This article was first published on 18 April 2022.
Blackjacks, it finally happened! K-pop girl group 2NE1 — who disbanded in 2016 — performed together again for the first time in six years on 17 April on the Coachella 2022 stage. All members of the group — CL, Dara, Bom, and Minzy — surprised the crowd by singing and dancing to one of their biggest hits I Am The Best during CL’s slot in the music festival. They are the first-ever disbanded K-pop group to make a comeback through Coachella.
2NE1 reunion
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2NE1 members Minzy, Bom, Dara, and CL. (Photo from: @daraxxi)
Ever since members of the group went their separate ways, fans have constantly hoped for a reunion project. This is because the members never fail to show that they’re still on good terms, holding private get-togethers and showing support for one another’s solo careers on their respective social media platforms. They even go as far as asking each other to help write songs for their solo releases and guest in each other’s shows.
If you haven’t kept tabs on them over the years but got your curiosity sparked because of the Coachella reunion, allow us to break down where the 2NE1 members are now in 2023.
CL (Lee Chae-rin)
Two years later, Beyonce’s fashion brand Ivy Park got CL as one of its South Korean brand ambassadors. In 2021, Taco Bell also named CL as one of its international ambassadors, even making her the first Korean female solo artist to have a TV commercial in the U.S.
CL dropped her latest album ALPHA in October 2021. Coachella was her stage comeback for 2022 and we’re glad she made it extra special with this 2NE1 reunion. After Coachella, CL kept busy with her tour and various music performances in South Korea and around the world.
Dara (Sandara Park)
In 2019, she featured in fellow ex-2NE1 member Bom’s single Spring. Dara continues to appear in various Korean and Filipino variety shows and is the brand ambassador for several brands such as Baskin Robbins, Penshoppe, adidas, Nintendo Wii, and more.
At present, she just released her first solo album centred around the theme of "Sandara Park". This featured summer, tropical vibes, which showcased her own musical style and fun, lighthearted personality. The music video for one of her lead tracks, FESTIVAL, is now available for streaming too. We're also crossing our fingers for a tour soon!
Bom (Park Bom)
Minzy (Gong Min-Ji)
Minzy released her first full English solo single All Of You Say in 2018, but her music career became quiet after some legal disputes went on with her agency. She made her comeback as an independent artist in 2020 with the song Lovely. She also released a Tagalog version of the song under Viva Entertainment. In 2021, Minzy released two singles: Teamo and Fantabulous.
Now that we know a reunion performance is possible, can we have a 2NE1 reunion album soon too?
(Cover photo from: @chaelincl)
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