Sandara Park revealed that she was sad when she left the Philippines after 10 years to go back to South Korea.
In the latest episode of her YouTube travel show “Dara Tour” on her channel Dara TV, Sandara, her brother Thunder and his fiancee (now wife) Mimi, and actor Lee Joon traveled to Tagaytay to have fun. The episode was filmed before Thunder and Mimi got married.
They tried the zip line at Sky Ranch Tagaytay and later ate at a Korean restaurant. During their conversation, Sandara remembered the time when she left the Philippines to permanently live in South Korea.
(From left) Lee Joon, Sandara, Mimi and Thunder (Sandara's X account)
Sandara, Lee Joon, Mimi and Thunder at Sky Ranch in Tagaytay (Sandara's X account)
Sandara and her family lived in the Philippines for about 10 years starting when she was in elementary school in the 90s.
She became a celebrity in the Philippines when she was in the “Star Circle Quest” in 2004 that launched her career as an actress and singer.
In South Korea, she signed a contract with YG Entertainment and debuted in 2NE1 in 2009.
During the “Dara Tour” show, Sandara said she and her family never went for a vacation.
“We never went on a family vacation. It was our first time traveling as adults. It was fun, I was thankful,” she said.
Sandara added that Gerry’s Grill restaurant in Tagaytay was very memorable place for her.
“That's the last place my family went before we went back to Korea,” said Thunder.
Sandara said, “We were going back to Korea after living in the Philippines for about 10 years.”
“My siblings may not have realized it but I lived through my teens and into adulthood. I did an entertainment job in the Philippines,” she said.
She revealed that she was worried to go back to South Korea because she didn’t have friends in her home country.
“So I was worried to go back. I didn't have any friends in Korea. I felt like I was immigrating back to the environment that I'd been living in,” she said.
The day before they left the Philippines, Sandara and her family drove to Tagaytay.
“The day before I left, I drove my car brought Thunder, sister and mom and we ate in Tagaytay. I was so sad back then,” she said.
Sandara also felt sad that through “Dara Tour,” she brought friends to the Philippines but not her family.
“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 these tasty food to my family and only bring my friends,’” she said.
At the end of the episode, Lee Joon, Thunder and Mimi wrote letters for Sandara, which they read aloud.
Thunder and Mimi’s letters for her made Sandara cry.
“Big sis, it's gae-ddong. Ah, gae-ddong. Thank you so much for letting me come to the place where I grew up and share memories with Mimi,” Thunder said in his letter to Sandara.
He added, “And thank you for letting us make happy memories together in a new place. Looking at you, the great big sis, I'll try to be a better person. I'm going to be better and relieved you of the burden you carry. Thank you always.”
Sandara Park crying as her brother Thunder and Mimi read their letters for her in a restaurant in Tagaytay (Screenshots from Dara TV on YouTube)
Thunder, a former member of K-pop boy band MBLAQ, and Mimi, a former member of girl group Gugudan, got married on May 26. Lee Joon was also a former member of MBLAQ.
"It seems like just yesterday we met for the first time and here we are in Dara Tour. There's a lot I want to do for you. But we're still not good enough so we're always getting from you. Thank you always,” Mimi told Sandara.