(Yonhap)

After years of having to put her showbiz career on hold, Park Bom, formerly of the now-disbanded 2NE1, has returned to the K-pop scene in the hope of reviving it.

The media showcase for her first solo single in nearly eight years, titled “Spring,” took place in Seoul on Wednesday and the venue was packed with reporters and photographers. Some even climbed the stairs for a better view of the singer, who had kept a low profile since 2014 because of a drug scandal.

“‘Spring,’ the lead track off my new album, delivers my hope for the cold winter to pass and the warm spring to come at last. I feel very nervous right now. I didn’t get enough sleep last night because I felt so nervous,” said Park, her voice trembling slightly.

While her new single, which features former 2NE1 bandmate Sandara Park, is ostensibly a love song, it also refers to her not-so-rosy life and her hopes of rebuilding her career. She sings, with intense emotion, “Will spring come for me again?”

Her name, Bom, means “Spring” in Korean.

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Just as passionately, Park Bom answers her question at the end of the song, singing, “Spring will be there for me.” The song is her first single since “Don’t Cry” in 2011.

During the showcase event, the singer was bombarded with the inevitable questions about the drug scandal. In 2014, the news broke that in 2010, Park had allegedly tried to smuggle amphetamines into South Korea from the US, where she had previously resided, through the international postal service. But no charges were filed against the singer, who said she had taken the drugs for medical purposes when she lived in the US and was unaware that they were illegal in Korea.

(Yonhap)

Asked why she’d decided to make a comeback despite the controversy, the singer said, “I wanted to let people know that I am back on the scene. I wanted to share my thoughts and promote my new songs, especially to my global fans. I know that people have negative opinions about my return, but I will try to make them like me again. I hope to turn things around.”

Known as one of the most talented vocalists on the scene since her trainee days, Park also said she’d never stopped watching music shows and listening to new music because she hadn’t wanted to lose her musical sense.

“I wanted to sing onstage all the time, especially when watching junior singers. They reminded me of our time as 2NE1,” she said.

(Yonhap)

Park was also asked to comment on current developments surrounding her former label mate Seungri of Big Bang -- Park parted ways with YG Entertainment in 2016 and is currently signed on with D-Nation -- but she refused to comment.

“I’ve been so busy that I just became aware of the news,” she said. “I have nothing to say about it.”

The head of her agency, Scott, accompanied the singer to the event to support the singer in addressing the old drug controversy and in proclaiming her innocence.

Stepping onto the stage, he said, “The medication prescribed for Park is a medically approved drug, commonly used for treatment in the US. She apologized to me for not being aware of the laws in Korea and bringing in the drug.

“She won’t make the same mistake again. She’s still suffering from ADD, attention deficit disorder, and going to the hospital once a month to receive another medication, an alternative to amphetamines,” he added.

Looking overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness, Park wrapped up the event by expressing her hope of bringing back her heyday -- both as a musician and as a TV personality.

Park’s “Spring” has topped several local streaming charts since its release Wednesday evening.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)