Singer Park Bom to step down from K-pop girl group 2NE1’s activities due to health concerns

SEOUL – South Korean singer Park Bom, a member of 2NE1, will not be participating in the K-pop girl group’s upcoming activities due to health issues, her agency announced on Aug 6.

“Park Bom will not be able to join 2NE1’s future schedule,” D-Nation Entertainment said via social media. “Upon receiving medical advice recommending sufficient rest and stability, we reached this decision after careful discussions.”

“We ask for your warm support for Park Bom’s recovery, and we would be grateful if you could also cheer on Sandara Park, CL and Minzy, who will do their best to fill the void,” the company added, referring to the remaining three members.

Concerns about Park’s health and her ability to continue group activities have been raised in recent months.

The 41-year-old has alarmed fans by posting heavily filtered selfies and making unverified personal claims online – including saying she is dating South Korean actor Lee Min-ho – raising questions about her mental health.

She also abruptly cancelled her appearance at music festival Waterbomb Busan 2025 on July 26, an unusual move in the tightly scheduled world of K-pop, where same-day cancellations are rare.

2NE1 are also part of the line-up on the second day of Waterbomb Singapore 2025, scheduled to be held at Sentosa on Aug 30 and 31.

Park had performed alongside the other 2NE1 members on Aug 3 during the half-time show at a friendly football match between English Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

She resumed her career as 2NE1’s main vocalist when they reunited for their 15th anniversary in 2024. They performed two nights at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in December that year as part of their Welcome Back Tour, which kicked off in Seoul in October.

2NE1, who debuted in 2009, disbanded in November 2016 after Minzy quit in April that year. They surprised fans by reuniting in 2022 to perform at music festival Coachella in the United States.

Park took a break from music activities in late February and March 2025, but returned for 2NE1’s two encore concerts in Seoul in April. However, she was absent again during their set at the Head In The Clouds music festival in Los Angeles in June. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

K-popCelebritiesMusicHealth and well-beingSouth Korea