YG has released these two teaser e-posters within the past few days, the CL single was released Tuesday and then the 4 year anniversary has been released just today. To me this screams, COME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really hope I’m right! We’ve been waiting too long for this.  There is no news released with these posters, just the posters themselves.

-JennyLee

Another one of the Will.I.Am ft 2ne1 songs has been released, I know I’ve been waiting for this albu for a while, but personally I don’t know how thrilled I am with the two tracks that have surfaced so far. I’m not the biggest fan of Will.I.Am, but what do you guys think about it?

(Amazing!)

This was the user comment that I enjoyed

This is a longer one, but it’s a huge mash up!

Not really a remix, but I LOVE AILEE.

Thank you everyone for being so patient!

-JennyLee

I know you all feel the same way I do… “WHERE is the 2NE1 album that was supposed to drop in October?!” Well, I finally have answers.
In a recent interview that billboardbiz had with CL, she explains why the album did not come out when it was supposed to, and a rough estimate for the new one!! And even some inside description of a track on the album. Here’s an excerpt below:

Things seem to be in a good place for CL to come to New York, enjoy Fashion Week and sit down for a chat by the fireplace of the sophisticated Gramercy Park Hotel lobby. “Last year, we were actually planning to have an album out and we had recorded some songs. But it didn’t happen because of our tour,” CL says.  “We had to go on a tour and we had a deadline for if we wanted an album. But it’s just…we couldn’t make it.”

But CL tells Billboard that a 2013 comeback is now set for April. While a lead single or concept is still to be chosen, CL ensures that the music is classic 2NE1. “I feel like ‘I Am The Best’ or ‘Can’t Nobody’ are very much 2NE1’s style, if that’s how you want to put it. ‘I Love You,’ was something different for our fans and for 2NE1,” she says. “But moving forward, we’re sticking to the original and we’re going to go back to the fun, crazy, different 2NE1.”

While the final tracklisting is still to be decided, CL does speak excitedly about one track in particular that appears to be in the same vein as “I Love You.” CL reveals, “It’s a slow, love song. It’s about missing somebody. I was really connected to that song because I was missing my fans and the stage. I love that song. I know people will love it.”

The article title explains that CL is also looking ahead to a solo career, but the article doesn’t explain anything about it. Misleading! But if you’d like to read the entire article, Go here!

Before we get to our End of Year recap for 2NE1 as a whole, we couldn’t let you forget the maknae (youngest), Minzy. Literally growing up before our eyes, Minzy showed just how much she’s grow-up both vocally & stylistically in the past year. And with her becoming an official adult in 2013, we can only wait to see what she has to offer in the coming year.

2012 year of real metamorphosis year for our growing butterfly Minzy. From the many different hairstyles, the development of her personal style, to showcasing of both her rapping (Scream video anyone?) and singing skills, to her various hobbies and interests, to the evolution of the more mature side of Minzy, and even marvel at her strength and faith, we watched as a flower named Gong Minzy bloomed.

Minzy showed us that she really is coming into her own and has shown us just how much her talents have grown! Her vocals have become strong, soulful and smooth, her dancing has become more and more hip-hop based offering us all a chance to cheer even louder for her and faint with its sexiness, and her art has become the center of a lot of positive attention. Even with all that under her “Reason’s why Minzy Is the Best” list all the Blackjacks still have more to add! Minzy is increasingly active in many fields and in fact we shouldn’t be surprised if 2013 brings more awesome Minzy talents!

We have much to look forward to as well as our beloved maknae turns 20 (Korean Age) this year! So let’s take a look back at our Butterfly Minzy’s 2012 and wipe our tears of pride for the wonderful woman she is becoming!

Featured Star

One of the most exciting things to happen to Minzy this year was that she finally had her first ever solo vocal featuring with Big Bang’s G-Dragon. Although she unfortunately didn’t get to sing on the official track, she and G-Dragon took the stage at Sketchbook to perform one of the songs off his latest album, Missing You.

Standing off to the side on a platform with an old fashioned microphone, Minzy showed a different side of herself that we hadn’t seen much before. There was no dancing or the fierce I-Am-The-Best attitude that we’re used to seeing; it was just her singing as if it was her own song.

Minzy was a last minute addition to the line-up as KBS prevented G-Dragon from performing the songs he had intended, so Minzy had a limited time to prepare and still managed to make the song her own.

Let’s also not forget that in 2012, 2NE1 had her first solo event in Japan.

