K-pop star visits Jollibee at Lucky Plaza; happily gets recognised by 'fellow Filipinos' 

SINGAPORE: Sandara Park is a Korean celebrity popular in Singapore, but her heart seems to belong to the Philippines.

The singer from 2NE1, who visited Singapore for the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, was walking around Orchard Road recently when she stumbled upon Jollibee, a fast-food chain from the Philippines, to her great surprise.

The encounter was apparently so delightful that Ms Park ended up tweeting in Tagalog.

“I was walking earlier around Orchard, and I saw Jollibee! I was so shocked!!! I said this is gonna be my dinner!” she wrote, adding that when she went in to place her order, some kababayans, the term Filipinos use for fellow Filipinos, recognised her even though she was wearing a mask, likely due to the haze.

The K-pop star also wrote that they ended up taking a group picture, though she did not include it in the post.

She did post photos of herself in front of the Jollibee branch at Lucky Plaza, and another in front of a sign that carried a quote from Yahoo! Singapore that reads, “Jollibee has the best chicken in Singapore.”

Commenters from the Philippines showed her love back and claimed her as their own, with one writing, also in Tagalog, “The Filipinos really love you so much, no matter what place you go to, they know you.”

“She proudly tweets in Tagalog, a true Pinay,” an X user added.

Another pointed out that Ms Park’s being recognised was probably a matter of location. 

“You went to Lucky Plaza, of all places to eat at Jollibee, you're bound to run into someone who would recognise you. If you'd eaten in Ang Mo Kio or Jurong instead, there'd be way more locals than Pinoys; maybe you could've gone incognito.”

Ms Park, now 41, moved to the Philippines with her family in 1994 because of her father’s business. 

She got her start in the entertainment industry there, joining a talent search show called Star Circle Quest, and emerged as the runner-up. She went on to star in movies and release songs before returning to Korea in 2007, where she became part of 2NE1, debuting with the group in 2009.

Nevertheless, the star continues to call the Philippines her second home. /TISG

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