[Yonhap Photo]
"I've decided to disband 2NE1 because I felt the mental health of its member Park Bom was not good." That's the key reason revealed by YG Entertainment head Yang Hyun-suk for the sudden breakup of South Korea's iconic girl group 2NE1.
The hip-hop group abruptly met an end in November last year. CL and Dara stayed with YG but Park Bom was expelled. Minzy failed to renew her contract in April 2016, resulting in an early departure.
For years, talks about 2NE1's dissolution had been on the lips of fans since Park got caught up in a drug smuggling case in 2010. She was caught trying to receive a parcel including 82 pills which contained amphetamine as an ingredient. The parcel was sent by her family staying in the United States, but she was not charged.
Park has previously received psychotherapy in the US and was prescribed with medicines containing amphetamine from American doctors.
"Park has been plagued with stress and a sense of guilt," Yang said in an interview with Yonhap News agency, adding she was also obsessed with feelings to put her group back on track. "But I thought the most important thing was not 2NE1 but herself. I hope she will be better physically and mentally."
Yang did not completely close the lid on 2NE1. "We never know what's going to happen in the future. Like S.E.S, the day could come when 2NE1 reunites once again." S.E.S, one of South Korea's first generation girl groups, regrouped this year and released a comeback album in early January, 14 years after it was disbanded.
2NE1 will finally get to say farewell to fans with a special track "Goodbye", scheduled for release on the midnight of Saturday. Every member of 2NE1 but Minzy participated in making the special track and its music video.
