2NE1's Sandara Park, known to fans as Dara, couldn't hold back her emotions as a long-cherished dream came true on her birthday.
On the weekend of November 16 and 17, 2024, Dara, together with her 2NE1 bandmates CL, Minzy, and Park Bom, reunited for a concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena—the very venue where they last performed a decade ago.
The K-Pop quartet's sold-out Manila concert, made possible by Live Nation Philippines, took place shortly after Dara's 40th birthday celebration on November 12, 2024.
Read: Sandara Park hopes for Manila stop of 2NE1 reunion tour
Reflecting on their reunion concert in Manila, Dara said, "It's really, really special. I'm not gonna forget this moment forever."
She added, "Lagi ako nandito sa Manila, di ba? Parang in every month, nandito ako. pero iba talaga ang Manila kapag kasama ko sila."
DARA'S BIRTHDAY
During the encore on the first day of the concert, Dara was surprised with a birthday cake from fans.
Her fellow 2NE1 members quickly joined in to share their birthday wishes.
CL told Dara, "Happy birthday, Dara! Mahal kita!"
Overwhelmed with emotions, Dara shed happy tears, moved by the presence of her fellow 2NE1 members and the warmth of their Filipino fans.
After blowing her birthday candles, Dara said, "I used to celebrate my birthday with 2NE1 and with Blackjacks on stage, you know.
"After the disbandment, I was not used to celebrating my birthday by myself. And now, we're here again together."
Dara continued sharing her birthday wish, "My wish is to be with you guys forever. 2NE1 and Blackjacks forever!"
On a lighter note, Dara fondly reminisced about some of 2NE1's most memorable moments in the Philippines.
She shared, "Marami naming memories sa Manila. We went to Bicol for our Nikon photoshoot."
Dara then asked her bandmates about their favorite Filipino dishes. "And we really love Filipino food, right?" she said, turning to Minzy first. "What is your favorite food?"
Minzy replied with enthusiasm, "I like sisig! Sisig!"
As for Bom, her favorite is gambas.
CL humorously observed, "Look at her crying and then talking about food right away. That's very Dara."
Following her lighthearted remark, CL expressed gratitude to the Filipino Blackjacks for their unwavering support, even 15 years into their journey and after the group's initial disbandment in 2016.
She said, "There's a lot to say, there's a lot of fun stuff, but she's been talking about how she's so emotional and blessed and happy to be back here, her hometown, with us.
"It's been such a long time and we feel so blessed. You know, it's such a trip and such a different experience when we come with her and I feel like we're so welcomed.
"And whenever we come here, we feel like we have a family and a fanbase here. And you know, you guys' energy is a lot, it's so Blackjack, it's so awesome.
"You've given us so much energy so we feel very blessed and it's such a fun memory to be celebrating her birthday here."
2NE1: WELCOME BACK TOUR IN MANILA
The concert was filled with magical moments, especially for Blackjacks who have been fans since 2009 and were seeing them perform live for the first time, as well as for those who witnessed the group's last concert in Manila back in 2014.
The opening night of their two-night concert swiftly turned into a dance party as "Tito" and "Tita" Blackjacks energetically danced and jumped to the group's debut song "Fire."
The party continued with electrifying performances of "Clap Your Hands" and "Can't Nobody."
Loud cheers erupted as each member introduced themselves, and the arena was filled with excited screams when CL asked their fans, "How are you doing tonight?"
Several fans grew concerned when Bom left the stage while the remaining members carried on with the show.
2NE1, now performing without Bom, continued the concert with "Do You Love Me."
The group then moved to the satellite stage to get a closer look at their fans.
As the intro for their next performance, "Falling in Love," began, CL signaled the tech booth to pause and wait for Bom.
However, Bom was unable to rejoin the group, with CL explaining that she might have experienced a "wardrobe malfunction."
Despite this, the group continued their performance with "Falling in Love" and carried on with their 2009 hit "I Don't Care."
The atmosphere got electrifying as CL hit the solo stage with her performances of "The Baddest Female" and "MTBD."