Minzy was given the opportunity to share her love affair with Gundams. Minzy’s hand-crafted Gundam was featured as part of the 2012 Gundam Supporters Corner, of the “Gunpla Expo World Tour Japan 2012″. Minzy has been an avid collector of Gundam models that she painstakingly puts together.

Minzy’s Gundam Collection is infamous!

Showing Her Vocals & Moves via Minzy TV & Solo Stages

Minzy TV has been a joyous supplement for the lack of 2NE1 TV this year. Although not as many episodes were released this year, what we did get was nothing short of amazing.

In her only full release this year (Episode #5) Minzy showed she’s 2NE1′s main dancer for a reason. With nothing but a camera, a heavy beat, and an empty room, Minzy took her popping and locking to a new level and free styled to a handful of songs such as “Announcement” by Common & “My Chick Bad” Remix by Ludacris. And let’s not forget her adorable English captions in the beginning of the video where she asked fans to cheer louder and chant her name before she dove into dancing like a machine.

The other taste we got of Minzy TV came late in the year after a teaser she dropped for episode #6 back in May. From the more professional setting with the lighting and multiple camera angles to the microphone standing in the middle of the room, it was obvious this video was going to be different from any of the rest, but for some unknown reason, Minzy has yet to release the rest of the footage. Minzy, you haven’t forgotten about it, have you? Blackjacks are still waiting!

Even though the original Episode 6 of Minzy TV is still a mystery for Blackjacks, we were given an end of the year present when Minzy uploaded a Christmas Present Special, complete with a live band! Her covers of “Hosanna” and “Don’t You Remember” showcased her vocal growth, and the change from colored to black and white only emphasized the emotions of the songs. It was especially adorable to see that her sister was the official “VJ” while her mother gave Minzy the wonderful styling. Hopefully we will get more presents from the maknae soon!

English subbed version courtesy of theEromaknae

Blackjacks also got a peek of Minzy singing to “If I Aint Got You” by Alicia Keys. As usual, her English pronunciation was impressive and this is definitely a genre of music that works for Minzy’s voice because she sounded amazing.

Minzy TV wasn’t the only place where Minzy showed what she’s capable of. She also brought her signature moves to the stage for 2NE1′s New Evolution Concert and performed a self-choreographed dance routine to Missy Elliot’s “I’m Really Hot” & Common’s “Universal Mind Control” (which she also danced to in Minzy TV E5).

The Colorful Maknae

Spoiler

Usually when it comes to 2NE1 hairstyles, Dara tends to have the eye-popping dos. However, this year Minzy appears to have joined the club. At the start of the year, the maknae had a rather tame cut with a standard shoulder length cut complete with a slightly purple hue during the YGE Family concerts & photo shoot with the rest of the girls in the Philippines.

As her hair started to grow out, her hair color went into a “weave” of blue-purple that faded at the tips, which Minzy herself seemed rather fond of.

However, all reverted back brown (what has seen previously) with 2NE1′s “I Love You” promotions – standard yet still classy.

To spice up things a little, a layer of darker colors was laid on top of the brown, creating a highlighting effect. While it did add some interest, reception of the hair change was slightly reserved.

However, it has been the latest cut and shading that has generated the most buzz and Minzy joined the “crayon color” craze with a dazzling shade of purple coupled with a cute pixie cut, first fully showcased in Singapore at the Singtel Hologram Event. Responses to her new hair have been mixed, with some loving it while others preferring her previous styles.

Reaching Out To Fans

Spoiler

While Dara may be the “official” PR manager for 2NE1, Minzy gave Blackjacks some much-needed outreach. Since opening her Twitter, the maknae has continually uploaded with pictures, sayings, song snippets, even Minzy TV! Self taken photos were prevalent throughout the year, whether it be a behind the scene for a photo shoot, with other members or just a candid photo to connect with her fans – all of which showed her adorable and cool styles.

This year she was also especially proud of her artwork as several posts were dedicated to her pictures. Images showcasing fashion, lips, and dedicated to her faith a well as lips were particularly popular inspiration items. Do you have any favorites?

Her more sentimental posts brought back memories for both Minzy and fans, such as when she posted a letter she wrote CL during their trainee years.

And of course, one cannot forget to mention her beloved puppy. The images the maknae took with Dougie were especially endearing, as who else has seen as happy dog as the one below?

Sending Love to Fans

Just like her fellow members, Minzy got wind that her fan club was having a get together. Though she couldn’t go herself, she did send a cake, some presents, and a handwritten letter to the attendees to thank them for their support.

