Jang Nara ♥ 장나라 ♥ チャンナラ| [Current Drama 2023/2024] My Happy Ending, 나의 해피엔드 - Sat & Sun @ 2110KST

[SyH]

Actress Jang Nara on her drama 'Confession Couple,' marriage

The Korean TV drama "Confession Couple" ended its run on November 18 but its lead actress, Jang Nara, said she's still remembering her character.

 

In the time-travel drama, Jang Nara played Ma Jin Joo, who is married to Choi Ban Do, played by actor Son Ho-jun. The couple is on the brink of getting a divorce and they travel back in time when they were university students.

 

"At home, I cried a lot, thinking about the drama and drinking beer, even though I am a poor drinker," Jang Nara told Yonhap News. "I've never experienced this kind of feelings before. But with this drama, I can't just stop thinking about it. I feel as if the characters were real and were living in a different world somewhere."

 

When asked about marriage in real life, the actress explained that "it is not like I don't want to marry. It is just out of my control. If I am destined to marry, I will. If not, what can I do about it?" she said.

 

She added that if she could meet someone like the character Choi Ban-do, "or someone who is only half as nice as he is, I would do everything to marry him."

 

Jang Nara praised her co-star, saying. "I am grateful that he did amazing in the drama."

She is 36 years old but she's able to play younger roles, thanks to her youthful looks.

"I think I can look young because the colleagues on the set who are younger than me treated me as their friend, wife and first love. To be honest, Ho-jun has much smoother skin than I do," she added.

 

She said she was happy to essay the role, explaining, "People at my age can relate to her and her story. It was a great decision to be part of the drama."

 

cr: http://www.ibtimes.sg/actress-jang-nara-her-drama-confession-couple-marriage-20586

[SyH]

Jang Na Ra and Son Ho Jun Do the Macarena in Fun Music Trailer for Korean Drama “Go Back Spouses”

Posted on October 9, 2017by Kay

 

 

Now this is all kinds of fun! A new trailer is out for the upcoming KBS drama Go Back Spouses (also known as Confession Spouses) starring Son Ho Jun (Blow Breeze) and Jang Na Ra (One More Happy Ending). And we get a hilarious rendition of the Macarena performed by the entire cast!

 

It’s like a full on music video interspersed with clips from the drama. It’s packed with 90’s nostalgia to really set the tone. And this Macarena parody is so much fun with everyone completely into it and just letting loose. I imagine they had a blast filming this video! I’ll definitely be watching it a few times.

 

Go Back Spouses tells the story of a husband and wife that regret getting married and don’t get along with all of their fights being like a full on battle. But they get a second chance at love when they are both transported back in time to their college years. It comes from the writer and producer of The Sound of Your Heart.

 

Go Back Spouses is scheduled to premiere October 13 on KBS.

 

See the trailer here: https://youtu.be/-z_pqQs7H3o

 

cr: https://kdramakisses.com/2017/10/09/jang-na-ra-and-son-ho-jun-do-the-macarena-in-fun-music-trailer-for-korean-drama-go-back-spouses/

[SyH]

Jang Nara, Lee Jong Suk most talked about Korean drama actors in November

The two stars of the Korean dramas "Confession Couple" and "While You Were Sleeping" grabbed the first two places in the latest brand reputation rankings for drama actors.

Actress Jang Nara and actor Lee Jong Suk ranked first and second, respectively, in the November index based on the analysis of the Korea Institute for Corporate Reputation.

 

 

 

The institute analyzed 427.44 million pieces of big data from October 3 to November 4 covering 100 drama actors, up by 30.22 percent from 328.25 million in October. The results were analyzed based on community, participation, media and communication values.

"Confession Couple" star Jang Nara ranked first with a total score of 14.25 million while "While You Were Sleeping" lead actor Lee Jong Suk is second with 13.29 million.

Actor Song Seung Heon of "Black" placed third with a total score 12.63 million followed by Ha Ji Won of "Hospital Ship" with 12 million and Seo Hyun Jin of "Temperature of Love" with 11.29 million.

