Park Bom (born March 24, 1984), previously known
mononymously
A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
as Bom, is a South Korean singer. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group
2NE1.
Park began her musical career in 2006, featuring on singles released by labelmates
Big Bang,
Lexy, and
Masta Wu
Woo Jin-won (, October 25, 1978), better known by his stage name Masta Wu(), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and producer. His previous stage name was Ginnwon. He was also a part of the hip hop project duo YMGA.
Career
After being an unde ...
. In 2009, she made her debut as a member of 2NE1 as the main vocalist. The group went on to become one of South Korea's most popular and best-selling girl groups of all time. Park has released two solo singles, "You and I" and "Don't Cry", which reached number one on the
Gaon Digital Chart, the national music chart of South Korea.
She was awarded
Best Digital Single at the
2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards
The 2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards was the twelfth of the annual music awards in Seoul, South Korea that took place on November 28, 2010, at The Venetian Macao in Macau, China. About 10,000 people attended the awards ceremony.
The ceremony was th ...
.
Following 2NE1's disbandment in 2016, Park left her group's agency,
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production comp ...
, in November 2016. In July 2018, she signed with D-Nation Entertainment and released her comeback single, "Spring", in March 2019. After that, in May 2019, Park Bom released her new repackaged album ''re: Blue Rose'', with the single "4:44" featuring
Wheein
Jung Whee-in (; born April 17, 1995), known professionally as Wheein, is a South Korean singer under The L1ve. She is best known as a member and vocalist of South Korean girl group Mamamoo. In April 2018, Wheein made her debut as a solo artist ...
from
Mamamoo.
Early life
Park Bom was born in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, South Korea, on March 24, 1984. Her older sister, Park Go-eun, is a cellist. Whilst attending junior high school in the United States, she was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (
ADHD).
Career
2006–2013: Career beginnings and breakthrough
![Bom Park DMA 2009 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Bom_Park_DMA_2009_3.jpg)
Park returned to South Korea to pursue a music career there and repeatedly auditioned to join
YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production comp ...
, where she was accepted into the company after three years of auditioning according to former YG executive and recording producer
Yang Hyun-suk
Yang Hyun-suk (born January 9, 1970) is a South Korean music executive, rapper, dancer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys during the 1990s. After the group disbanded, he founded and became the Ex ...
. During her time as a trainee at YG, Park was diagnosed with
lymphadenitis
Lymphadenopathy or adenopathy is a disease of the lymph nodes, in which they are abnormal in size or consistency. Lymphadenopathy of an inflammatory type (the most common type) is lymphadenitis, producing swollen or enlarged lymph nodes. In cl ...
; Park has continued to suffer from episodes of lymphadenitis ever since. In 2006, she featured on two of
Big Bang's earliest singles, "
We Belong Together
"We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. ...
" and "
Forever with U".
Park also collaborated with
Lexy on "Baby Boy" from her third extended play ''Rush'', and Red Roc on the single "Along My Way". She has also appeared in a series of promotional music videos for
Samsung Anycall of the same name, alongside
Lee Hyori
Lee Hyo-ri (; born May 10, 1979) is a South Korean singer, record producer, activist, actress and television presenter. Dubbed as the "Nation's Fairy" during her '' Family Outing'' days, she debuted as a member of South Korean girl group Fin.K. ...
,
G-Dragon
Kwon Ji-yong (; born August 18, 1988), also known by his stage name G-Dragon (지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer, known as the " King of K-pop". G-Dragon is the recipi ...
, and
Gummy
Gummies, gummi candies, gummy candies, or jelly sweets are a broad category of gelatin-based chewable sweets. Gummi bears, Sour Patch Kids, and Jelly Babies are widely popular and are a well-known part of the sweets industry. Gummies are availab ...
. Park was placed as the main vocalist of
2NE1, alongside
CL,
Dara
Dara is a given name used for both males and females, with more than one origin. Dara is found in the Bible's Old Testament Books of Chronicles. Dara רעwas a descendant of Judah (son of Jacob). (The Bible. 1 Chronicles 2:6). Dara (also known ...
, and
Minzy
Gong Min-ji (; born January 18, 1994), better known by her stage name Minzy, is a South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer. She debuted in 2009 as a member of South Korean girl group 2NE1, which became one of the best-selling girl groups worldwi ...
. The group then collaborated with label-mates
Big Bang for the song "
Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are ava ...
" before officially debuting on
SBS's ''
The Music Trend
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
'' on May 17, 2009, where they performed "
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...
". The group achieved significant success with the number-one single "
I Don't Care" from their first extended play, ''
2NE1'', which won them the
Song of the Year award at the
2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards, making them the first rookie group to win a daesang in the same year of debut. In August 2009, after finishing promotions for their debut single, the members took a break to focus on individual activities. She released her first solo single "You and I" on October 28, where it became a commercial success and won
Best Digital Single at the
2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards
The 2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards was the twelfth of the annual music awards in Seoul, South Korea that took place on November 28, 2010, at The Venetian Macao in Macau, China. About 10,000 people attended the awards ceremony.
