Park Bom’s endless sufferings throughout her career makes her one of the most pitiful Kpop idols of gen 2.
It is a common opinion among Kpop fans that Park Bom is among the most pitiful gen 2 idols. Her debut with 2NE1 was a major success, but her career path has been full of ups and downs, along with drastic changes in the idol’s appearance. To many people, the journey of the brave and courageous Park Bom is simply admirable.
When Park Bom debuted with 2NE1 in 2009, the girl group was considered a pillar of YG Entertainment. At the time, 2NE1’s main vocalist attracted numerous fans thanks to beauty, dancing ability, as well as unique singing voice. She was even dubbed as YG’s favorite member during 2NE1’s prime.
Alongside her group activities, Park Bom’s solo singles “You and I” and “Don’t Cry” also earned remarkable successes. In her Solo MV, the idol adorned a luxurious Alexander McQueen dress that cost a whopping 20,000 USD.
However, the idol’s once-promising path started to stumble, as she continuously got into scandals. First, Park Bom was accused of “overusing” plastic surgery, which caused drastic changes to her doll-like face. In particular, many fans started to point out Park Bom’s stiff and swollen face and asked her to stop. Even when the idol denied all accusations, the public never stopped their harsh criticism.
Finally, in a 2014 episode of 2NE1, Park Bom disclosed that she suffered from lymphadenitis, and the disease was what caused her face to change. She also affirmed that she did no such thing as plastic surgery, but that wasn’t enough to escape the public’s ire. Instead of caring about her, people were only complaining about how Park Bom was no longer pretty, even calling the idol hideous.
To make it even worse, another scandal attacked the female idol, after netizens dug up an old case in 2010. At the time, the 2NE1 member was stopped at airport customs for carrying 82 amphetamine pills, and was even reported to officials in October. However, Park Bom was declared innocent after showing her medical records, which revealed that the idol needed the drug for her Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Once a beloved artist at YG Entertainment, Park Bom started to be discarded by her agency, while 2NE1 also entered a hiatus. The major girl group official disbanded on November 25, 2016, and members had to find out the hard way via the media. Park Bom stayed in YG, then moved to its sub-agency The Black Label, before leaving the company entirely, leaving fans enraged at the obvious mistreatment.
For years, the female idol completely disappeared from the entertainment industry, raising suspicions that she was quitting the idol life. Even worse, Park Bom admitted herself that she started to hate performance due to foul internet comments directed at her. However, like how a phoenix rises from ashes, Park Bom’s passion prompted her to sing once again.
On April 26, 2018, Park Bom released an official statement regarding her past scandal, ready to face harsh opinions against her.
“I know that many people do not welcome me back, but I will do my best to change their opinion,” she said.
In 2019, Park Bom released the musical video “Spring”, which marked her official return to the industry. Despite various upheavals, the idol had retained her unique and powerful voice, and fans felt as if they were reliving their nostalgia. Fortunately, the comeback was a success, as “Spring” dominated Korean music charts, and earned numerous nominations from big awards like MAMA and MMA. This was prime evidence that 2NE1 never lost its hype.
Against a life full of upheavals, there was one thing of Park Bom that stayed stable throughout – her slim and attractive legs. Despite changes in appearance, Park Bom’s legs were always regarded as one of the best in Kpop/
Over 13 years in the industry, Park Bom has seen both glories and defeats, but her love for music kept her going. That’s why fans will always feel proud when talking about the idol.