Korean American star Jay Park discusses his garlic juice, foray into K-pop and keeping it real

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Korean American star Jay Park is known for many things, including being a rapper and R&B artist, as well as a garlic health drink enthusiast.

Park held a two-day fan meeting in Seoul over the weekend for the first time in over a decade. Between performing his hits, Park, known for his dedication to health drinks, minced garlic on stage for two fans who won a lucky draw to taste his garlic health drinks. During the show, fans waved garlic-shaped light sticks.

Hailing from Washington state, Park stumbled into South Korea’s competitive pop industry after his mother suggested he try out for a K-pop audition, which he initially thought was just a talent show. He moved to South Korea, became a trainee under JYP Entertainment, and later debuted as a member of K-pop band 2PM.

His stint with the band was cut short in 2009 when his old online comments about his difficulty adapting to an unfamiliar country surfaced, drawing harsh criticism from the media and the public. He eventually parted ways with the band and returned to his hometown. After Park’s return to the United States, public perceptions changed after people realized that his online messages had been taken out of context, leading to a strong demand for his return. He re-debuted as a solo artist in 2010.

Park has become one of the biggest names in the Asian entertainment industry as a recording artist, founder of three well-known South Korean music labels and an entrepreneur, with a Korean liquor brand.

In an interview, Park talked about his long-overdue fan meeting, being the first K-pop star to open an OnlyFans account and his upcoming foray into K-pop management with two bands set to debut.

His interview with The Associated Press has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: It’s your first fan meeting in more than a decade. How did this come about and how was the meeting with fans?

A: I received a lot of support and love from the fans, but I felt like I never deserved that. I also wanted people to know the real me, as a person and as an artist. My perception back then was like, I didn’t want to rely on the fans too much and just continuously take money from them. That’s not what I wanted to do. But I realized they want to show their support and it’s about (me) giving back as well. So right now it’s just a perfect opportunity to meet with my fans.

Q: You just talked about the “real me.” Who is the real you? Is there a side of you that you want people to see more?

A: I don’t want people to see anything. If you see me, you see me. If you don’t, you don’t. I don’t have an artist name. My name is Jay Park. There’s not a lot of people that are active under their real name. I’m probably like one of the only ones. I’ve been like that for, what, 16 years now? And I work with people that I want to work with. I do music that I want to do. I’m not hungry or thirsty for recognition anymore or to be accepted.

Q: What was it like meeting your fans after a long time?

A: What surprised me was a lot of my fans were a little more shy, I felt. But I think it’s because, for me, there’s no one that really manages my fandom. So it’s like everybody’s just kind of scattered around, so when they all come together in one spot for the first time in 11 years, it’s kind of like awkward for them as well. It’s awkward for me. So everyone was very shy. I’m glad that we can meet 11 years later and celebrate each other.

Q: I heard you’re the first K-pop star to open up an OnlyFans account. What’s the reason behind it?

A: I came out with a song called “McNasty” which is kind of reminiscent of (my previous song) “Mommae.” So it’s a little bit more raunchy, explicit. I’ve put out like hundreds of songs and the promotion can’t be the same every time. Especially because we’re not spending millions and millions of dollars. We have to be creative. It’s not like I created OnlyFans all of a sudden to do porn. But that’s the thing. I used that branding to market myself in the song, to bring awareness to the song and it worked just as planned. It became a huge thing.

Q: How do you keep up with trends?

A: I don’t keep up with trends. I have certain morals and certain standards, and I just abide by those standards. And it’s led me to where I’m at right now. I never cut any corners. I don’t take shortcuts. So I think that that’s taken me a long way. And I’ve always tried to be the best human being and try to carry myself as a good person.

Q: Your Korean liquor brand, WONSOJU, is selling globally. Why did you get into the soju (a distilled clear Korean alcoholic beverage) business?

A: I wanted to have traditionally distilled premium soju and have it go global so that people realize soju is not just a cheap alcohol you can just get drunk off. There’s real nice soju. Like there’s good whiskey, there’s good sake, there’s good soju as well.

Q: Is soju your favorite liquor?

A: I like soju and wine.

Q: You’ve hinted at an upcoming album. When is the release?

A: It’s supposed to come out in October.