 

Drama actors who placed sixth to 20th are:

6. Jung Yoo Mi - 11.29 million

7. Yang Se-Jong - 10.84 million

8. Yoo Ji-tae - 10.72 million

9. Go Ara - 10.19 million

10. Han Ye-seul - 9.65 million

11. Lee Yeon Hee - 9.63 million

12. Shin Hye Sun - 9.62 million

13. Park Shi Hoo - 9.48 million

14. Ryu Hwa Young - 9.26 million

15. Jung Ryeo Won - 9 million

16. Woo Do Hwan - 8.89 million

17. Suzy - 8.84 million

18. Son Ho Joon - 8 million

19. Kim Jae Wook - 7.71 million

20. Kang So Ra - 7.68 million

 

cr: http://www.ibtimes.sg/jang-nara-lee-jong-suk-most-talked-about-korean-drama-actors-november-19339

[rubie]

December 2, 2017

 

Actor Jang Na-ra is all cried out :

In ‘Confession Couple,’ veteran performer plays a role loved by housewives

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

[NEWS1]

 

Jang Na-ra has been a chameleon in the entertainment industry since her debut 18 years ago. She was a pop star on stage and a cute actor on small and large screens in the early 2000s. 

 

Recently, Jang found a new direction for her career. In “Confession Couple,” Jang plays a housewife in her late 30s who travels back in time to become a college student again. She said this is the show her fans will remember most. 

 

“Personally, I think this drama has become my lifetime achievement so far,” said Jang in an interview with Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. “This drama definitely left a trace in my mind.”

 

The character Ma Jin-ju has certainly got a response from audiences, especially housewives. The show emphasizes how important it is to have constant conversations with family to understand each other. Here are excerpts from the interview. 

 

Q. “Confession Couple” was very popular among housewives. Did you feel their excitement?

A. I felt thankful when I heard the show touched them in such a way that they were consoled. Since I am not a housewife myself, I cannot understand my character 100 percent. Their sympathy with the show is amazing. 

 

You are not married yourself. How did you summon such heart-aching emotions?

There were many situations I didn’t know personally, so I asked the director about many things I couldn’t understand. I guess he got scolded a lot by his wife (laughs). I also read many posts online that have stories of childrearing. 

 

Did the show make you want to get married?

I did think that it would be nice to get married. But that thought often changes as well. This is something that I simply can’t do whatever I want, so I [gave up] (laughs). I am not like someone who is against getting married. I wanted to get married, have kids, and form a family of my own. But I feel like I missed that chance. 

 

What is your ideal type of man?

Someone who doesn’t lie, doesn’t do pranks with words, and someone who can accept someone else’s heart. I am very strict about what I like and what I don’t like. 

 

You cried in almost every show. Did you cry when you were watching the show?

I cried so much [when filming]. My face looked like a round loaf of bread and I was almost ashamed to look at my own face. There weren’t so many stories that could have been told without tears since my character had to say goodbye to everyone when she was coming back from the past to the present. I don’t cry much in real life but I cried watching two scenes. 

 

What are those?

The scene in which I miss the child I left behind in the present so I start to draw the shape of the child’s foot. The other was the scene in which I go traveling with friends when I was in the past. I was thinking, “How could I leave these precious friends and go back to the present.” I can still picture that image of them together. 

 

Do you usually get out of the character quickly after filming is done?

All the emotions go away as I leave work. I try hard not to keep the feelings alive for too long. I think it is not good to live my character’s life too long instead of living my own. 

 

Wasn’t it difficult for you to act a character in her 20s and act like you were friends with younger actors?

[Whether you look younger or not] didn’t matter at all. My fellow actors showed [that they wanted to] take care of my character Jin-ju. Thanks to their serious acting, I looked like I blended in naturally.

I think this is a stereotype to think that actors in their early 20s must play characters in their 20s and people in their 30s do characters in their 30s. Drama isn’t non-fiction. There should not be any restrictions. 