And who did she send in her stead? The much loved Dougie herself!

Fans thanked Minzy for reaching out to them by reaching out to her in Minzy’s time of need.

The year did not come without its low points, within a week of their “I Love You” promotions, but even in the mist of grieving Minzy still smiled and received all of the love Blackjacks sent to her with an open heart. Early on the morning of July 9th (KST), Minzy lost her beloved grandmother, Gong Okjin.

Minzy often talked about her grandmother because they both shared a passion for dance. While Minzy performed modern hip hop styles, her grandmother performed traditional and cultural Korean dances. Without Minzy’s grandmother to pass on her love for dancing, we might not have the same dancing machine maknae we have today. Her grandmother often gave Minzy tips and helped monitor her performances. The two had a very close bond. Fans, both international and Korean, joined together to send her wreaths of condolences with our prayers for the mourning maknae.

Upon returning from her time of grief, Minzy still smiled brightly and gave us all chills and a wave of feels with her comeback “I Love You” performance.

Minzy through her Interviews:

[spoiler]

On Her Surprising Side:

Fill in the blank “surprisingly, I’m ____”?

“Surprisingly, I’m feminine (laughs). My hobbies are cooking and knitting. I also gave mufflers that I knitted to the members and staff.”

Ultimately, what kind of artist do you aim to become?

“I want be an entertainer that doesn’t just work in one specific field, but a variety of things. If I become an artist that influences people in many different directions and aspects, I think I would be satisfied for having achieved my biggest goal. I will not be picky about any genre. I want to become an artist that only receives love and credit though music and not through art, movies, or acting.” (First Look: Reasonable Artist)

~~~~

“If you were allowed to do anything, what would you do?”

I’d like to date a boy. But we have a love prohibition (laughs) I debuted when I was 16 so I never got to date a boy. If I had the opportunity…!

~~~~~

What is the dream that you’d soon like to achieve in the near future?

I like to make clothes so if I had the chance, I’d like to try making clothes. (T/N: So basically, she wants to design clothes)

