DARA - Meg (July) Magazine Interview!
In this exclusive cover feature with meg, Sandara reveals what she believes is her secret to success, how difficult it was to break through in Korea, what she still wants to achieve in her career (Clue: it has something to do with the Philippines!), and even how she was almost removed from 2NE1. We re-introduce you, Sandara Park.
A lot of 2NE1 songs may scream girl power, but Sandara shares what her personality is more like. “Almost all of our songs, like I DON’T CARE— they’re about independence. But its the opposite of my personality.”
I’M THE BEST— “maybe because I want to be that way, the lyrics are very confident but I don’t have that much confidence when i’m not on stage. That’s my dream song.”
LONELY — “I can relate to it.”
GOOD TO YOU — “its a song that is included in our new album along with COME BACK HOME. I can very much relate to it because it is about a good girl singing to a bad boy. It seems like I always fall in love with bad boys. So, its very relatable (laughs).”
“MAHAL KO KAYO (I LOVE YOU [plural])”
She captured every Pinoy’s heart in the first ever Star Circle Quest in 2004 and enjoyed a fruitful television and movie career, reportedly made up to one million pesos a month worth of commission from her KTexts (an ABS-CBN text messaging service pre-Instagram days), and dubbed the Pambansang Krung Krung of the Philippines. She loved and owned the title so much that to this day, her twitter ID is @krungy21. She makes it a point to watch Filipino movies via Star Cinema DVDs sent to her by fans—with this, Sandara actually improved speaking Tagalog despite living in Korea for the past eight years.
MEG: Sometimes you go to the Philippines in secret and for fun. What is it about the Philippines that makes you keep coming back?
DARA: I like the place! i like the beaches and the food. There are so many good memories from the Philippines that I won’t ever forget.
MEG: When you’re here, you prefer doing interview in Tagalog. Why?
DARA: Because at first, in SCQ, I did not know Tagalog. And people were telling others to not vote for me because I did not know how to speak Tagalog. Once I learned, I became comfortable in speaking Tagalog. And for the fans as well, they are happier that I did not forget how to speak Tagalog.
MEG: Aah, okay! I am curious about it because before in SCQ, your fan base was purely filipinos . Now your fans are from all over the world! Yet you still hold your filipino fans so dear to you…
DARA: I’m not sure, but I think my biggest fan base is still from the Philippines. Of course, its because we were together for a long time. They’ve been supporting me for 10 years already. They’re like my friends.
With absolutely no Filipino blood, she joined a program in search for a celebrity just for the experience. Cute, charming, but not a legit performer— that was the people’s impression of her back then. They say it was because she showed her vulnerability that endeared her to the judges (a tough trio composed of Boy Abunda, Gloria Diaz & Director Laurenti Dyogi) and to the fans.
MEG: I don’t know if you remember the feeling, but let’s go back to when you joined SCQ. When you auditioned, did you think you would win?
DARA: No, i didn’t even imagine
MEG: What did you think? What were your expectations?
DARA: Its like…Okay, I’ll try it for the experience. But I never imagined that I would enter the top 50, then top 20, and top 10. I really didn’t imagine/expect it at all.
MEG: Did that experience change you? Did you become more confident? Imagine, it really exceeded your expectations.
DARA: At first, I was really a cry baby! At top 10, top 5, I was always crying. But because of my fans, I became more confident. I saw their banners that had my name on it, their screams. I realized that I really can do it.
With reality shows , you quickly get thrusted into fame but you can also just quickly fade from the limelight. As the Philippines showbiz industry got more cutthroat and new talents started to gain popularity, Sandara decided to take things a step further by trying to make it in the K-pop world.
MEG: You decided to move to Korea around 2007, and then you started training for dancing and singing. And you were saying that you did not have any allowance back then. It really was just training only. When you started there, did you think you would make it this big eventually?
DARA: Not even, I didn’t even think about it. But I really thought to myself that I want to be like this, on stage. I think that is the secret to success.
MEG: Did you used to visualize singing & dancing on stage?
DARA: Mmm, that’s all I could think about.
MEG: So after all the training, all the hard work. You have to acknowledge to yourself that you’ve made it?
DARA: When we started recording, I wasn’t even sure. (At that time) They could still take me out after recording. But I felt it when we started shooting for our first commercial as a group with BIGBANG. And then finally when we shot the music video for FIRE, I said to myself, “This is it! Its really happening!”.
MEG: Do you remember the first time you heard your song on the radio or saw your video on TV? What did you feel at that time?
DARA: I can’t believe it! When I heard the song, we were walking and we stopped abruptly. I said, ‘Wait! let’s listen to it first!’, Its really like a dream come true.
“REALLY HARD. REALLY SCARY.”
Making it in the Philippines is extremely different from making it in Korea. In Sandara’s local career post-SCQ, she used to sing and dance novelty acts. In Seoul, she is an artist who performs international pop hits and does sold out world tours. It took years of training and intense discipline for Sandara to get where she is now, complete with six-pack abs.
MEG: No doubt, all the public sees is when you’re made up in magazines or performing on stage. In short, they just see all the glamour. How tough, or how difficult does it get behind the scenes?
DARA: It was very hard. Because if you’re a trainee, you do not know when you’re making your debut. You do not know when you will become successful. It was really hard at that time, and I was really scared. In Korea, it was cold. So lack of sleep, hunger, cold weather, almost every type of hardship it was there.
MEG: You mentioned to me that before you arrived here in Manila, you did not sleep for three days. Why is that?