 

How do you feel about being in the entertainment industry for 18 years?

Acting is still difficult. I feel like my heart will burst every time I read scripts. 

 

What was it like to be called a popular young star when you debuted?

That was the time when I didn’t know if I could make my dream come true. It was difficult as I was checking out what adults might think. I was sick back then and couldn’t sleep much. That’s why I like who I am now. At least I know now what I am doing. 

 

Do you get embarrassed when someone gives you a compliment?

I know myself well. I am not someone driven much by strong beliefs and I am not someone cool. I am very ordinary and not fun. I think I only become special when I work. I don’t think I am underestimating myself. That’s just me. I wish I were fun like comedian Shin Dong-yeop. Is that too much to expect? (laughs).

 

What’s the secret to being in the industry for long?

I didn’t know much so I just worked hard. I didn’t try to become something big, but maybe my trying to do small things could be the reason why I am where I am now. I try to use my genuine feelings when acting. I hope I can play a role that can again console the audience and give them some joy. That’s how I give my life value. My job is to deliver happiness. I want to continue to be such an actor. 

 

BY LEE MI-HYUN [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]
 

[yanki]

Thanks for posting those interviews. I am glad that JNR like CC that much. I still miss them. I hope to see her in a new drama soon.

[anopinion]

Jang Nara is currently reviewing the offer to headline drama "Dog, Witch and Me". If she accepts the offer, she will play an arrogant, visually-impaired former cellist.

 

The script will be penned by rookie writer Yoo Jun-min. Jo Su-won PD of Pinocchio and I Can Hear Your Voice was previously attached to the project (back in April 2017), but has since withdrawn.

 

No word on the station nor the airing date though. I think it was slated to air on SBS, which will make this JNR's first SBS drama since Bright Girl if she decides to star.

[yamiex]

23 hours ago, anopinion said:

Jang Nara is currently reviewing the offer to headline drama "Dog, Witch and Me". If she accepts the offer, she will play an arrogant, visually-impaired former cellist.

 

The script will be penned by rookie writer Yoo Jun-min. Jo Su-won PD of Pinocchio and I Can Hear Your Voice was previously attached to the project (back in April 2017), but has since withdrawn.

 

No word on the station nor the airing date though. I think it was slated to air on SBS, which will make this JNR's first SBS drama since Bright Girl if she decides to star.

 

Definitely glad to hear that she is reviewing scripts now. And from the way it sounds, this drama seems more than your usual romcoms. It looks like after GBC, the industry is relooking Jang Nara in another new light by offering more challenging roles than the usual cutie pie damsel in distress leads. I got to agree with Jang Hyuk that she certainly has the acting chop for challenging roles as can be seen in GBC, but often overlooked due to her sweet meek youthful image. Hope that this will be a great start to more challenging roles for her! It would be good to regain and build up her self confidence again.

[anopinion]

Obligatory repost of Soompi's article on the potential casting:

 

Spoiler

Jang Nara Reviewing Casting Offer As Lead In New Drama

C. Hong
January 18, 2018

 

 

On January 18, a drama industry source reported that Jang Nara had been cast in the drama “Dog, Witch, and Me” (literal title).

 

“Dog and Witch and Me” tells the story of a snobby blind woman, her loyal-unto-death guide dog, and a veterinarian who originally raised the dog who ends up getting involved in their lives.

 

Jang Nara was reportedly cast in the role of the blind woman, Ma Ji Soo, who had attended Juilliard before getting into a car accident where she lost her sight.

 

Later the same day, a source from her agency Rawon Culture said, “She has received the casting offer and the script, but nothing has been confirmed. She’s still reviewing several projects at the moment.”

 

If she accepts the offer, it will be her first drama of 2018 and her first comeback since last year’s “Go Back Couple.”

 

Source (1) (2) (3)

 

Top Photo Credit: XPORTSNEWS

 

https://www.soompi.com/2018/01/18/jang-nara-reviewing-casting-offer-lead-new-drama/

 

Dramabeans' coverage:

 

Spoiler

January 17, 2018

Jang Nara up to play snooty blind heroine in Dog, Witch, and Me

by javabeans

 

Jang Nara sure doesn’t like to rest, does she? She only wrapped her last project, KBS’s time-traveling-for-a-second-chance-at-marriage drama Go Back Spouses, two months ago, and already she’s up to take the lead in the upcoming drama titled Dog, Witch, and Me.

 

Dog, Witch, and Me features a quirky trio at its center: a blind heroine described as a “rude witch” with a cocky and snooty personality, her seeing eye dog that’s utterly devoted to only her, and the hard-working vet who learns that the dog he so lovingly trained has been adopted by the bratty witch and tries to separate them. Aw, poor vet, that’s a losing battle. Then again, maybe it’s ultimately a winner, because it brings him in contact with her, and we can be sure a (hopefully oddball) romance will blossom out of the encounter.

 

Jang Nara has been offered the role of Ma Ji-soo, a former cellist and heiress who has extreme difficulty communicating and relating to others. Gifted musically, she was schooled at Juilliard, but after she was in a suspicious car accident, she lost her sight, she cursed her fate, and her personality turned haughty.

 

This project was previously offered to Kang Haneul (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo), though there’s no word on whether he’s still in the mix. I’d love to see him in a cute romance for once, though I could also see Jang Nara playing opposite any number of leading men. She does have that tendency to spark with practically everyone.

 

The drama does not yet have a broadcaster or a timeslot, though I’d bet securing Jang Nara to headline would speed up that process in a hurry. I expect to see it out sometime this year.

 

Via IS Plus

 

http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/01/jang-nara-up-to-play-snooty-blind-heroine-in-dog-witch-and-me/

 

[anopinion]

From HanCinema:

 

Spoiler

[Orion's Daily Ramblings] Jang Nara Considering "Dog, Witch, and Me"

2018/01/18 | Permalink

 

 

Well if this isn't the weirdest and potentially cutest love triangle ever. Jang Nara is currently considering upcoming drama "Dog, Witch, and Me", which is about a blind cellist, her guide dog and the veterinarian who wants to separate them. We all know where bickering leads in Dramaland, so that's one way to start, I suppose.

 

If she accepts, Jang Nara will be playing the cellist, a Julliard graduate with an exceptional talent for sound who lost her sight after a car accident. The heiress also has behavioral problems and she cannot communicate well and form relationships with others. I'm not sure why this vet gentleman wants to separate her and her dog, but he's about to get a 2-for-1 deal with them.

 

This is a really interesting concept for what I'm assuming is a full length drama. Blindness and disability in general are very rarely featured in Dramaland and they are still a taboo in South Korean society. Outside of drama specials and supporting characters, the only type of afflictions we see are physical illnesses and the occasional post-traumatic stress disorder, mainly as a tool for forcing pity on problematic male leads.

 

A blind heroine whose personality is also not some ideal, cookie-cutter "bride material" could go very wrong and very stereotypical, but I can't deny the potential there. I'll be keeping an eye on this and see where it goes. Also, that sentence was unintentionally inappropriate. Story of my life.

 

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1) (2)

 

https://www.hancinema.net/orion-s-daily-ramblings-jang-nara-considering-dog-witch-and-me-114580.html

 

[hankitae42]

Star 1 February Issue~ ☺ 

Also, I miss you guys here~ ♥ 

Spoiler

cr: Star 1 via Tieba Baidu~

[hankitae42]

Omomo!!  Go Back Twitter~ ☺♥

 

 

 

[yamiex]

Hello everyone, 

Well... since my hard-disk crushed on me, I have been trying to re-download most of my Nara collections (if possible)...

If you happen to have any varieties or videos on Nara-ssi to share, I would be most thankful to you... 