(In May, Minzy tweeted this jacket, it is the second jacket she has made herself!)

~~~~

Recently, what are moments where you’ve thought “I AM THE BEST”?

“When I’m working out. I exercise while thinking “I can do it!” There is a gym at the company so I make sure to exercise for 2 hours daily.”

On Music/Art/Fashion

Art. The word art. You can freely express yourself without saying it with your mouth. Sometimes, I try to express myself by drawing or taking pictures of what I think is difficult to express through talking.

Music from the beginning of the day to the end of it; music is my life, disasters and triumphs. If my everything is to be in contact with something, it is of course music.

Fashion. Fashion is like personality. It shows one self’s everything in detail and delicately. The person’s values. I sometimes dress tom boyishly and sometimes I dress womanly/femininely. My character is easy-going and abrupt but inside I’m actually womanly/feminine and I have a lot of aegyo. Fashion lets me express myself as I explore it however I want.

Q: When people think of 2NE1, the first thing that pops into their mind is a hip-hop genre based group. But surprisingly, you have more of a rock-spirit than the others. Are there any musicians you are inspired by on a daily basis?

A: I love hip-hop, of course. But I have recently been focusing on rock sounds more. I like the Rolling Stones, Nirvana, and Guns N’ Roses a lot. I’m sad because I wasn’t able to go to a Lenny Kravitz concert when he visited Korea not long ago because I had other schedules to attend. I also want to go see Radiohead at the upcoming 2012 Jisan Valley Rock Festival, but I’m disappointed that I’m not going to be able to go because it overlaps with our concert.

While it’s clear that our lovable maknae has stunned us with her growth & maturity over the year, we can’t help but wonder what 2013 will bring for Minzy. Can we expect more art? A solo song? Another awesome dance solo? We can only be sure that we can expect to be blown away!

What are you hoping to see Minzy do in 2013? What is your ultimate wish for Minzy in 2013?

Just one more retrospective to go…our look back at 2NE1 in 2012!

Article by staff@ygladies.com  | Written for KpopStarz January 2013| Repost by YGNXGENERATION

Continuing our EOY: 2NE1 in 2012 retrospective series is the “Baddest Female,” CL. This year, 2NE1′s leader highlighted her more feminine side, while showcasing her strong ties to the fashion world. And on top of that, CL proved that yes, she can rock a parrot on stage.

2012 was an amazing year for CL! She jet set all over the world, made appearances at numerous events, gave us amazing interviews, showed her softer side, and still gave us a lot of charisma and kick-butt attitude! When it comes to doing it all and still looking good, our leader is a shining example of what you can do with the right attitude and of course, a killer outfit. ;D

CL captured a lot of hearts in 2012 by showing many sides of herself and her many charms. CL simply steals hearts no matter what she does. Blackjacks everywhere are increasingly proud of our leader. Let’s take a look back at the “Baddest Female,” our fierce leader CL!

The Softer Side of CL

For many, CL is known as the fierce and charismatic leader of 2NE1. However, Blackjacks see that behind the confident, tough girl image is a sweet, thoughtful girl. In fact, there were several instances throughout last year where CL showed her softer side.

Jumping with a Smile

Back in May, Dara posted a picture of CL and wrote, “Little CL has an enjoyable day ^__^”. In the photo, CL was jumping on a yellow smiley-face trampoline in celebration of Children’s Day, a national holiday in South Korea. She looks adorable, right?

CL’s Motherly Instincts

Before departing for 2NE1′s U.S. concerts in August, CL visited the Holt Children’s Center to take care of and feed orphaned babies. It was reported that although she had only planned to spend about an hour there, she could not pull herself away from a charming child named Dojun. She stayed for three hours to feed the children and played with them. In fact, she loved playing with Dojoon so much, she just recently went back again.

Showing Fans Love

Another wonderfully touching thing CL did was to send a cake to her Korean fan site leechaerin.com for hosting a gathering with the message, “As always, thank you”. This melted all our hearts. ^^

When asked what Blackjacks meant to CL, she responded, “Hmm, they are my family and friends, it’s like that.”

And in one more nod to her fans, CL refers to a project that her international fan base organized in the touching video below. In a message book, fans wrote why CL was beautiful to them. We can see this had a tremendous impact on her.

Shining in Solo CFs & the Media

When it comes to English, we know our leader CL is very comfortable speaking and rapping in English! CL is known to write her own raps and completely kills it when showing them off! In 2012, we got to see more of CL’s awesome rap skills. Could we ever forget the line, “Yeah / In the club / It’s getting ugly / I don’t care?” There’s no doubt that CL’s lyrical ability gets better and better every year!

CL’s Intro Rap from 2NE1′s “I Love You” Comeback Stage

CL looked stunning during her solo stage performance at SBS alongside Sung Si Kyung, who is known as the “Ballad Prince.” Not only did CL look stunning, but she had the chance to show off her own beautiful vocals. While some people commented that the song didn’t really suit CL’s more raspy voice, indeed the song was a completely different style than 2NE1′s music, others gave CL credit for trying her best and looking beautiful doing it.

