Park Bom, a member of the iconic K-pop girl group 2NE1, has captured significant attention by releasing a heartfelt handwritten letter praising her fellow members, approximately one month after causing a stir in the music industry with posts that seemingly targeted Sandara Park.
On the 17th, Park Bom unveiled a lengthy handwritten letter on her Instagram, directly addressing past “drug talks” and asking for them “to be forgotten.” She began her message by stating, “The weather has gotten much better, and there’s something I really need to tell you. I’m writing this thinking it’s truly the last time I’ll address you all.”
Park Bom first showered praise on 2NE1’s leader, CL, calling her the “goddess of performance.” She lauded CL’s ability to “spontaneously pull off compositions, expressions, and everything else.”
Park Bom further added, “She’s a rapper, a friend who has lived in France, Tokyo, and Korea. Lee Chae-rin (CL’s real name) is a truly cool and amazing person. Someone who executes everything stylishly, someone who looks cool even with simple hand gestures. You could say she oversees everything that contributes to our cool image.”
Regarding the youngest member, Minzy, Park Bom hailed her as the “dance prodigy.” She expressed immense pride, noting, “Gong Minzy, also widely known as the granddaughter of Madam Gong Ok-jin, a designated national treasure of Korea, truly makes me proud when I see her up close. It’s clear she inherited that incredible talent.”
She continued, “Even during our performances, I feel so proud that I always find myself smiling when I look at Minzy. People just don’t fully realize her prowess. When we go abroad, if you just show them Minzy, they immediately recognize her as the best. Their attitudes towards us suddenly change.”
Significantly, Park Bom’s tone shifted dramatically towards Sandara Park, whom she had publicly targeted in the past. She now affectionately referred to her as the “Philippine princess.”
Park Bom praised Sandara Park, revealing, “I was a fan from the very beginning, to the point of specifically timing my day to watch ‘Human Theater.’ I always thought her face resembled actress Kang Soo-yeon’s during her debut.”
Park Bom also highly valued Sandara Park’s unique contributions, stating, “Within the team, she’s responsible for harmony and her refreshing vocals. She always greets people with a cheerful, smiling face. When she sings alongside me, the main vocalist, it creates a wonderful synergistic effect, resulting in a truly beautiful voice.”
She added, “While everyone works hard, Sandara is a tenacious and diligent fighter. Even as the older sister, she works hard without caring if she’s embarrassed or hears things in front of the younger members. I know it all. She’s brilliant and plays a crucial, almost manager-like role within the group.”
Explaining her reasons for releasing the handwritten letter, Park Bom confessed, “You can’t imagine how difficult and unwilling I was to write this. I wrote it on a different piece of paper, getting goosebumps and screaming, because it’s genuinely not my usual style. However, this story is the true narrative within us that I’ve wanted to share for 20 years. It’s 100% real and authentic.”
She concluded by expressing deep gratitude: “Thank you for raising us, who came together under such difficult circumstances. Thank you so much for nurturing us in Korea. I wanted to convey my true feelings, which is why I’m writing this letter now.” She further added, “I’m writing this because I wish the drug talks would be treated as if they never happened. It’s such a precious bond, because our meeting as four members is a miracle, given the significant age difference and how improbable it was. Thank you all for painstakingly raising us.” This specific Instagram post has since been deleted.
This recent letter follows a period of controversy ignited on the 3rd of last month when Park Bom posted highly inflammatory statements.
At that time, she directly mentioned Sandara Park, alleging, “Park Sandara got caught with drugs, and to cover that up, they fabricated a story to make Park Bom out to be a drug user.”
She further appealed, “At that time, there was no Adderall medication or a law specifically concerning it in the country. Strangely, a law was created after Park Bom’s incident. I urge all internet users and the public to investigate the facts as they are.”
In response, Sandara Park vehemently refuted Park Bom’s claims, stating, “I have never used drugs. I wish her well,” and subsequently unfollowed Park Bom on Instagram, signaling a clear distancing.
Park Bom had also previously targeted Yang Hyun-suk, the head of her former agency YG Entertainment, main producer Teddy, and 2NE1 leader CL in her controversial posts.
Park Bom stated, “Lastly, something I really want to convey: I sincerely hope that YG Entertainment, Yang Hyun-suk, Teddy Park (Teddy), and Lee Chae-rin (CL) do not report to the country that Park Bom used more than the prescribed amount of drugs—drugs that haven’t been used for nearly 30 years.” She emotionally added, “I’m writing this because I feel like my soul is crying out.”
Adderall is a psychotropic drug containing amphetamine. Park Bom previously became embroiled in a significant controversy when it was belatedly revealed in 2014 that she had internationally shipped Adderall from the United States to Korea in October 2010. At the time, YG Entertainment, Park Bom’s then-agency, clarified that the medication was brought in for legitimate therapeutic purposes. Considering this explanation, prosecutors issued a decision to suspend her indictment, avoiding a formal prosecution.
