Arzen Rose Dulzura

Sandara Park recalls being spoken to in sign language after moving to PH: ‘They thought I was a child who couldn’t speak’

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<p>K-Pop superstar Sandara Park looked back on the struggles she faced after immigrating to the Philippines as a child and how those experiences ultimately shaped the artist she is today. </p><p>During an interview with Yoon Do Hyun released on July 24, Sandara candidly reflected on her journey, from adjusting to a new country at just 10 years old, to unexpectedly becoming a celebrity in the Philippines, and eventually fulfilling her dream of debuting in South Korea as a member of 2NE1. </p><p>&quot;I immigrated to the Philippines when I was in the fourth grade of elementary school, 10 years old. I spent all my formative years there,&quot; she began.  </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/7/27/sandara-park-on-creating-her-own-music-after-22-years-in-the-industry-1803"><strong><u>READ: Sandara Park on creating her own music after 22 years in the industry: &#x27;biggest turning point in my life&#x27;</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Although she now considers the Philippines her second home, Sandara admitted that her first years in the country were far from easy. </p><p>&quot;It was really hard. I’m still shy, but it was worse when I was younger. For about 10 years after moving to the Philippines, I didn’t speak at all. I couldn’t speak English or Filipino,” she shared.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJeepneyTV%2Fvideos%2F1914110922278204%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>She recalled struggling to communicate because she did not know either of the country&#x27;s languages. Even when she tried to speak, she said her pronunciation often became the subject of ridicule. The language barrier became so severe that she even experienced moments of misunderstanding at school. </p><p>&quot;I guess my pronunciation was wrong, because the kids just laughed. It hurt my young heart,&quot; Sandara maintained.  &quot;A teacher once tried to communicate with me using sign language. Even they were surprised. They thought I was a child who couldn’t speak.&quot;  </p><p>Just last June, Sandara revealed in an interview with Jo Hyun-ah that she was even diagnosed with &quot;selective mutism&quot; due to her extreme quietness at times.  </p><p>&quot;I am usually very quiet and extremely shy. Dr. Oh Eun-young diagnosed me with selective mutism. When I get into a situation where I do not know what to do, I just shut my mouth,&quot; she said at the time.  </p><p>With no one to easily talk to, Sandara told Do Hyun that music became her comfort after classes. It was during those quiet moments that her dream of becoming a singer slowly took shape. </p><p>&quot;After school, I would always go home and listen to music. I spend my time watching things, [listening to] popular songs that I rented from Korean video rental shops,” she said.</p><p>Asked whether she had always wanted to pursue music, Sandara answered: &quot;Yes. But back then, I watched Seo Taiji and Boys and thought &#x27;Wow, this is fun!&#x27; And sang along to the songs. And it started with the thought, &#x27;I want to be on TV too&#x27;&quot;.</p><p>She added, &quot;Then, as I became a teenager, I looked at singers like Britney [Spears] and Christina Aguilera and thought &#x27;I want to be someone like that&#x27;. I think that&#x27;s what made me a singer.&quot; </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ-JOaRCSXe/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A14082753.099999905%2C%22ls%22%3A204277.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A204647.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="889" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Growing up between two cultures also helped shape her identity. Having been born in South Korea but spending most of her formative years in the Philippines, Sandara described herself by saying her &quot;hardware&quot; is Korean while her &quot;software&quot; is Filipino. </p><p>While she originally planned to return to South Korea after graduation to audition for entertainment companies, life took an unexpected turn when she accompanied a classmate to an audition for ABS-CBN&#x27;s <em>Star Circle Quest</em> in 2004. Although her friend got eliminated during the audition, Sandara found herself participating and eventually getting into the competition.  </p><p>Competing against around 7,000 hopefuls, Sandara impressed judges through acting, singing, hosting, and camera tests. Eventually, as she went on to capture the hearts of Filipinos with her charisma and talent, she finished as the first runner-up of the competition. </p><p>The overnight success that followed still amazes her. &quot;It really made me think, &#x27;Becoming a star overnight is real&#x27;. The very next day after the broadcast, I went to buy a hamburger to a fast-food restaurant, but there was a crowd so I couldn&#x27;t buy one.&quot; </p><p>She also spoke about how passionate Filipino audiences are in supporting entertainers, saying that the country&#x27;s strong television culture helped fuel that enthusiasm. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17856463862161785646548069.png" style="width:660px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Following <em>Star Circle Quest</em>, Sandara&#x27;s career quickly took off. She became part of the hit love team with Hero Angeles and starred several movies namely <em>Bcuz Of Yo</em>u, <em>Can This Be Love?</em>, and <em>D&#x27;Lucky Ones</em>, as well as appeared in several television programs including <em>ASAP</em>, <em>Gudtaym</em>, <em>Krystala</em>, <em>SCQ Reloaded: Ok Ako!</em>, <em>Your Song: Everything You Do</em>, and <em>Komiks: Machete</em>. She also had her iconic hit song “In or Out” that showcased her signature charm and energy.  </p><p>Despite the success, she admitted that the demanding schedule became overwhelming. &quot;From then one, I couldn&#x27;t sleep, couldn&#x27;t go to school...I couldn&#x27;t even see my mom and, being young, I just wanted to quit because it was hard back then.&quot; </p><p>Looking back now, however, she said the people she worked with during those early years have become like family. She explained how Filipinos call her by the nickname &quot;krung-krung&quot; because she would often cry from exhaustion behind the scenes, only to smile brightly once the cameras started rolling. </p><p>&quot;The managers from the Philippines, who have been with me for 22 years, are like moms to me right now. They came to Korea recently because I was making a comeback. When they came, they were explaining to the people at the company &#x27;Dara is really Krung-krung&#x27;. In Filipino, that means something a bit unique and crazy,&quot; she recalled. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9CkdTNJ3yV/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A14030935.299999952%2C%22ls%22%3A204277.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A204647.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="846" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Even after experiencing hardships while adapting to life in the Philippines, Sandara said the country eventually became an important part of who she is today. &quot;With the Filipino fans and friends I made, it really became a second home to me. I think it became my identity.&quot; </p><p>In 2009, Sandara officially debuted as a member of 2NE1, one of K-pop&#x27;s most influential girl groups known for helping redefine the image of female acts in the industry. </p><p>Now, more than two decades after first entering show business, Sandara has reached another milestone in her career. </p><p>In June, she launched her own label, ARADNAS, which now manages her activities as an artist. Shortly after, she released her single album <em>REPRISM</em>, featuring songs she personally wrote and performed, marking the realization of a longtime dream to finally tell her own stories through music.</p>

<p>Sandara Park recalled how a teacher once spoke to her in sign language after moving to the Philippines, thinking she could not speak because she had a hard time speaking in English and Filipino. </p>

Sandara Park recalled how a teacher once spoke to her in sign language after moving to the Philippines, thinking she could not speak because she had a hard time speaking in English and Filipino.