In March, Adidas released a rap clip of CL for their “All Originals Makes Moves” campaign. One of the things that made us even prouder of the new endorsement is the fact that CL wrote her own lyrics:

Cass Light also featured CL and actor Lee Dong Wook in their promotions. In the CF, the two are performing a “Light Dance” battle. While CL is showing off her usual confident, sexy moves, Lee fails to mimic her. Check out the cute comical dance battle below:

Continuing our EOY: 2NE1 in 2012 retrospective series is the “Baddest Female,” CL. This year, 2NE1‘s leader highlighted her more feminine side, while showcasing her strong ties to the fashion world. And on top of that, CL proved that yes, she can rock a parrot on stage.

Like Us on Facebook :

2012 was an amazing year for CL! She jet set all over the world, made appearances at numerous events, gave us amazing interviews, showed her softer side, and still gave us a lot of charisma and kick-butt attitude! When it comes to doing it all and still looking good, our leader is a shining example of what you can do with the right attitude and of course, a killer outfit. ;D

CL captured a lot of hearts in 2012 by showing many sides of herself and her many charms. CL simply steals hearts no matter what she does. Blackjacks everywhere are increasingly proud of our leader. Let’s take a look back at the “Baddest Female,” our fierce leader CL!

The Softer Side of CL

For many, CL is known as the fierce and charismatic leader of 2NE1. However, Blackjacks see that behind the confident, tough girl image is a sweet, thoughtful girl. In fact, there were several instances throughout last year where CL showed her softer side.

Jumping with a Smile

Back in May, Dara posted a picture of CL and wrote, “Little CL has an enjoyable day ^__^”. In the photo, CL was jumping on a yellow smiley-face trampoline in celebration of Children’s Day, a national holiday in South Korea. She looks adorable, right?

CL’s Motherly Instincts

Before departing for 2NE1′s U.S. concerts in August, CL visited the Holt Children’s Center to take care of and feed orphaned babies. It was reported that although she had only planned to spend about an hour there, she could not pull herself away from a charming child named Dojun. She stayed for three hours to feed the children and played with them. In fact, she loved playing with Dojoon so much, she just recently went back again.

Showing Fans Love

Another wonderfully touching thing CL did was to send a cake to her Korean fan site leechaerin.com for hosting a gathering with the message, “As always, thank you”. This melted all our hearts. ^^

When asked what Blackjacks meant to CL, she responded, “Hmm, they are my family and friends, it’s like that.”

And in one more nod to her fans, CL refers to a project that her international fan base organized in the touching video below. In a message book, fans wrote why CL was beautiful to them. We can see this had a tremendous impact on her.

Shining in Solo CFs & the Media

When it comes to English, we know our leader CL is very comfortable speaking and rapping in English! CL is known to write her own raps and completely kills it when showing them off! In 2012, we got to see more of CL’s awesome rap skills. Could we ever forget the line, “Yeah / In the club / It’s getting ugly / I don’t care?” There’s no doubt that CL’s lyrical ability gets better and better every year!

CL’s Intro Rap from 2NE1′s “I Love You” Comeback Stage

CL looked stunning during her solo stage performance at SBS alongside Sung Si Kyung, who is known as the “Ballad Prince.” Not only did CL look stunning, but she had the chance to show off her own beautiful vocals. While some people commented that the song didn’t really suit CL’s more raspy voice, indeed the song was a completely different style than 2NE1′s music, others gave CL credit for trying her best and looking beautiful doing it.

In March, Adidas released a rap clip of CL for their “All Originals Makes Moves” campaign. One of the things that made us even prouder of the new endorsement is the fact that CL wrote her own lyrics:

Cass Light also featured CL and actor Lee Dong Wook in their promotions. In the CF, the two are performing a “Light Dance” battle. While CL is showing off her usual confident, sexy moves, Lee fails to mimic her. Check out the cute comical dance battle below:

In December, CL graced the cover of Ketchup Magazine. The photo was taken in Hong Kong. Based on her fierce expression, you can imagine how Blackjacks went into a frenzy of adoration. The magazine also interviewed CL and she gave some insight about her love of performing and fashion.

_{“Since day one, I’ve decided to become a singer and a performer. To me, music is the most important. Fashion is just like music’s best friend; I love matching the fashion that I love with music.”}

Showing Off More Skin

In 2NE1, Bom is typically the one Blackjacks associate with shorter, more leg-revealing outfits. However, last year, CL blessed fans by showing off those glorious thighs of hers more often, whether it is behind the scene or during performances.

The Unicorn Dress

One of CL’s more “revealing” outfits, which promoted polarized reactions, was Jeremy Scott’s infamous “Unicorn Dress.” She wore the dress at both the MTV Japan Awards and in her promotional shots for “I Love You.” Whether or not you love the dress, CL wears it with confidence and poise.

