Actor Nana has taken on her first historical drama role since her debut, playing the character Hee-yeon in the Netflix series "The Scandal".
Released on the 18th, the Netflix series "The Scandal" (directed by Jung Ji-woo / written by Lee Seung-young, Ahn Hye-song) tells the story of Lady Cho (Son Ye-jin), a woman with exceptional talents who is constrained by the limitations placed on women in the Joseon Dynasty, Joseon's greatest playboy Cho-won (Ji Changwook), and a woman named Hee-yeon who gets caught up in their romantic wager.
Hee-yeon, played by Nana, is a young widow who lost her husband even before holding their wedding ceremony. She is a character who lives each day with total resignation in an era where she was not even permitted a life of her own for the sake of chastity and virtue. Though she initially tried not to give her heart to Cho-won when they first met, she showed signs of gradually wavering as their encounters continued. She portrayed the internal conflict between the life she has maintained and her newly sprouted emotions, such as hesitating and ultimately failing to send a reply letter to Cho-won.
In particular, viewers praised the mid-series scene where she delivers the line "I want to live," capturing the pivotal moment when she first desires a life she had previously given up on. Nana stepped through the character's progression, starting from a calm and frail Hee-yeon to gradually opening her heart and clearly revealing her growing desire for life.
However, aside from the plot itself, some critics pointed out that modern makeup elements that felt out of place in a historical setting—particularly Nana's heavily emphasized lips—detracted from their immersion in the story.
In response, Nana spoke out directly through her fan community on Bubble. She stated, "If my lips caused discomfort to viewers, that is my fault," adding, "I think my personal choice was a choice that did not suit me as an actor."
She continued, "I figured that fans who love me would find it painful to see harsh criticism directed at me, and that makes me feel even more sorry. I will work harder so that we can hear good things together in the future," showing a humble attitude in accepting the feedback.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)