 

Well, just as I am re-downloading series... I have finally managed to complete the JangJang Couple collection with The Success Story of Bright Girl, Fated to Love You and Old Farewell. So I will present you all with this little video I have created. Hope that you will like it!

 

 

 

[yamiex]

Hi everyone! I am still trying to scoll through the 345 pages of history when It just came to me that I have never introduced myself before... I hope I am not too late being the newest kid on the block. I'm from the sunny island in SEA and not really a big Korean fan... Another favourite K-actress of mine is Gong Hyo Jin. But Jang Nara is always the first Korean artiste I liked and started following through the years...

 

Ok... to be honest, I started out being a fan of singer Jang Nara than Actress Jang Nara, I have the full collection of her albums and First Story and My Story are my favourites... Dream of Asia is also an interesting album... Strangely enough, my favourite songs are often those penned by her. Yes, she is a songwriter, another aspect of her which is lesser known. She writes lyrics for her songs but it was not often and widely publicised. Eg. 혹시라도 in My Story and 흉터 from Dreams of Asia. (I have a soft spot for singer-songwriters... lol)

 

 

Though I collected her mandarin albums as well, I still prefer her in Korean but some songs such as 飛不起來 is also pretty neat. I am amazed by her by her ability to capture close to 90% of the Mandarin words correctly and that's really tough for a non-Chinese. I don't have a deep understanding of Korean, but Nara is the first Korean singer who made me felt as though I could understand her whenever she sings. That's is why I was so impressed by her back in 2008. I started late and by the time I completed my CD collection in 2012, I was crushed to hear that she stopped singing due to anxiety. She may not be the best singer with the best ability but I strongly felt that her ability to portray emotion outweigh any others. The ability to communicate the right emotion to others despite language barrier should prove that she is a capable singer. So I hope that I will get to see her onstage again. Healing Camp broke my heart when I learned that she went through so much in the short span of time... And I am amazed by her personality, always polite and kind, but at the same time sad about her low confidence level in her own abilities...  

 

 

Hmmm... I was never a big fan of singer-turn-actress / idol-turn-actor kind of artiste, simply because there were too many of a disappointment to even try to respect them. Each to their own craft I guess, while there are some who are truly multi-talented, not everyone though. So when I first learned about Jang Nara as an actress, I took it with a pinch of salt. Expressive enough to be considered a worthy actress, not woodish like most. She is not afraid to put aside image and tries her best to get into roles but not the kind of subtle acting I look for in professional actresses. So for many years, the idea of Jang Nara acting, didn't quite make an impression lasting enough on me. Especially when it is obvious that the poor girl has been boxed up by producers to play silly, bright, mischievous roles repeatedly. The industry was not looking at her ability but rather framing her with her cute image, and forcing her to be trapped in acting limbo. It was until 2011 when BFB came out, I started to see the kind of subtle acting I wanted to find in her breaking out. She is still trapped in the babyface image, but she is tearing away from the bonds that used to held her firm. Following repeated successful attempts in School 2013, FTLY, Mr Baek, I Remember You, One More Happy Ending and the latest Go Back Couple, I could really see her improvement over time. By now, she is already a full-fledged award winning actress, certainly one of the few excellent ones of her age. So, I was once again sad to learn during GBC that our Nara-ssi doubted herself and her ability as an actress. It shouldn't be that way but judging from her roots, it's not hard to understand well. She was tossed into scene by fame and was struggling with expectations for so long that had slowly eroded her confidence in her abilities. It hurts more when we know that in K-world, preparation is everything but she was never given the choice or chance to prepare herself. 

 

It is with a heavy heart that I decided to be more active, in hope that together with other fans, a stronger voice will speak out for Jang Nara and allow her to believe in her abilities be it singing or acting and support her to become the best of her abilities. Alright, it's getting way long and it's time to put a full-stop to this endless talking... Catch you guys soon! 

 

[yamiex]

Lastly... A little parting gift to all of you... 

I hope to get to know you all...I'm still trying to figure out the fine arts of video editing...
So this is pretty amateurish... But I hope that you will enjoy it nevertheless.

