2NE1 member Sandara Park, known as Dara, has warned to take legal action against people who spread "misinterpretations" related to her "love story" with a minor.
Dara recently found herself at the center of controversy following the resurfacing of a video in which she recounts a "love story" from her youth. The incident, which occurred before her debut as a singer, involves her dating a 14-year-old boy when she was 19.
In the video posted on her YouTube channel last year, Dara revealed a cute guy asked her for her number before she debuted and added that she gave it to him despite knowing he was 14.
She also said she lied about her age, telling the boy she was 16 instead of 19 at the time to date him.
"I was like, 'I'm 16,'" she told fellow 2NE1 member Minzy.
It was not clear when exactly they began dating or how long they dated, but Dara revealed that they stopped speaking shortly after she debuted as she had to reveal her actual age—19—during introductions.
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Netizens expressed their anger and shock when the clip resurfaced online. Some accused the 2NE1 singer of "grooming" the boy, while others criticized her for seemingly being proud of her actions.
"Recounting this like it's something to be proud of, it's the tone-deaf behavior for me," one commenter wrote on Reddit.
As the controversy gained traction, Dara's team took action. The segment containing the story was removed from the YouTube video, with a pinned comment explaining that parts of the episode had been "re-edited to avoid potential misunderstandings that may arise due to cultural differences."
Dara's team later updated the comment to include a warning against "spreading unfounded speculations, misinterpretations, or malicious comments" about the artist. The statement also threatened legal action against attempts to defame Dara's reputation.
As of Friday, neither Dara nor her entertainment agency, Abyss Company, have directly addressed the issue beyond the YouTube comment.
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