Korean American star Jay Park attends a fan meeting on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seoul. (AP Photo/Juwon Park)

Korean American star Jay Park makes his viral garlic health shots on stage during a fan meeting at Myunghwa Live Hall on Sunday, Aug 11, 2024, in Seoul. (AP Photo/Juwon Park)

Korean American star Jay Park performs at Myunghwa Live Hall for a fan meeting on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seoul (AP Photo/ Juwon Park)

Korean American star Jay Park performs at Myunghwa Live Hall for a fan meeting on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seoul. (AP Photo/ Juwon Park)

Korean American star Jay Park shows the garlic light stick of his fandom on stage during a fan meeting at Myunghwa Live Hall on Sunday, Aug 11, 2024, in Seoul. (AP Photo/Juwon Park)

Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 140 rockets Friday, a day after the militant group’s leader vowed to retaliate against Israel for a mass bombing attack, the Israeli military and the militant group said.

Israel’s military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon.

In Gaza, Palestinian authorities said 15 people were killed overnight in multiple Israeli attacks.

An airstrike early Friday morning in Gaza City hit a family home, killing six people including an unknown number of children, Gaza’s Civil Defense said. Another person was killed in Gaza City when a strike hit a group of people on a street.

Israel maintains it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. The military, which rarely comments on individual strikes, had no immediate comment.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children.

Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Meanwhile, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah is promising to retaliate for deadly attacks on its communication devices after Israel’s defense minister announced a “new phase” of the war. Fears are increasing that 11 months of exchanges of fire between the two sides will escalate into all-out war.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. They have come close to a full-blown war on several occasions.

Here's the latest:

Palestinian authorities say 15 people were killed overnight in the Gaza Strip in multiple Israeli attacks.

An airstrike early Friday morning in Gaza City hit a family home, killing six people including an unknown number of children, Gaza’s Civil Defense said. Another person was killed in Gaza City when a strike hit a group of people on a street.

In Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza City, another person was killed and several others injured when a vehicle was hit by an Israeli strike, the Civil Defense said.

Late Thursday, six more people were killed in a strike that hit a home in the center of Gaza City, while another was killed in Beit Lahya, north of Gaza City.

Israel maintains it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. The military, which rarely comments on individual strikes, had no immediate comment.

The war has caused vast destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million.

BAGHDAD — A leader of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia was killed Friday in a strike in Syria, a war monitor and a militia official said.

Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah group — which is different from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah — said in a statement that Abu Haidar al-Khafaji was killed “while performing his duties as a security advisor in Damascus.”

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier reported that a leader in Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah group was killed and another person injured in a drone strike on the car they were traveling in on the road to the Damascus airport.

An official with an Iraqi militia confirmed that a car carrying a group of militia members was struck in Damascus, killing one person and injuring three others. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

There was no comment from Israeli officials on the strike. Israel frequently strikes Iranian and Iran-linked groups in Syria but rarely acknowledges the strikes.

Tensions have heightened in the region following a wave of apparently remotely detonated explosions in Lebanon targeting pagers and walkie talkies belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah. The attacks, widely blamed on Israel, which has not commented on them, killed at least 37 people - including two children - and wounded about 3,000.

— By Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad

BEIRUT — Israel’s military killed two Hezbollah members who were planting explosives along the border over the weekend, Israel’s military and an official with a Lebanese group said.

The official with a Lebanese group said the two members of the militant group were killed Sunday and their bodies were taken by Israeli troops because they were too close to the fence along the tense frontier. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

On Thursday, Israel’s military released a video it said was taken by one of the fighters showing the militants coming under fire. The military said that the two fighters were killed by Israeli troops as they tried to plant an improvised explosive device near a military post.

In the days following the tense border interaction, thousands of devices exploded in different parts of Lebanon and Syria, killing 37 people and wounding around 3,000 others. The attack was blamed on Israel, and many of those killed or injured were members of Hezbollah.

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report.

Hezbollah members carry the coffin of their comrade who was killed when a handheld device exploded, during a funeral procession in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Right-wing Israelis with relatives held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and their supporters, rally against a hostage deal, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. The placard in Hebrew reads: " To bathe in his blood." (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

Houses are engulfed in fire as the Israeli army raided the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Palestinians duck for cover as the Israeli army raided the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya on Thursday, Sept.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

FILE - Hezbollah fighters carry one of the coffins of four fallen comrades who were killed Tuesday after their handheld pagers exploded, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)