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Korean DJ Jinri Park looks up to Grace Lee and Sandara

DJ and model Jinri Park admires fellow Koreans Grace Lee and Sandara Park since they paved the way for her (JInri’s) entry into the local entertainment industry.

Jinri has been working as  DJ in Monster Radio RX 93.1 for a year now and is starting a career as an actress. She also models and writes for local men’s magazine FHM.

“I look up to  Grace because she also started as a DJ. It also opened the way for me to start in the DJ business,” Jinri said at the launch of the new Korean restaurant which she endorses, K-Bop, in SM North Edsa on Thursday, May 31.

Sandara, on the other hand, was a Kapamilya talent before she became a member of the famous K-pop group 2ne1.

“I look up to Sandara because she’s the first one to bring the K-pop scene here. She’s one of my idols. I look up to people who paved way for me. Without them, people wouldn’t appreciate me as much,” Jinri relates.

She added that  Filipinos’ fascination with K-pop also helped her gain a  following and break into the local radio business.

Perfect timing

“It’s perfect timing for me because I’m Korean. A lot of people appreciate me more now because of the whole Korean wave.”

Jinri describes K-pop as a “worldwide trend” since its popularity has spread in non-Asian countries likeUS and Europe. She thinks that Filipinos appreciate K-pop because of its fashion and catchy music.

“It’s something new, something fresh. People are used to seeing international stars, listening to Western music. They feel like these people are wearing different clothes, make-up, something fresh and different. Korean songs are also very catchy and very LSS, dance moves are very easy to follow,” she points out.
`Filipino inside’

Jinri and her family have adapted to Filipino culture and values since they moved to Cebu when she was six. As much as she loves Korea, Jinri said  she felt “left out” when she moved back there years ago since she already feels “like a Filipino inside.”

“I’m very proud of my country but I felt kind of left out. I grew up here so I’m already like a Filipino inside but I look Korean. Filipinos see me as a Korean but Koreans see me as a Filipino because of how I act, how I talk. My attitude is already Filipino. I really want to stay here.”

Jinri loves Filipino food like pancit canton, sinigang and pinakbet. As for Korean food, Jinri recommends K-Bop’s japchae.

She also supports OPM and plays a lot of Filipino music in her radio show.