Joining her were YG Entertainment dancers Sumin, Will Han, Sooram, Bit, Aekdo, Myung Chill, Hyeon Ik, and Lark, who amped up the energy by showcasing their remarkable skills. Adding to the thrill, they removed their shirts, flaunting their sculpted physiques.
The concert paused briefly for a special video segment featuring various K-Pop stars. Artists like IU, G-Dragon, Treasure, New Jeans, and even American rapper Pharrell Williams, among others, sent their congratulatory messages to 2NE1 for their reunion concert, played on the LED screens.
Fans were also treated to a short dance cam session, grooving to popular 2NE1 songs.
After the intermission, 2NE1, without Bom, returned to the stage to perform their ballad tracks.
They began with "Missing You," with CL and Minzy stepping in to cover Bom's lines. The ballad segment continued as they performed "It Hurts," "If I Were You," and "Lonely."
For the grand finale of the concert, Bom rejoined the rest of 2NE1 on stage, and together they delivered an electrifying performance of their hit songs, including "I Love You," "Ugly," "Gotta Be You," "COME BACK HOME," "I Am the Best," and "Go Away."
Naturally, no 2NE1 concert would be complete without an encore.
The group returned to the stage, clad in their merch pieces, and delighted the audience with a heartwarming performance of "Happy."
As they sang, they actively engaged with their fans, creating a memorable and joyous atmosphere to close the concert.
A standout moment from the concert was Dara's performance of her hit "In or Out," a reprise from 2NE1's Manila concert in 2024.
This time, CL was able to join the group, confidently executing the dance steps she hadn’t known a decade ago.
Dara and Minzy captivated the audience with a short dance cover of BINI's "Pantropiko."
For their final encore performance, 2NE1 treated their fans to a medley of their iconic tracks, including "Crush," "I Don't Care," "Ugly," "Go Away," and "Can't Nobody."
Before taking a bow, CL addressed the fans with a heartfelt message, saying, "We're 2NE1 and we'll see you very soon!"
PARK BOM: HEALTH CONCERN
On the second day of the concert, Bom graced the stage and performed the opening songs, but she had to leave early, which raised concerns among fans.
CL addressed Bom's absence for the remainder of the concert, revealing that Bom wasn't feeling well.
CL told their fans, "Before we move on, I just got to say, since yesterday, Bom wasn't feeling very well. But, we really, really got to send a lot of love and give it up for her. "
YG Entertainment shared an official statement through Live Nation Philippines' social media accounts, expressing gratitude for fans' understanding and support as Bom prioritized her health and well-being during the show.
The statement reads: "Hello, this is YG Entertainment.
"We are deeply sorry to let you know that Park Bom of 2NE1 was unable to complete her performance due to health-related issues at the "2024 2NE1 CONCERT [WELCOME BACK IN MANILA].
"Despite receiving emergency medical attention on-site, her condition did not improve, and unfortunately, she was unable to return to the stage.
"Sincere apologies to everyone who had been waiting for this concert. We will do our utmost to ensure our artist's recovery as we fully understand the concern of the fans. Thank you."
2NE1: ALBUM AND MANILA DAY 3
Filipino Blackjacks received an exciting surprise from 2NE1.
During the encore on the concert's second day, enthusiastic fans fervently chanted for an additional Day 3 performance.
CL embraced the crowd's energy and hinted that it could indeed be a possibility.
She said, "You know what? If you guys really want it, you know anything could happen, right, with us? Not tomorrow, but we will be back!"
In addition to calling for a new concert date, fans were also heard chanting for a "new album" from the group.
To make this come true, Dara invited their fans, "Everyone, please write a letter to YG!"
Meanwhile, CL responded to their enthusiasm by confirming that it's definitely "in consideration."
"You guys are here to really make me work huh? Okay, definitely in consideration. It all depends on your love and support. So let's see.
After wrapping up their Manila concert, 2NE1 will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia, to continue their Welcome Back concert tour. Additional stops include Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
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