OMG! I was waiting for this magazine since yesterday~~~ Thank god the bookstore has it :>

enjoy the photos of lovely Darong~ ^.^ and wait for the translations 😀

Click the Photo to see the full resolution 🙂

Q: Sometimes you go to the Philippines in secret and for fun. What is it about the Philippines that makes you keep coming back?

Dara: I like the place! I like the beaches and the food. There are so many good memories from the Philippines that I won’t forget.

Q: When you’re here you prefer doing interviews in Tagalog. Why?

Dara: Because at first, in SCQ, I don’t know how to speak in Tagalog. People are saying not to vote me because I don’t know how to speak Tagalog. When I learned the language I became comfortable to speak in Tagalog. For the fans also, for them to be happy that I didn’t forget how to speak the language.

Q: Aah! Okay I am curious about that before in SCQ, your fan base was purely Pinoys. Now your fans are from all over the world! Yet you still hold your Pinoy fans so dear to you.

Dara: I’m not sure, but I feel that my biggest fanbase is still the Philippines, of course we’ve been together for so long, they’ve been supporting me for 10 years. It’s like we’re all friends.

Soundtrack of Her Life

‘I Am The Best’

– Maybe because I want to be that song. The lyrics are very confident, unfortunately I’m not that confident when I’m not in stage. That’s my dream song.

‘Lonely’

– This song is, is the song where I can relate myself.

‘Good To You’

– This song is from our newest album along with Come Back Home. I can really relate in this song because it’s about a good girl singing to a bad boy. It’s been always like that for me, falling in love with the bad boys. That’s why I can really relate (in that song).

Q: I don’t know if you remember the feeling, but let’s go back to when you joined SCQ. When you auditioned, did you think you would win?

Dara: No, I didn’t imagine (winning) it.

Q: What did you think? What were your expectations?

Dara: It’s like, ‘ok I’ll try this, for me to experience it’. But I didn’t imagine that I would be in Top 50, then Top 20 and then Top 10. I couldn’t imagine it.

Q: Did that experience change you? Did you become much confident? Imagine, you did exceed your expectations.

Dara: At first, I was a cry baby! When I was in the Top 10 and Top five, I was always crying. But for my fans, I did become much confident. When I see banners with my name on it, the screams. My feeling was like ‘Yes, I can do this’.

Q: You decided to move to Korea around 2007, and then you started training for dancing and singing. After that you told me that they were no salary, it’s just pure training! When you started there, did you think you would make it this big eventually?

Dara: Actually I didn’t. I didn’t think about it. I but I was always imagining that I always want to be like this, to be in stage. I guess that’s my secret of my success.

Q: You used to visualize that you really singing and dancing on stage?

Dara: Mmm. That’s what I always think.

Q: So after all the training. All the hard work, when did you acknowledge in yourself that you’ve made it?

Dara: When we start for the recording, I’m not really sure because they can still remove you after, that’s why I’m still nervous. But I could feel it when we shoot our first commercial with Big Bang and then finally when we shoot the music video for Fire. I said to myself, ‘This is it! This time it’s for real!’

Q: Do you remember the first time you heard your song on the radio or saw your video on TV? How does it feel?

Dara: I can’t believe it! When I heard the song playing, we stop and I said ‘Wait! Let’s listen to it first!’ and it’s like a dream come true.

Q: Of course, all the public sees is when you’re made up in magazines or performing on stage. In short, they just see all the glamour. How tough or how difficult does it to get behind?

Dara: It’s very difficult. Because when you are a trainee you’ll never know if you’re going to debut. You’ll never know if you’ll be successful. Those we’re the very difficult times and I was very scared. In Korea, it’s cold. I was sleepy, tired and cold so every hardship is there.

Q: You mentioned to me that before you arrived here in Manila you went three days without sleep. Why?

Dara: Ah, We we’re shooting a music video for a Japanese album, so three days without sleep. Then after that, we have photo shoot for the Japanese album. I went straight from the studio to the airport.

