If a K-pop idol is discovered to have been in a relationship before their debut, there is a high likelihood that they may face backlash from fans. As unbelievable as it may sound, this has happened to a member of a particular boy group, which ultimately led to his departure from the group. This is why most idols would rather keep their past hidden as much as possible after debuting.
In a resurfaced video, 2NE1 (투애니원)’s Sandara Park (박산다라), also known as Dara, openly shared details about the time she went on a few dates in her late teens before becoming a trainee. However, the reason this video is going viral again is that netizens have noticed something unsettling about her past experience.
In one of Sandara’s travel vlogs, the idol was joined by her friends, including fellow member Minzy. While the group was waiting for their order to arrive at a restaurant, the singer was asked to share details about her dating life before becoming a superstar. Dara made a surprising revelation that she had gone on a few dates with a 14-year-old boy when she was 19 years old.
The 2NE1 member clarified that she had never been in a relationship before, so when a boy approached her and asked for her number while she was out with friends at an arcade, she agreed to his request.
“I was a naive and innocent student. I lied and said I was 16 because it was my only chance. We went on a few dates at the arcade and watched movies together,” she said. The relationship didn’t last long, as she stopped contacting the boy after making her first TV appearance following her debut, realising she could no longer continue with the lie.
The story was brought up by a K-pop fan yesterday (Thursday, 6th February) on Reddit, who believed Dara’s actions were inappropriate and could be interpreted as grooming, as she knew the boy was underage. “I don’t consider her actively predatory, as she only tells this one story with little detail, BUT it is still extremely questionable and should not be normalised regardless,” the user wrote. The post quickly went viral, with netizens criticising the idol for going on dates with a minor.
Many questioned her decision to share the story after all these years, while others questioned her team for keeping it in the video and allowing it to be published. A few defended Dara saying that she was still young so she may not have been aware of what she did. Others provided insights on the dating culture in the Philippines where the 2NE1 member grew up.
According to one user on Reddit, age-gap relationships are common in the Philippines and locals may not necessarily see it as grooming. However, despite the norm, the user clarified that they believe that it is still inappropriate for an adult to be dating an underage person. At the time of writing, neither Dara nor her agency Abyss Company have issued a statement regarding the viral issue.
Listen to the story at 17:45 of the video:
