ARTICLE } Why did Jiyoung pursue acting in japan?

To understand Jiyoung's love for Japan, let's start with her fluency in the Japanese language. Her language skills shined way back in the KARA era. "When our Japanese debut was decided, at first we took lessons from our Japanese teacher, but halfway the lessons we became busy so the classes were stopped. But I absolutely want to remember(the lessons), so I watched Japanese dramas and studied by myself.", she recalled. "Even when taking interviews, though we had interpreters, I desperately pulled out words I know and I made an effort to answer in Japanese as much as possible.", she added.

They surely talk actively in Japanese when in variety shows, and we surely laugh at the cuteness of their imperfect Japanese, with Jiyoung being the center of it, as I remember. But still, why does she love Japan so much? "Since I was a kid, I love Japanese movies, dramas, music, and tv shows so much that I often watch it.", said Jiyoung. With KARA going back and forth to Japan and South Korea for their activities, they are making their own personality, and there they got attracted more and more with the beauty of the town. "I want to try challenging myself here, in my own.", that desire went growing day by day.

About being an actress, "I haven't thought of it at all since debut, while KARA's acting activities increased, the feeling just came to me.", and then it naturally flows, now hardened by her determination to be a professional. "Ever since I was in KARA, if there's a word I don't know, I'd find out it's meaning right away. If I wanted to hear something, I'd listen to it right away. Since pronunciation and intonation is also important, it is where I studied thoroughly."

With her latest drama "Higanbana ~Keishicho sosa nana ka~" (NTV) starred by her company senior Horikita Maki, where she learned a lot about the importance of acting and reading. When asked about actresses she wanted to be like, "Beautiful, good in acting and those who can also do actions like Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson.". Full-scale on being an actress and singer as JY, so far the tag "Kara" now broke away from Jiyoung, and finally people's eyes are no longer tied to it.
(Interview・Statement・Photography: Sakata Masaki)

Source: CinemaToday | Translation: Kang Jiyoung World