Aside from having pursued an acting career in the Philippines before their international stardom, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach and K-pop girl group 2NE1 member Sandara Park, who is professionally known as Dara, have one more thing in common. They are both friends with Filipino actress and TV host Pauleen Luna.
Wurtzbach and Luna started their friendship when they were both starting as teenage actresses in the Philippines and continued to become friends as adults. Apparently, Luna was one of the most elated ones when Wurtzbach won the Miss Universe crown for the Philippines in December 2015.
In time with her homecoming in the Philippines, Wurtzbach attended the wedding of Luna and her "Eat Bulaga!" co-host Vic Sotto at St. James the Great Parish in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, on Jan. 30, Saturday. The wedding ceremony took place four days after Wurtzbach paid a courtesy call at the Malacañang Palace, where she met with Filipino President Benigno Aquino III, CNN Philippines reported.
Aside from Wurtzbach, Luna and Sotto's wedding was also attended by Francis Libiran, the Filipino designer featured in "America's Next Top Model." The designer took to Instagram to share a photo of himself with the bride and Miss Universe 2015.
On the other hand, Luna met Dara during one of the latter's school activities in the Philippines. The former encouraged Dara to audition for a reality talent show in the Philippines titled "Star Circle Quest."
Born in Busan, South Korea, Dara is not of Filipino descent but she can speak Filipino fluently aside from Korean and English. She was 10 years old when her family moved to Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, to start a trading business.
After finishing in the second place in the "Star Circle Quest," Dara pursued a career as an actress and a singer in the Philippines before going back to South Korea, where she initially planned to pursue an acting career but end up becoming a pop star. She went on to become one of the most bankable K-pop female artists.
Dara is the Communications Director of 2NE1. Her band mates are CL, Bom and Minzy. Watch the music video of their song "Falling in Love" here: