Lena Park Enjoys Belated Leap to the Big Time

People always ask diminutive singer Lena Park, also known as Park Jung-hyun, the same question, "Where does that powerful voice come from?" Despite her petite frame, Park is a towering presence on stage and her charismatic aura only adds to her powerful voice.

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The hit MBC TV reality show "I Am a Singer" was nothing if not transformational for Park. It has led to commercial contracts -- the first since her debut -- and requests to perform and appear on other TV programs. Park describes appearing on the show as a life-changing experience.

"In the past, only a few people recognized me on the street, but now everyone does", she said. "But that has created a few problems too", she added.

Born in Los Angeles, California in 1976, Park came to Korea to perform back in 1995 when she was studying acting at UCLA. She says her first days in Korea were tough, since she had to live by herself without knowing the language.

Park, who has been singing for the past 14 years, said, "I got a chance to appear on 'I am a Singer' at a point in my career when I was feeling a bit despondent as I was pondering my future as a singer".

She had been working on mapping out her music career since returning from the U.S. in May last year, after she took one year off to finish her studies at prestigious Columbia University in New York, which she transferred to from UCLA.

"I am a Singer" came to her at just the right time. The program allowed viewers to rediscover Park as a singer. These days, she is busy performing on stage and her fans are eagerly awaiting her next move.