2NE1 captured the hearts of music enthusiasts worldwide with their infectious energy, powerful vocals, and dynamic performances. However, the news of their unexpected disbandment in 2016 shocked their devoted fanbase, lovingly referred to as BlackJacks.
Turns out, there was much more happening behind the scenes than most were aware of, particularly during the tumultuous period leading up to their untimely disbandment. During an interview recently, Sandara Park offered some emotional insights into the group’s final days prior to parting their ways.
In this tell-all interview, Dara described a landscape of uncertainty and emotional upheaval that afflicted the group throughout the process of coming up with their final album, “Crush”. She recounted the nerve-racking feelings that ran high while recording their single “Missing You,” hinting that the end was possibly near.
“The company said 2NE1 is over now. I think we were No. 10 on the chart? We were always No. 1, but now we’re at the 10th place. We were sad, and the fans and the agency were upset too,” the idol said, shedding some light on the difficult conversation that transpired within YG. To add more, their earlier singles – “Falling In Love” and “Do You Love Me” – also didn’t perform as expected.
Dara also revealed that as a result of their singles flopping on the charts, the label’s executive (presumably YG’s Yang Hyun Seok) told them, “This album isn’t going to work. Let’s stop promoting now.” “I’m not sure if it was a joke or something, because he was upset. We went to record “Missing You” after we shared that conversation, and the last lyrics were too much like breaking up,” the “Lonely” singer added.
The emotional weight was so overwhelming, that Sandara and fellow member Park Bom couldn’t help shedding tears for hours in the recording studio. That said, the narrative took an unexpected turn when the song climbed up the music charts, eventually landing at the top spot. This glint of success brought a sense of relief and joy to the members, throwing themselves wholeheartedly during the promotional period of the single.
During the same interview, the 38-year-old star also revealed the one 2NE1 song that she refused to listen, despite the number of years which have passed since their disbandment. She read a comment from a fan who told her that they recently listened to their 2017 single “Goodbye”. Dara remarked, “There are still people who listen to the song. (But) I can’t listen to it. It’s so heartbreaking and sad. I feel suffocated just to hear the intro. For me, it’s the song I played the least.”
Since “Goodbye” is highly considered as 2NE1’s farewell song to their fans, it’s understandable that Dara still can’t handle the painful memories from that time. You can watch her reaction here (Skip to 15:45):
