting for the right timing. Alam ko, yung leading man may ibang project. Busy daw. And then, when he was okay, ako naman ang busy. So yung timing, that’s the hardest part,” she said.

(I’m just waiting for the right timing. What I know is that the leading mean had another project. He was busy. And when he became free, I became busy. So the timing in the hardest part.)

Working with Nam Joo-Hyuk 

Dara came to Manila with Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo actor Nam Joo-Hyuk for the Penshoppe FanCon, and during the press conference, Dara said that working with Joo-Hyuk has always been something she wanted to do.

In fact, Dara said it was her who recommended to a friend in Penshoppe to get Joo-Hyuk as brand ambassador. “Nagulat ako na one day, tada (I was surprised because one day, here’s here)! I’m very happy to work with him,” 

Dara, however, said that she’d be happier if she can work with him for a movie or drama. 

“I thought medyo snob siya. Ganun lang image niya, kasi nga ‘di ba guwapo, pero he’s really nice, friendly. So I [want] to work with him,” Dara said. (I thought he was a snob, his image is like that because he’s handsome. But he’s actually really nice and friendly. So I want to work with him.) 

The two both played roles for Cheese in the Trap, but Dara was part of the film version while Joo-Hyuk was in the TV series. “Hindi kami sabay. So sana next time, sabay na kami,” she said. (We weren’t together. So next time, hopefully we’d be together.)

For his part, Joo Hyuk said that he’d also love to work with Dara for a romantic comedy and even said in Korean that he’s “very confident he can make her laugh everyday.”

Both Joo Hyuk and Dara are managed by YG Entertainment. – Rappler.com