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By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
Korean singer Lena Park, also known as Park Jeong-hyeon here, has finally finished her studies and graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University.
According to Park's agency T Entertainment Tuesday, the 34-year-old was also given the honor to sing the United States' national anthem on behalf of fellow graduates. This is the first time in 10 years for a student to sing the national anthem, and the first time ever for an Asian student.
``As I have finally graduated from school, now I will focus on my singing career. I will return to my job as a singer this coming fall,'' Park was quoted as saying by her agency.
Park studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and during her sophomore year in 1998, made her debut as a singer in Korea. She stopped studying at UCLA and transferred to Columbia University majoring in English literature, moving back and forth from the U.S. to Korea for her studies and to maintain her singing career.
Debuting with the album ``Piece,'' Park was dubbed Korea's Mariah Carey during the late 1990s. With her petite figure but powerful voice, she captivated fans and the music industry with ballads like ``I'll Write a Letter'' and ``You Mean Everything to Me.''
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