Hanging with Fashion’s Leading Names

Spoiler

Since CL is so daring and forward-thinking with her fashion, she has caught the eye of some of the world’s biggest fashion luminaries, including the French noblemen and fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, also known as JC/DC. He has worked with Lady Gaga and Madonna as well as M.I.A. and teaches at Hongik University in Seoul. He counts CL as one of his friends. She has, of course, worn his designs, including a wonderful dress she wore at a Nikon Event.

CL and Japanese fashionistas go hand in hand, and her “VOGUE” photo with Ambush’s YOON and model Kiko Mizuhara says it all.

CL attended the “Ambush x G-Dragon Collaboration” Launching Party at My Boon

And when CL was in Hong Kong to celebrate Jeremy’s special Christmas light fixture at the Hong Kong World Trade Centre, from the minute she got off the plane, her fashion and style set tongues wagging and photos clicking.

CL hanging out with all these cool people in Hong Kong, including Mademoiselle Yulia, Jeremy Scott, and Baby Mary.

Finally, CL incorporated more mature, classic pieces into her wardrobe last year. She began to really embrace Chanel and even attended Chanel’s “Little Black Jacket” event in Seoul recently.

CL Joins an SNS à Instagram

Blackjacks are painfully aware of CL’s well-publicized ineptness with technology. Even simple things like USBs and smartphone apps are not easy for the leader to master. So when CL finally started to embrace the social networking world by recently making an Instagram account, chaelin_cl, fans were dumbstruck. Thankfully, she seems to have taken a liking to Instagram and periodic updates her account with never-before-seen photos with her and her other label mates.

Our “Baddest Female” has really started to show more of her colors this past year. With her funky style, her fierce attitude, and a smile that can melt any fangirls/boys’ hearts, we all got a taste of just how well rounded and mature (as well as motherly and adorable) CL can really be.

If you thought her year in 2012 was bright, can you image what 2013 will bring? CL will surely knock the socks off of anyone with her charisma.

What side do you hope CL shows more of in 2013? No matter what that happens to be, you can be sure that CL will excite and surprise us in the coming year!

Article by staff@ygladies.com  | Written for KpopStarz January 2013 | Repost by YGNXGENERATION

Happy Birthday Maknae!
Finally, she’s 19! (In Korea, 20)
Hoping for the best for her in years to come and have a blast, our MINZY!

-Tash-

Nicknamed “Fake Maknae” for her youthful looks, Sandara Park is up next in our End of Year (EOY): 2NE1 in 2012 retrospective series. Throughout last year, Dara showed us her sexy and sweet sides, while managing to remain her warmed-heart 4-D self. We also saw Dara become really comfortable in her own skin, both onstage and off. Despite the fact that 2NE1 only released one Japanese album in 2012, their “New Evolution” concert tour and Dara’s extensive CF promotions were keys for her to become more aware of her unique strengths.

That Haircut

No Dara 2012 recap would be complete without discussing the hairstyle that shocked not just fans but the entire nation.

Dara is known as 2NE1′s adventurous hairstyle chameleon, so by now, Blackjacks are rarely shocked by her crazy hairstyles. However, when the pictures above were released, Blackjacks around the world nearly had a meltdown. Although there were hints that she was going to do something with her hair, especially after her appearance at Cannes (her hair was swept off to the side), we could never have imagined that Dara would shave her head! We were so shocked and surprised at how dramatic and fierce she looked.

Because of her shocking transformation, she was the number 1 trending topic on numerous news search engines. In fact, her haircut created so much buzz that even Nate’s header included a photo of her new look! After the initial shock wore off, and fans really got the chance to absorb the dramatic change, they (for the most part) accepted her new look.

Dara later revealed during an interview that: “When I was getting my head shaved, the feeling of sorrow just crept up and I started tearing… It was my first time getting my head shaved and I thought to myself that maybe this is how men who shave their heads to go off to the military feel.”

Despite her fear, isn’t her dedication amazing? She went ahead and jumped right into the opportunity. Now, six months later, it’s clear that Dara made a wonderful decision: Her half-shaved look has now become iconic.

(Via: fresh vocal)

The Kiss that Drove Blackjacks Crazy

At every stop of 2NE1′s New Evolution Tour, one lucky fan boy was chosen to take center stage during Dara’s solo performance. As you can imagine, before every concert, fans would excitedly talk about who would be lucky enough to receive a kiss from Dara. Moreover, many female Blackjacks prayed that they would be chosen, just so that they could be close to Dara. Hey, a girl can wish, right? But sadly, only cute guys were picked throughout the tour.

Check out a fan cam of the sizzling performance below:

Considering how shy Dara is around strangers, it is a testament to her professionalism and love for Blackjacks that she overcame her trepidation to involve fans in her performances this year. Although she performed her solo song “Kiss” at 2NE1′s 2011 Nolza concerts, for the New Evolution concerts, she added a new twist that breathed life and anticipation into their concert. Midway through her “Kiss” stage, Dara chose one lucky male fan to bring onto the stage and perform a sexy dance for them, she even kissed them on the cheek. This special treat for fanboys quickly became one of the highlights of the tour.