DARA: Ah, we were shooting a music video for a Japanese album. Then after that, we had the photoshoot for the Japanese album. I went straight from the studio to the airport.
MEG: Wow I can imagine how tiring it was, but with your work, when you’re on cam, you are expected to look 100%. How do you deal with that?
DARA: Maybe, I was born to do this. (Laughs) Cause I’m really happy when I am in front of the camera. When we’re shooting, its like…magic.
MEG: What do you love the most about your job?
DARA: I love photoshoots. I like tapings too. But what I really love the most is if the live show has an audience. The energy is really different.
MEG: Do you get nervous? For example, during countdowns (seconds) before going on stage?
DARA: No! Those are actually my favorite moments, when you hear their screams. Its the most exciting.
MEG: So you don’t get nervous anymore? That’s so interesting!
DARA: Not anymore. But I was nervous earlier before entering the PBB house as a visitor.
DARA: Its cause I do not know what will happen. On stage, I know what I need to do. If there is music, I don’t get scared. But if there isn’t any, I am a little bit shy.
Then and now, Sandara has her fair share of bashers (antis). From non-believers when she was starting, to this who continue to bring her down.
MEG: Now you have so many fans, but when you were starting out, of course there would be haters. When you started in SCQ, there were a lot of people who did not believe that you can do it. They felt that, you’re not going to make it. What is your advice to girls like you who have a dream but people would tell them ‘You can’t do it, why are you still trying?’
DARA: Before, I remember I really had a lot of haters. But I think I did it/made it because I know that I had fans who would always support me. I really believe that I can do it, even if its just one person who believes in you, that’s enough. Just try your best to improve.
MEG: But what is your attitude towards bashers (antis/haters)?
DARA: I don’t read them. When I know its not something nice, I just don’t read it at all so it won’t affect my mood.
This year, Sandara along with CL,Bom & Minzy celebrated their 5th year as 2NE1 with their All Or Nothing concert tour. How did Sandy transform into Dara? According to her, she just dreamt it, visualized it, and worked for it. At 29, Sandara is living the life of her dreams.
MEG: What else do you want to achieve in your career?
DARA: I want to go on tour to different countries. I want to go to Europe, and Brazil. To far places. I also want to go back here (Philippines) to make a movie. Its one of my many dreams
MEG: That would be great! You think its possible, even with your very busy schedule?
DARA: Yes, well…when i’m not that busy anymore. Because there are always times where we’re very busy and then times when we’re not busy at all. So that’s what I always imagine.
MEG: What kind of project would you want to do if ever? Your movies before were romantic comedies.
DARA: Like those too! Romantic comedies is really my favorite genre. The ‘kilig’ (giddy movies/movies that leave butterflies in your tummy) here is really endearing.
MEG: Who will you be paired with? There are too many new actors here!
DARA: Seriously, I need a new partner. If possible can it be John Lloyd! (Laughs)
MEG: How about your personal life? What else do you want to achieve?
DARA: Personally of course, I want to have a love life in the future. But right now, I’m not really interested in getting a boyfriend because I’m still enjoying what I do. When I stop being busy, maybe I’d want to.
MEG: Are you allowed to date right now?
DARA: Mmm yeah, well our boss told us that after 3 years (into debut) its okay. And we’re already on our 5th year anniversary so…it should be okay? (Laughs)
When you come across Sandara in person, she is the same sweet, charming, and down to earth girl that she was before. She is unassuming when she enters a room and doesn’t draw attention to herself— its her amazing outfits and glowing pore less skin that do that. So how does this soft spoken girl transform into a super fierce pop star the moment she steps on the stage? “I don’t know, its like there is a switch, like magic,” Sandara says. She also says she was almost booted out of 2NE1.
MEG: If you were to give life advice to a young girl reading this, what would you want to tell her?
DARA: Like what I always say, “If you want something, try until you succeed. Never give up,” Like me, before I was just being sweet, but my dream was to have swag, to have charisma on stage. So I really tried hard to be a member of 2NE1. Before, I was cut by our boss. He told me it was because all I could do was look cute. So you should really try your best.
MEG: Ha?! What convinced him to put you back in 2NE1?
DARA: At that time, I sang Jlo’s Get Right. Its a bit hip hop so I practiced it every day for two months. With almost no sleep, I practiced so I can perfect it. So once I performed it in front of him, he nodded his head (in approval) and told me, “Okay you can practice together with them again.”
MEG: Looking back at everything you’ve been through, if you were to give an advice to the 20 year old Sandara, what would that be?
DARA: Be Happy. Don’t get too crazy, behave. Like that. I want to tell her to become confident, Its the only thing I didn’t have back then. Believe in yourself.
She may be an international superstar but her basic needs and favorites reveals that she’s still the same Sandy we always loved.
ONE MUST HAVE BEAUTY PRODUCT?
DARA: Blush— so it looks like you’re always fresh. Not too pink, but the right amount.
ONE MUST HAVE FASHION ITEM?
DARA: CAP OR HAT — Its my favorite item to complete my look.
ONE MUST EAT WHEN YOU JUST WANT COMFORT FOOD?
DARA: SPICY NOODLES WITH SOUP — But I can’t eat that these days, it’ll ruin my abs (Laughs)
DARA: Running on the machine — Even if its just 5km (3 miles) or running for 50 to 60 minutes is okay. It has to be everyday!
Transcribed & Translated by: cami@ygfamilyy
PLEASE TAKE OUT WITH FULL & PROPER CREDITS!
areudirty
jacobvanloon
jbbartram-illu
snowghoul
pixelskylines
gummygunk
discoholicmusic
germansingergirl
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
