Sandara Park has shared a deeply personal story about her childhood, revealing that she barely spoke for nearly 10 years after immigrating to the Philippines because of language barriers and her naturally shy personality.
The 2NE1 member opened up about her early struggles during her appearance on singer Yoon Do Hyun’s YouTube series “Yoon Do Hyun’s Guitar Etc.” on July 24, AllKPop reported.
In the episode, Sandara looked back on her family’s move to the Philippines, the challenges she faced growing up there, and how those experiences shaped her dream of becoming a singer.
Sandara said she moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old and in the fourth grade. She described those years as some of the most important in her childhood because she spent much of her formative years in the country.
However, adjusting to a completely new environment was much harder than she expected.
“I’m still shy now, but I was even more reserved back then,” Sandara shared. “After moving to the Philippines, I hardly spoke for about 10 years. I couldn’t speak English, and I couldn’t speak Filipino either.”
Sandara Park Opens Up About Childhood Struggles
Her inability to communicate made everyday life difficult. She explained that she struggled to express herself and often stayed quiet because she lacked confidence.
The language barrier also affected her relationships with classmates, making it even harder for her to fit in.
Sandara admitted that some local classmates teased her because she could not speak English or Filipino well. The experience left lasting emotional scars during her childhood. She also recalled one surprising moment that showed just how quiet she had become.
“One of my teachers even tried communicating with me using sign language,” she said. “She thought I couldn’t speak.”
Despite those painful memories, Sandara found comfort in music. She said listening to K-pop helped her cope with loneliness and gave her something positive to focus on while adapting to life in another country. She revealed that it was during the first generation of K-pop idols that she began dreaming of becoming a singer.
According to The Chosun, Sandara especially admired the legendary girl group Fin.K.L., whose music inspired her during those difficult years.
Even while living in the Philippines, she stayed connected to Korean entertainment. She visited Korean video rental stores to borrow recordings of music programs such as Inkigayo, watching them over and over again.