Dara’s CFs with Etude House

Since 2010, 2NE1, and later Dara in her solo efforts, have been endorsing Etude House cosmetics through various promotional shoots, activities, and concerts. The brand has seen massive sales growth during this time. Although Dara’s contract with the brand ended in 2013, she created fun, cute, and spunky CFs.

While Dara’s “daring” side was revealed through her new haircut and concert performances, her Etude CFs in 2012 showcased her sweet side. While the partnership is ending in 2013, Dara was clearly the face of the brand in 2012.

Sweet Proposal

One of the first CFs to be released was called “Sweet Proposal.” It promoted the Etude House Sweet Proposal Winter Collection. The CF featured Dara speaking in English and encouraging girls that the Etude House collection will make them look more beautiful! And of course, Dara looked gorgeous! The setting and atmosphere of the CF seemed romantic and cozy!

Skin Malgem

The second Etude CF was for Etude House’s Skin Malgem. For the first time, Dara collaborated with new Etude endorsers SHINee, a popular boy band. The song they sang was extremely cute, especially with Dara dancing, making adorable expressions, and overall having a fun time.

Kiss Note

She also filmed the Kiss Note CF series with SHINee. The CFs centered on Dara, who had a notebook called the Kiss Note, based on the movie Death Note. If she wrote a name in the notebook using Etude’s lipsticks, that person will want to kiss her. Dara did a wonderful job acting alongside SHINee, and it didn’t hurt that she received so many kisses. We can still hear hearts flutter!

BB Cream

In celebration of the Summer Olympics, Etude released a new series of CFs for their BB Cream. The CFs featured Dara and SHINee competing in various events. The boys were a great choice because they all have a cute image and personality. Dara looked adorable in her pink business suit. She looked like a real Olympian when she walked down the track field!

Lash Perm 3-step Volume-cara

The last Etude House CF for 2012 was the Lash Perm. Dara and SHINee dressed up as dolls, sort of like Ken and Barbie. Dara pulled off the wide-eyed “doll” look beautifully; she really did look like a Barbie doll. Everyone’s expressions, which varied depending on the situation, were adorable.

Dara’s success with Etude was not just because she is beautiful. She managed to capture a youthful spirit that appealed to fans of all ages.

From me2day Queen to Twitter Princess

Dara, who is well known for actively interacting with fans through her me2day account, opened an official Twitter account (@krungy21) last year. She has since been using Twitter to reach out to her international fans. Her very first tweet was to her brother, who had revealed her account to the public, which she originally had intended to keep secret. She called him “stupid”.

As soon as Blackjacks realized Dara was on Twitter, she received a flurry of welcomes. Fans also realized that her cute username: @krungy21 came from “KrungKrung,” which was her nickname in the Philippines. KrungKrung means “crazy” in a cute and adorable way, which Dara definitely is!

Dara seems to have a knack for bringing out the silliness in people, and we’ve constantly been entertained by her interactions with other YG Family members and her friends! One of her funniest exchanges was captured on Twitter on September 19:

-The following tweets were made on Dara’s Twitter account: “Twitter”, “Wow. I’m a dummy”, “Ooh-Eh. Wowie-Oh-Ooh-Eh-Oh-Yoohoo”, “I love you”, and “I am Ssandora Park”.

-Seeing the string of bizarre tweets, Bom asked: “What are you doing?”

-Actor Jung Il Woo also commented: “Are you drunk?”

-Dara later saw what was going on and explained, “Ack! While I was getting my makeup done, the leader took my phone and played around with it. Oh, my stomach. Oh, my stomach. What is this”?

It seemed like CL “hacked” her account. Hahaha.

Dara’s Warm Heart

Dara doodles on fans’ SBS INKIGAYO passes

In celebration of 2NE1′s first broadcast performance of “I Love You,” Dara drew pictures of her signature palm tree hair and new half-shaved hair on the passes of Blackjacks who came to see the girls. How adorable is she? Later, Dara just drew palm tree hairs on the passes.

source: @21pinkMIC; @DCgyungwa; @KONGdot_ZPB

Dara takes “part” in fan meet-up

When Dara got wind of a meet-up by members of her fan club “Oh!My Goddess” at a restaurant that specializes in steam chicken (her favorite food), she decided to show her gratitude to her fans. While she couldn’t actually attend the event, she did the next best thing – she personally called the restaurant to pay for the get-together. How thoughtful can this girl get?

[OMG Party] had a gathering today with our OMG Daraling members! For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been telling Dara about our meeting so that she can spend time with us!! Or at least treat us to dinner, keke. We didn’t expect anything from her, but just now, Dara called Yeolbong!!! She told the manager that she would pay for us!!! Dara treated us to dinner!!!! Today is a historic day!!!! HURRAY TO DARA!!!! WE LOVE DARA!!!!!

It’s these small but touching gestures that add to her many lovable qualities. Especially considering how shy she is off-camera, it’s amazing how she never seems to forget to show her love and gratitude to her fans.