Q: Wow. I can imagine you’re very tired that time but with your work, when you’re on cam, you’re excited to look and be 100%. How do you deal with that?

Dara: Maybe … I was born to do this. (Laughs) Because I’m happy when I’m in front of the camera. That’s why during the shoot, it’s like magic.

Q: What do you love most about your job?

Dara: I like the photo shoots. I also like the tapings. But I really like the most is the live show with an audience. The energy is different.

Q: Do you still get nervous? Example, when you’re counting down before you go to stage?

Dara: No! That’s my favorite part of the show. When you can’t see anything but the screams. That’s the most exciting part.

Q: So you don’t get nervous anymore? That’s so interesting!

Dara: Not anymore. But I’m nervous earlier when I entered PBB House.

Q: Really? Why?

Dara: Because I don’t know what will happen! Unlike in stage I know what I will do, if there is music I’m won’t be afraid but if there’s no music I’m a little bit shy.

Q: Now you have so many fans, but when you were starting, of course there are haters. When you started in SCQ, there are a lot of people who didn’t believe that you could do it, they feel that you won’t make it. What is your advice to girls like you that has the same dream but there are people around them saying ‘you’re not strong enough, why would you still do it?’

Dara: I remember back then that I have a lot of haters. But maybe I did make it because there were fans who keep on supporting me. That’s why I keep on thinking that I can do it. As long as there is one person who believes in you, that’s enough. Just try your best to improve.

Q: What’s your attitude towards bashers?

Dara: I don’t read it. If I know that it’s not good, then I won’t read it so that my mood won’t be ruined.

Q: What else do you want to achieve in your career?

Dara: I still want to tour in different countries, I like to go in Europe and Brazil. In far places. And I still have one dream, I want to go back here (in the Philippines) to have a movie. That’s one of my dreams.

Q: That would be great! You think it’s possible to your very busy schedule?

Dara: Yes it is, maybe if I’m not that busy. There are times that I’m very busy and there are also times that I’m not. So that’s what I really imagine as of now.

Q: What kind of project would you want to do if ever? Because in the past your movies are about comedy and love story.

Dara: It’s still the same! My favorite is comedy with romantic movies,

Q: What will you do, who will be paired with? There are a lot of new actors, ah!

Dara: Oh yes, they should find me a new partner. I want John Llyod! (Laughs)

Q: How about in your personal life? What else do you want to achieve?

Dara: Personal of course, I want to have a love life in the future. But as of now I’m not that interested to have a boyfriend, because I’m enjoying what I’m doing. If I’m not busy, maybe I want one.

Q: Are you allowed to date?

Dara: Mmm, yeah, Boss said after three years it’s okay to date. Eh it’s our fifth Anniversary … so it’s okay? (Laughs)

Q: If you were to give life advice to a young girl reading this, what would you want to tell her?

Dara: I always say that if you want something, try until you succeed. Never give up. Take me, for example I used to be just the ‘sweet-sweet’ type. I dreamed to become one of those with swag, to have charisma on the stage. So I really tried to become a member of 2NE1. Before, I was removed by my boss because I didn’t belong, the only thing I could do was the ‘cutie’ one. So you should really try your best.

Q: Ha?! What convinced him to put you back in 2NE1?

Dara: When I sing JLo’s Get Right. It’s a hip-hop song so I’ve practiced it every day for two months. I almost didn’t sleep to perfect (the song). So when I performed it again in front of him he said, (nods her head in approval). The he said, ‘Okay, you can practice together with them again.”

Q: Looking back at everything that you went through?, if you were to give advice to the 20-year-old Sandara, what would that be?

Dara: Be happy. Don’t be a ‘krung-krung’. Behave. I would like to tell her that be confident. That’s the missing thing in me at that time. Believe in yourself.

Credits: tryshingggg@foreverwithdara

Translated by: tryshingggg@foreverwithdara