Seattle native Jay Park managed to climb to the top of the K-pop scene as the charismatic leader of boy band 2PM. But when the young performer made some “anti-Korean” comments on his MySpace page and later allegedly confessed to some “severe personal mistake,” according to his record label, he found himself excised from the group and Korea. The singer was prepared to return to a life of obscurity, dancing with his old crew and taking a job at a tire shop in his hometown.
But then, when Park, for fun, posted a YouTube video cover of B.o.B.’s “Nothin’ On You,” which shows him singing in his bathroom and momentarily flashing his well-documented six-pack abs, the video collected more than a million views in just one hour. Eventually it would reach 5 million hits, and then, his phone was ringing off the hook.
Park insists, however, his is not an intentional comeback. “The only reason I went back [to Korea] was because my fans were like, ‘We want you back, we want you back,’” Park tells KoreAm’s Rebecca U. Cho in this month’s cover story. Call it whatever you want, but Park is coming at his fans—and hoping to attract new ones—with a movie he filmed with his dance crew and a new album to be released early this year. And, this time, as a now-solo artist, Park says he’s calling the shots.
To read this month’s cover story on Jay Park purchase a single issue copy for $6.50, shipping included! (U.S. addresses only.) For international shipping rates, please call 310-769-4913.
…And for a limited time only, you can get a SPECIAL K-POP PACKAGE OF 4 KOREAM ISSUES featuring 1) January 2012 with Jay Park, 2) August 2010 with 2PM, 3) May 2009 with Boa, and 4) a special collector’s issue with a printed autograph of Korean pop sensation Rain! All this for only $12.00, shipping included! (U.S. addresses only.) For international shipping rates, please call 310-769-4913.