The ceremony was th ...
.
In late 2010, Park featured on
GD & TOP
GD & TOP was a South Korean hip-hop/pop duo formed by G-Dragon and T.O.P, the rappers of the K-pop boy band Big Bang in 2010. The release of their first album, '' GD & TOP'' (2010) was a commercial success becoming one of the best selling albums ...
's single "
Oh Yeah", appearing on both the Korean and Japanese versions of the song as well as the Japanese music video. The single peaked at number two on the Gaon Chart upon release. On April 21, 2011, she released a second solo digital single, "Don't Cry". The single was a success and achieved a perfect all-kill on Instiz, placing number one on seven local music charts.
The same year, Park featured on the song "Having an Affair", performed by
G-Dragon
Kwon Ji-yong (; born August 18, 1988), also known by his stage name G-Dragon (지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer, known as the " King of K-pop". G-Dragon is the recipi ...
and comedian
Park Myeong-su
Park Myung-soo (born August 27, 1970) is a South Korean DJ, comedian, MC, singer, and songwriter who debuted on television in 1993, appearing on MBC. He co-hosted the top-rated comic variety programme '' Infinite Challenge'' and also hosted ...
in a duo project called GG for the ''
Infinite Challenge Music Festival''. The former praised her, saying that "In every song that her voice goes, it's a hit. Her voice is very good". The single was another hit and was the second most downloaded song of 2011. In 2013, Park formed a sub-unit group with labelmate
Lee Hi
Lee Ha-yi (; born September 23, 1996), known by her stage name Lee Hi, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. She first garnered attention as the runner-up of '' K-pop Star 1''. She debuted with single "1, 2, 3, 4" on October 28, 2012 and rea ...
, known as Bom & Hi. The duo released a cover of
Mariah Carey's "
All I Want for Christmas Is You" on December 17. The same year, she also featured on the Japanese version of G-Dragon's single "Black".
2014–2017: Career setback
In 2014, it was released to the public that Park had been under investigation for drug smuggling (80
Adderall
Adderall and Mydayis are trade names for a combination drug called mixed amphetamine salts containing four salts of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio ...
tablets
) through international mail in the past.
A package, sent by family members residing in the United States to her residing in South Korea, was stopped at
Incheon International Airport
Incheon International Airport (IIA; ) (sometimes referred to as Seoul–Incheon International Airport) is the largest airport in South Korea. It is the primary airport serving the Seoul Capital Area and one of the largest and busiest airports ...
customs. Park was put under investigation but was never charged.
In a statement issued by YG Entertainment's
Yang Hyun-suk
Yang Hyun-suk (born January 9, 1970) is a South Korean music executive, rapper, dancer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys during the 1990s. After the group disbanded, he founded and became the Ex ...
, he spoke against the allegations of preferential treatment. He explained that the drug was illegal in South Korea but legal in the United States. She was unable to travel to the United States during that time due to her busy schedule. Park contacted her U.S. physician to refill her medication. Yang further explained that Park sought out medical care from South Korean physicians and had undergone therapy for
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inap ...
but proved to be not as effective as her treatment in the United States.
[ In 2010, at the time of investigation, she had provided the prosecutor her medical records from her U.S. hospital confirming her diagnoses as well as ongoing treatment plan.] That same year, Park joined the cast of SBS's '' Roommate'', a reality show which features eleven celebrities living together in a share house. She shortly withdrew from the program following the scandal and went into a hiatus from the entertainment industry.
Park's next appearance was on December 2, 2015, performing with 2NE1 at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards
The 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards ceremony, organized by CJ E&M through its music channel Mnet, took place on December 2, 2015, at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. The ceremony was the sixth consecutive Mnet Asian Music Awards to be hosted outside o ...
. On November 25, 2016, YG Entertainment announced the disbandment of the group. The company also revealed that former members CL and Dara signed a solo contract, hinting at Park's departure from the company. Park, however, took part in 2NE1's final song "Goodbye", released on January 21, 2017. On April 30, 2017, she announced through social media that she is now under YG Entertainment's subsidiary, The Black Label
The Black Label Inc. (; stylized as THEBLACKLABEL or THEBLΛƆKLΛBEL) is a South Korean record label and an associate company of YG Entertainment. It was founded in 2015 by YG producer Teddy and Kush.
History
On September 22, 2015, YG Entertain ...
, and is preparing to release a solo album. On May 1, 2017, the company denied that statement and declared that Park had not signed any new contract with the company or any of their subsidiaries since they broke her contract back in November 2016. She followed up on social media replying to fans that she did sign a contract and she is coming back.
