Jang Nara Interview with Sports Chosun.
“I want to continue to be remembered as an ‘anticipated actor’. I want to be portrayed as a variety of characters.” Actress Jang Na-ra expressed her determination to take on a new challenge after the end of the SBS drama ‘Good Partner’. She said that she wants to remain an actor who can give people expectations in the future, and pledged to show a more developed side of herself in various works.
Jang Na-ra had an interview with Sports Chosun in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 23rd and shared her thoughts on this work and her plans for the future. ‘Good Partner’, in which she played the lead role, ended on the 20th, recording a viewership rating of 15.7% in the metropolitan area, 15.2% nationwide, and a peak viewership rating of 21.0%, taking first place not only among Friday-Saturday dramas but also among all programs aired during the week. It also proved its immense popularity by recording a viewership rating of 5.4% in the 2049 demographic, taking first place in its time slot.
‘Good Partner’ garnered a great response from viewers by warmly addressing the realistic topic of divorce, centering on the story of divorce lawyer Cha Eun-kyung (played by Jang Na-ra) and rookie lawyer Han Yu-ri (played by Nam Ji-hyun). In the last episode, Cha Eun-kyung and Han Yu-ri faced off again in court, but they helped each other grow and moved forward together as true ‘good partners’.
Jang Na-ra said about this drama, “I’m so grateful, and I’m surprised that it achieved results beyond my expectations. I’m just grateful that many people love a drama that deals with the heavy topic of divorce.” However, she also revealed that she had great concerns about taking on the role of a divorce lawyer at the beginning of the drama. “I thought the topic of divorce could be a bit heavy. However, the script, which was told from the perspective of a lawyer, felt refreshing. I think the viewers were able to relate to it because there were many realistic stories.”
Good Partner was also a new challenge for Jang Na-ra. As the divorce lawyer Cha Eun-kyung, she had to convey the depth of emotions of fighting fiercely in court and resolving various divorce cases. Regarding this, Jang Na-ra said, “Through this drama, I was able to learn about the lawyer’s profession, and I felt a lot in the process of resolving cases. The realistic episodes in the script were the charming points of this drama,” adding that the drama was able to garner greater sympathy from viewers because it contained stories that could actually happen.
Jang Na-ra also said that her thoughts on marriage and divorce changed through this drama. “Marriage is really difficult. It’s a miracle for people who have been living apart for a long time to live together, but it takes a lot of effort and dedication to maintain it,” she said, mentioning the difficulties of marriage. She also said, “I realized through this drama that divorce shouldn’t be viewed only negatively. I really sympathized with the line that says divorce is just one choice, and that you need to make the right choice.”
When asked about Cha Eun-kyung and Jang Na-ra’s personalities, she said, “Cha Eun-kyung is a character who talks a lot, unlike me, and has sharp confrontations in court. It was a new challenge for me, but I was glad that I was able to give catharsis to the viewers by acting out her sharp remarks.” She continued, “There were difficult moments because there were so many lines, but I felt a great sense of accomplishment for having done it in the end.”
She also expressed special affection for Nam Ji-hyun, with whom she acted in ‘Good Partner’. “Nam Ji-hyun really portrayed the character of Han Yu-ri well. I relied a lot on her as I built Cha Eun-kyung. She was such a good character that I wish there were more people like Han Yu-ri in the world,” she said, expressing her gratitude towards her fellow actress.
When asked about the genre of ‘womance’ that depicts the friendship and growth of two female lawyers in a drama, Jang Na-ra said, “Whether it’s a bromance or a womance, the chemistry between the characters is important,” and added that she is happy that recent dramas are becoming more diverse and rich. She also emphasized that it is important to break free from the obsession with romance, saying, “There can be various relationships even if a man and a woman are not connected.”
Finally, Jang Na-ra talked about monitoring with her husband after marriage. She said, “My husband often gives me professional advice on filming or directing while watching dramas. He praised me for this drama and said many words of gratitude.”
Jang Na-ra expressed her will to continue to challenge herself with new characters and diverse works in the future. She said, “I want to remain an actress who can always give viewers something to look forward to,” and people are looking forward to her next move.
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