Sandara Park on leaving the Philippines for South Korea in 2007: 'I was so sad'
Sandara Park opened up about the anxieties she felt leaving the Philippines in 2007 to permanently settle in South Korea.
On her travel vlog "Dara Tour," Dara confided to her brother Thunder, his wife Mimi, and actor Lee Joon on their recent Tagaytay trip for the vlog.
When Mimi asked everyone about their most memorable moment on the Philippine tour, Sandara fondly declared her love for Filipino food. Mimi then turned to Sandara's experience as their guide, sparking a realization. "The more I thought about it, the more it was meaningful. We never went on a family vacation. It was our first time traveling as adults. It was fun, I was thankful," Sandara said.
She then started to talk about their time living in the Philippines for over a decade, saying she was "worried" about returning to her home country.
“My siblings may not have realized it, but I lived through my teens and into adulthood. I did an entertainment job in the Philippines. So I was worried about going back. I didn’t have any friends in Korea,” Sandara recalled. "I felt like I was immigrating back to the environment that I'd been living in."
It was a full circle moment for Sandara, who said that Tagaytay was the last place she and her family visited before leaving the country.
“We were going back to Korea after living in the Philippines for about 10 years. The day before I left, I drove my car, brought Thunder, my sister, and my mom, and we ate at Gerry’s Grill in Tagaytay. I was so sad back then,” she said.
She also shared that she felt guilt as she realized she'd never brought her family along on her travels.
“I always brought my friends to Dara Tour. But somewhere inside, I thought, ‘I’m not showing these views to my family. I’m not buying this tasty food for my family and only bringing it for my friends,’” the former 2NE1 member said.
In 2004, Sandara launched her career in the Philippines by joining the reality talent show Star Circle Quest and later on got into acting and singing.
When she returned to her home country, South Korea, she signed with YG Entertainment and rose to fame as part of the powerhouse girl group 2NE1, debuting in 2009.
Sandara has been touring the Philippines in the past weeks with her friends. She previously visited John Prats and Isabel Oli’s resort in Batangas, strolled in a mall in Makati City, and went to Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna where they jammed to her hit song, In or Out and Festival.
She also visited her old school in Pasay City for the first time in 20 years.