Noona Dara

We all know that Dara has a special relationship with her brother, and in 2012, we got to see more of their closeness and how adorable Dara is as a sister. She became a “babo” for her brother, and we loved it.

Dara’s apology for not being a “pretty older sister.”

Fan girl Dara attended MBLAQ’s concert in 2012. From her gift, we see the unique inscription. Explaining the meaning of the message, Thunder later revealed that Dara actually apologized to him for her “I Love You” haircut.

Moreover, in an episode of MBC Every1′s “Idol Manager,” Dara sent a letter to her brother. In the letter, Dara wrote a heartfelt message of love and support and also gave him some pocket money. She wrote, “I also want to be a pretty older sister, so I am sorry for getting a scary haircut.”

The letter just warms our hearts, especially the line, “The effort that you put in now will definitely shine brightly one day like gold.” What an incredible message of support to give a younger sibling.

Thunder and Dara’s collaboration for ‘First Look’ Magazine Shoot

In an interview, Dara was asked to talk about the people who were important to her in the entertainment industry. Of course, she mentioned Thunder. She talked about how important it was for them to find strength in each other. She also said that having a strong relationship with her brother was key to overcoming difficult times.

Fangirling Noona

The most recent and probably cutest display of sisterly love was when Dara was caught acting like a fan girl while her brother performed with MBLAQ at the “SBS Gayo Daejun 2012.” She even made headlines in Korea with her adorable reaction, which was caught on camera.

Dara in her interviews: cute, humorous and insightful.

Breaking out of her shell:

In the past, hearing Dara speak just a sentence or two in English was a rare treat for Blackjacks, but last year, Dara found the confidence to speak more frequently in English. Perhaps it was all the promotions for the “New Evolution” tour that led Dara to open up, but we finally got to hear her flaunt her cute Filipino-accented English.

From talking about her personal hobbies to expressing her love for her cat Dadoong, Dara showed a new side of herself to international fans, and we didn’t need subtitles to understand her!

_______

On a Stand-out moment:

“What has been a standout moment for you as a group so far?”

“Our standout moment would definitely be our concerts. It’s always exciting and fun, and it makes us happy to be able to perform for our fans on stage. Our New Evolution tour is even more meaningful due to the fact that it’s a global tour.” (Fault Magazine)

On re-inventing herself:

“I think I keep going for different looks because, to be quite frank, I think I lack the charisma and individual charm that the other members have,” confesses Dara, “I gain a lot more confidence as a performer when I go for more experimental styles.” (Kyunghang via Naver)

On the BIGBANG member she is closest with:

“Seungri, he is like my talking teacher. He tells me how to talk in front of the camera and teaches me many things” (Ray Magazine)

On Dadoong

On 2NE1′s way of dealing with disagreements:

“We coordinate really well with one another. But there are also times when you become headstrong when others don’t support your opinions. When this happens, we’ll do self-reflection. At last, after mutual understanding and exchanging our opinions, we’ll coordinate on a conclusion that all of us agree on” (Oricon Style)

_______

On what she would buy if she won the Lottery:

“Umm, A nice big house! A house with a wide garden and pool would be ideal” (Ray Magazine)

______

On her Personality:

“​I’d say I’m passive and introverted. I’m so shy that people call me an alien. I’m completely different on stage and on screen in comparison to my normal self” (Ray Magazine)

_______

On her Role in 2NE1:

“I’m in charge of all the members’ daily schedule. It’s not only 2NE1′s official schedules, but I manage the personal work schedules of all the members also. I tell them, “Today, you have to do this at this time!” I think that my existence is like that of a mother to the other members” (JJ. Magazine)

______

On what she’d be if she was not in 2NE1:

“It’d be neat if I was an actress, acting. But I’m lazy (laugh) so as someone’s wife” (Rudo Magazine)

______

On 2NE1′s unique bond:

“What is the most important thing to maintain a good relationship between the members?”

“It’s love. All this time, 2NE1 has been bound with our love and affection for each other. The members have a huge age difference between us, but there’s really no unnie and dongsaeng role and treatment for us. Because it’s like that, we live with each other without trouble, and it’s so much better for everyone….” (First Look)

_______

When we look at Dara now, we see a quietly confident woman, characteristics that perhaps didn’t exist a few years ago. But this maturity has definitely not changed the Dara we so adore. She still has a smile that can light up a room, and her ability to make the people around (whether it be fellow members, family or us fans) feel special continues to make her charming, humble and lovable.

Let’s look forward to 2013 because Dara will continue to surprise us, and not just with her hair!

Guess who will be featured on our next yearly recap? Be on the lookout to find out!

Sources: Etude Blog, Pokkadak, YGladies Gallery
Article by staff@ygladies.com | Written for KpopStarz January 2013
Repost by YGNXGENERATION