Jang Na-ra: The beloved Korean actress we grew up with

In 2001, Jang Na-ra debuted as a singer with the album First Story in the Korean entertainment industry. The initial reception of the title track, Burying My Face In Tears, wasn't too warmly received and only peaked at number 12 on the Korean music charts. A year later, she appeared on the popular sitcom New Nonstop which propelled her into the limelight and aided the debut album to sell 300,000 copies.

Jang Na-ra's music career only went uphill from there. She won multiple Best New Artist in 2001 and her future albums such as Sweet Dreams (2oo2) and 3rd Story (2003) went on to top music charts.

After gaining much attention for her appearance on New Nonstop, Jang Na-ra went on to carve out a successful acting career. She scored her first lead role in Successful Story of a Bright Girl opposite Jang Hyuk in 2002 and My Love Patzzi the same year. Other notable credits include You Are My Destiny (2014), Confession Couple (2017), The Last Empress (2018-2019) and VIP (2019).

Following her success in South Korea, Jang Na-ra set her sights on bigger dreams as she crossed the straits into China. Similarly, she succeeded greatly in the Chinese market as a singer and actor. She released three Chinese-language albums, which sold millions of copies, and did multiple dramas. Her popularity earned her the nickname of "xiao tian hou" or little empress.

And if you paid attention to the 2008 Beijing Olympic song, you'll notice the appearance of Jang Na-ra alongside recognisable names such as Jackie Chan and local songbirds Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin.

It might be difficult for many of us to imagine taking a decade to finish a bachelor's degree but that's how long it took Jang Na-ra. In 2010, Jang Na-ra finally donned the mortarboard as she graduated from Chung-Ang University in Theater and Film. The reason for the lengthy delay was clear — she was busy thriving in Korea and China.

Just call her Professor Jang. In the same year she graduated from university, Jang Na-ra was appointed an associate professor at Beijing Huajia University. At the press conference, Jang Na-ra said this about the honour, "Acting is a form of study which is aimed at developing one’s attributes rather than teaching something. Each generation has different forms of expressions so wouldn’t there be a need for young professors too?"

That's right, Jang Na-ra's father Joo Ho Sung is a veteran theatre actor while her older brother Jang Sung Won is a fellow actor. Na-ra might come from a family of actors but you'll be sorry to mistake her for a nepo baby.

In June 2022, Jang Na-ra held a private wedding ceremony at the Bonelli Garden in Seoul. According to reports, she got married to a non-celebrity who is six years younger than her. Guests at the wedding include her former co-star and singer Jung Yonghwa, who performed a song at the wedding.

In 2014, Jang Na-ra went on the talk show Healing Camp to discuss her mental difficulties throughout her career. She revealed that behind her happy and cute image, she suffered from panic disorders, bulimia and acrophobia (fear of heights) behind closed doors. "I went through serious bulimia. Then I got so anxious that I could not take flights for a while. When I boarded a plane, I would scream and cry out of fear." The stress and anxiety she faced as a celebrity manifested into physical problems of irritable bowel syndrome, stomachaches and swelling.

Some of the charitable causes and efforts she has participated in include sending milk powder to North Korean children and women, forming a US$10,000 Jang Na-ra Scholarship Foundation in the Philippines, and donating money and clothes to victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. It was reported in 2017 that Jang Na-ra had secretly donated over 13 billion won between 2001 and 2009. She was also recognised by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare for her charitable efforts.

She's worked four times with Jang Hyuk

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Titled Family: The Unbreakable Bond, Jang Na-ra reunites with Jang Hyuk in the tvN spy comedy drama. This marked their fourth time working together, the last of which was nine years ago. In the show, Jang Hyuk plays a Korean intelligence agent who's skilled at his job. At home, however, he falls to the mercy of his wife Kang Yu Ra played by Jang Na-ra. The show is available on Disney+.