2018–present: Career resurgence
On July 20, 2018, Park reportedly signed an exclusive contract with the newly established entertainment company D-Nation Entertainment. It was planned that she would be releasing her debut mini-album consisting of five to six tracks in November, as well as promotional activities overseas. However, it was reported on October 2, 2018, that the mini-album would instead be released around January 2019 and that Park will be opening a YouTube channel. The following day, it was reported that she would be making her first small screen appearance in four years through '' YG Future Strategy Office'', which stars former labelmate Seungri
Lee Seung-hyun (; born December 12, 1990), better known by his stage names Seungri (Hangul: ) and V.I (when performing in Japan), is a former South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, businessman and sex offender convicted of facilitating prost ...
. Park was featured in the series' third episode, "Music Business", which premiered on October 5, 2018, on Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
.
"Spring" was announced on February 15, 2019, as the lead single off her debut single album of the same name, which was released on March 13, 2019, alongside the premiere of its music video. The song was produced by Brave Brothers
Kang Dong-chul (, born June 7, 1979), also known by his stage name Brave Brothers, is a South Korean rapper, record producer and songwriter for Brave Entertainment. He was a producer and composer for YG Entertainment from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, ...
and was described as an "R&B song of medium tempo". Additionally, "Spring" features vocals from Park's former groupmate Dara. The song was performed for the first time during ''Spring'''s showcase event, which was held on the same day of its release. "Spring" debuted at number two on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart as highest-selling K-pop song and highest-charting new entry of that week. ''Spring'' was re-released as an extended play titled ''re:Blue Rose'' on May 2, 2019. The lead single titled "4:44" was produced by the Brave Brothers once again and featured vocals from Wheein
Jung Whee-in (; born April 17, 1995), known professionally as Wheein, is a South Korean singer under The L1ve. She is best known as a member and vocalist of South Korean girl group Mamamoo. In April 2018, Wheein made her debut as a solo artist ...
. Park released "I Do, I Do" for ''Perfume'' as her first soundtrack appearance on July 1, 2019. She held her first fanmeet, billed as "Spring Again", on July 20, 2019. Park competed in Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
's reality television competition ''Queendom'', which initially aired on August 29, 2019. She released three singles throughout her run in the competition: covers of " Hann (Alone)" by fellow competitor (G)I-dle and " Eyes, Nose, Lips" by former labelmate Taeyang
Dong Young-bae (; born May 18, 1988), better known by his stage names Taeyang (meaning "sun" in Korean) and SOL (when performing in Japan), is a South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer. After appearing in Jinusean's music video "A-yo", Tae ...
, and an original song titled "Wanna Go Back" , wherein the former features vocals from Cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
. She ultimately ended in last place in the competition. Park subsequently featured in "Chanel" by MC Mong
Shin Dong-hyun ( ko, 신동현; born September 4, 1979), better known by his stage name MC Mong ( ko, MC몽, links=no), is a South Korean hip hop recording artist, record producer, radio personality, actor and television personality who is kno ...
, which was released on October 29, 2019. She reunited with Dara for the single titled "First Snow', which was released on December 10, 2019.
On December 21, 2020, Park returned from a year-long hiatus with "Red Light", a collaboration with Sai Sai Kham Leng
Sai Sai Kham Leng ( my, စိုင်းစိုင်းခမ်းလှိုင်; ; also Sai Sai Kham Hlaing; born 10 April 1979) is a Burmese singer-songwriter, model, novelist, and actor of ethnic Shan descent. He is considered one ...
. She released a standalone single titled "Do Re MI Fa Sol", which features vocals from Changmo
Ku Chang-mo (Hangul: 구창모; born May 31, 1994), known mononymously as Changmo (창모; stylized in all caps), is a South Korean rapper and producer. He released his debut album ''M O T O W N'' on March 18, 2016. In October 2016 he joined ...
, on March 31, 2021. On March 11, 2022, Park released a single titled "Flower", which features Kim Min-seok from MeloMance
MeloMance (Hangul
The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the K ...
.
On November 2, 2022, D-Nation Entertainment announced that the release of "Remembered" would be postponed to a new date later, Due to the aftermath of the Seoul Halloween crowd crush
On the night of 29 October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. At least 158 people were killed and 196 others were injured. The victims were mostly young adults.
The crow ...
.
Filmography
Films
Television
Discography
Single albums
Singles
Soundtrack appearances
Other charted songs
Awards and nominations
Footnotes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Park, Bom
1984 births
Living people
2NE1 members
Berklee College of Music alumni
English-language singers from South Korea
Peabody Institute alumni
Singers from Seoul
South Korean expatriates in the United States
South Korean female dancers
South Korean female idols
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean rhythm and blues singers
MAMA Award winners
YG Entertainment artists
21st-century South Korean singers
21st-century South Korean women singers