Spotted: Sandara at PNoy state dinner in Korea

MANILA -- A blonde pop star who finds pride in her Filipino connection was among the guests at President Benigno Aquino III's state dinner held Thursday in South Korea, news outfits in the country reported. Sandara Park, one-fourth of K-pop sensation 2NE1, was spotted attending the banquet hosted by South Korean President Park Hyun-hye honoring Aquino, who is in the country for a two-day state visit. According to Malacañang, the two leaders were to discuss "matters related to politics, defense, labor, trade and development assistance." On Thursday, reports from a Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) news program and Newsis.com mentioned Park as among the attendees of the state dinner. Also at the event were several businessmen, including executives of top Korean companies Kumho Asiana Group, Hanjin Heavy Industries, Lotte-Chilsung, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Export-Import Bank of Korea. In the video report of SBS, Park, who is known for her colorful persona, appeared to blend in at the banquet with her black blazer. Her bright choice of hair color nonetheless stood out. Dubbed the Philippines' "pambansang krungkrung," the 28-year-old performer rose to fame in 2004, when she finished runner-up on the ABS-CBN talent search "Star Circle Quest." After a string of film and TV projects, Park, however, decided to leave for Korea to pursue a showbiz career there. In 2009, she took on the name "Dara" as a member of 2NE1.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/10/18/13/spotted-sandara-pnoy-state-dinner-korea

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LOOK: Sandara-Justin Bieber kissing photo goes viral

MANILA -- A photo of Canadian superstar Justin Bieber kissing former ABS-CBN actress Sandara Park is making the rounds online, stirring buzz among the fans of the K-pop talent. The photo, which has gone viral on social networking sites and various K-pop boards, shows the 19-year-old heartthrob singer kissing Park on her cheek as she smiles facing the camera. Also in the photo is Korean-American jeweler Ben Baller, who originally uploaded the image on micro-blogging site Weibo. Its caption read: "Last night in the VIP room with Justin & Dara." The photo was reportedly taken during a party held Thursday launching Korean-American singer Jay Park's new record label, "AOMG." Several K-pop stars were reported to be in attendance at the high-profile event. Sandara Park, who rose to fame in 2004 as a runner-up on ABS-CBN's "Star Circle Quest," is one-fourth of the popular Korean girl group 2NE1. Bieber was in South Korea for his "Believe" concert series, which kicked off in September last year. Seoul was one of the nine Asian stops of the touring production, which has 27 more shows scheduled until December.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/10/11/13/look-sandara-justin-bieber-kissing-photo-goes-viral

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Sandara's Pinoy ex back on TV

MANILA -- Actor Joseph Bitangcol, also known as the former boyfriend of South Korean superstar Sandara Park, marked his return to acting with an appearance on "Maalaala Mo Kaya" in its episode aired Saturday. The 29-year-old actor is seen in a supporting role in the August 24 telecast of the long-running drama anthology, which also featured as cast members Ariel Rivera, Sheryl Cruz, Marco Gumabao and Ynna Asistio. Bitangcol's part in the episode's flashback scenes is his first acting stint in over a year, and is seen as his showbiz comeback after his car accident in 2011. Despite his absence from the limelight, the former "Star Circle Quest" finalist made headlines last month, when he was found unconscious inside his car along a major highway. Addressing the issue, the actor denied he was under the influence of drugs. Admitting he had been drinking when the incident happened, Bitangcol added he also lacked sleep and had difficulty during the 8-hour drive. In the same interview on "Startalk," Bitangcol was also asked about his career's turn, with the actor admitting Park's departure for South Korea affected his popularity. Park, who is now known as Dara in her native country, is one-fourth of the popular K-pop girl group 2NE1.

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/08/24/13/sandaras-pinoy-ex-back-tv

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