 

 

[yamiex]

Hi Everyone, 
I have read so much about New Non-Stop 2 from this thread but haven't seen it yet... 
Anyone of you can point me to the direction with sub? I know MBC has most of it up on Youtube without sub... 
But I really hope to be able to understand them and to watch the full series instead. 

 

I would be most grateful to anyone who can point me to the right direction. Thank you.

[mabelialong]

 

happy  birthday to Jang Na Ra

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

[Veronica Park]

K-Drama Rewind: One More Happy Ending

Date: March 22, 2018 Author: grumpyahjumma

 

Finding love again after experiencing a painful break-up will always be challenging, even for those people who have the strongest of hearts. Break-ups are never easy, but opening the heart after a failed relationship can even be harder, sometimes. It’s one thing to get your heart and mind ready, and the process of breaking down the wall you created will feel like walking through the broken pieces of glass. No shortcuts, no free pass. This week’s Grumpy Flashback will remind us that no matter how painful our current and past love lives may seem, there’s always a chance for a happy ever after.

One More Happy Ending was a 2016 MBC romantic drama starring Jang Na-ra, Jung Kyung-ho, Yoo In-na, Kwon Yul, Seo In-young, and Yoo Da-in. It revolved around the lives of four women who were former members of a first gen idol group “Angels.” The group was once successful and popular but due to internal disagreement among its members, they got disbanded, and the girls are now living very different lives.

Since March is International Women’s Month, I have decided to feature the lives of the four Angels, and how they learned to find their new happy endings.

 

Han Mi-mo (Jang Na-ra)

Our heroine was a divorced woman who owned Brave Wedding, a matchmaking company that specialized in second chances. I loved how the series introduced us to Mi-mo as someone who was optimistic of getting married again, and ended with a Mi-mo who now knew the value of not rushing into things. She got tangled up between her childhood classmate Song Soo-hyuk (Jung Kyung-ho), a single father who worked as an entertainment reporter, and his best friend Goo Hae-joon (Kwon Yul), also a divorced doctor.

 

 

At first, Mi-mo got in a relationship with Hae-joon because he was the poster boy, the doctor with a good heart. Who wouldn’t, right? But things went differently when she slowly realized her feelings for the underdog Soo-hyuk.

 

FULL: https://ahjummamshies.com/2018/03/22/k-drama-rewind-one-more-happy-ending/

[yamiex]

Hello everyone, 

I'm here again to make some noise and contribution to this thread... 

 

So I rewatched <Fated To Love You> and <Go Back Couple> recently...

and thought that it would be a fun thing to try to do a couple of edits. 

And an old song of Jang Nara brought back memories of how I used to love this song... 

After taking time to read up on the translated lyrics, I just can't decide on which series I want to use it on....

I intentionally wanted to use a JNR song for my edits coz many people know of her as an actress now,

But I just want to pay tribute to her singer origin, plus I really like this song... XP (I'm repeating myself)

 

So I created two... Hope you enjoy it!'

 

 

Video: Go Back Couple - Choi Ban Do & Ma Jin Joo (Son Ho Jun / Jang NaRa)
Music: Perhaps - Jang NaRa (Album: My Story)

 

 

Video: Fated to Love You - Lee Gun & Kim MiYoung (Jang Hyuk / Jang NaRa)

Music: Perhaps - Jang NaRa (Album: My Story) 

 

 

[Veronica Park]

https://ahjummamshies.com/2018/05/09/k-culture-noona-romance/

[anopinion]

Earlier today, articles came out about Jang Nara's potential casting in An Empress's Dignity. Sung Yuri was previously rumoured for the same role, but declined the offer. Both Shin Sung-rok and Choi Jin-hyuk are considering leading roles in the drama. The reports were however swiftly denied by Jang Nara's agency. In their statement, they indicated that Jang Nara has no intention of starring in the drama (ouch).

 

Source: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0000885347

 

Not really news I guess, but this thread needs some activity.