Jang Nara is a bona fide actress, singer, and host whose career has spanned over two decades and two countries. She is versatile and has taken on a range of roles throughout her long-standing career, becoming well known for submerging herself into very different characters from who she is in real life.
Don’t be fooled by her innocent appearance, for Jang Nara is undeniably a powerhouse that will keep you on your toes! Here are the 5 best to start on.
1. “VIP”
For fans who have been following Jang Nara for many years, “VIP” was a dramatic change in genre from previous roles she has played in. Aside from that, this role was also wanted by many producers because it was centred around the exact type of character Nara is known for being.
In the drama, the actress plays the character of Na Jeong Seon, who is a prosperous executive at Sung Un Department Store. However, her life takes a turn for the worse one day when she receives a mysterious text about Park Seon Hoon’s husband having an affair with one of their mutual colleagues.
Suspicion and emotional turmoil can be a poignant combination to express, and Jang Nara certainly brings that to the table with finesse. She gives viewers a glimpse into the struggles that women face in their personal lives and at work.
2. “Sell Your Haunted House”
In “Sell Your Haunted House,” Jang Nara plays Hong Ji Ah, a real estate broker who also acts as a property owner and exorcist at the same time – which is particularly unique because not many people possess “two hats” like Ji Ah.
She identifies locations that are hard to sell by and identify their ghostly presences (interior and exterior) before conducting various exorcisms, clarifying questions regarding her process, and facilitating negotiations between owners and buyers.
Jang Nara really shines in this drama. She’s fantastic at conveying her emotions without losing sight of the character’s tender-hearted nature, which relates to why Ji Ah stayed an exorcist for so long despite the threat it posed to her own health.
3. “The Last Empress”
It isn’t just modern dramas that fit Jang Nara very well, but she also does very well in traditional dramas. No better proof can be found than in “The Last Empress,” where the actress portrays Oh Sunny, a bubbly actress whose innocent crush on Lee Hyuk (Shin Sung Rok), the Emperor of the Korean Empire, turns into a contemporary version of Cinderella, as he too takes an interest and marries her.
At first glance, actress Jang Nara appears to be a shoo-in for the role of Sunny. Still, as the drama unfolds and the character has to outmanoeuvre her competitors, you start to see actress Jang Nara’s undeniable charisma shine bright. There’s no denying that she can tackle any challenge with ease.
4. “Go Back Couple”
Turning back time for a do-over is next to impossible, but in “Go Back Couple”, Ma Jin Joo and her estranged husband of more than 10 years get this very wish fulfilled. When the couple reaches a breaking point in their relationship and wakes up one day to find themselves back as university students, they try not to make the same mistakes twice. How will they react differently this time around?
The great thing about this show is that it allows us to witness Jang Nara stepping into the shoes of Jin Joo and giving a captivating but also believable performance.
Some of her best acting moments appear when she’s emoting through her role as she details for us the emotions leading up to her father’s sudden death, including utter disappointment with life tinged with touches of hopelessness, heartbreak, and despair.
5. “Fated To Love You”
As a shy and harmless lawyer in a law firm, Kim Mi Young’s (Jang Hyuk’s) life intersects with that of Lee Gun’s (Jang Nara), heiress to the prestigious Jeonju Lee clan. Especially after she gets pregnant after one night of drunken carnality, Lee Gun steps up to the plate but not without his own tentative reservations given their different statuses at work.
While Mi Young may have started out as someone pretty timid, Jang Nara injects the character with a bit of her own remarkable talent for standing up to any given challenge that faces her.
Viewers will find themselves fascinated by the actress’ ability to breathe life into these characters and sometimes even an entire movie. This movie shows exactly why she is such a unique Korean starlet who can make even men smile by simply batting her eyelashes at them.
