Jang Nara

Jang Na-ra (born March 18, 1981) is a South Korean actress and singer active in both South Korea and China since 2001. She gained wide recognition following the release of her 2002 studio album Sweet Dream. As an actress, she is best known for her prominent roles in television series such as Successful Story of a Bright Girl, You Are My Destiny, Hello Monster, Go Back, The Last Empress, VIP, and Good Partner.

Born in 1981, Jang spent most of her childhood in Yeokchon-dong, Eunpyeong District, Seoul. Her interest in acting was sparked during primary school when she appeared alongside her father, actor Ju Ho-seong (real name Jang Yeon-gyo), in the play Les Misérables. During high school, she worked as a model for television advertisements. In March 2000, she entered Chung-Ang University to major in Theater and Film. Due to her continuous professional commitments following her debut, she graduated ten years later in February 2010, receiving an alumni association award for her contributions to the university.

Jang debuted as a singer in May 2001 after signing with SM Entertainment. Her initial album First Story produced top-charting tracks like Confession and April Story following her appearance on the sitcom New Nonstop. In 2002, her second album Jjang Nara Vol. 2 Sweet Dream reached number one on Korean music charts and earned her two Daesang awards from the MBC Music Festival and KBS Music Awards. She subsequently released Korean albums including 3rd Story, My Story, She, and the multi-lingual album Dream of Asia. Expanding her music career into China, she became the first foreign artist to sell over one million copies of a Chinese album, releasing projects such as Kungfu, Flying High, and Love Journey.

Jang's acting breakthrough occurred in 2002 with her leading role in the SBS romantic comedy Successful Story of a Bright Girl, which earned her the Best New TV Actress Award at the 2003 Baeksang Arts Awards. Her early screen work also included My Love Patzzi and her feature film debut in Oh! Happy Day. Moving to China in 2005, she starred in successful dramas such as My Bratty Princess, Good Morning Shanghai, and Unruly Qiao. She later returned to South Korean television, starring in series such as Baby Faced Beauty, School 2013, You Are My Destiny, Mr. Back, and Confession Couple, winning multiple KBS and MBC Drama Awards.

Beyond television dramas, Jang starred in the 2009 film Sky and Ocean, winning the Best Actress for a Foreign Film Award at the China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards. Her film career also features the Chinese movie Flying With You. Her later Korean television roles include the mystery thriller The Last Empress, the office drama VIP, the occult series Sell Your Haunted House, and the legal drama Good Partner, for which she received the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 2024 SBS Drama Awards.

Throughout her career, Jang has undertaken numerous commercial endorsements for brands including KTF, Kia Spectra, SMART uniform, Popeyes, 잎새주, Clair, and CharmZone cosmetics. She was appointed as an associate professor at Beijing Huajia University in 2010. She has served as a public relations envoy for South Korean presidential elections in 2002 and 2017, as well as a tourism ambassador for Seoul's Gangnam District. In April 2023, she presented a joint photography exhibition titled Jang Na-ra Photo Exhibition & Kim Dae-nyeon Special Exhibition.

Jang is also recognized for her extensive philanthropic work, having donated over 13 billion won to charities, disaster relief, and academic organizations since her debut. Her charitable efforts include sending supplies to North Korean children, establishing a scholarship foundation in the Philippines, supporting animal shelters, and contributing to Sichuan earthquake relief efforts. In 2025, after working for 23 years under her own agency, Rawon Culture, Jang signed an exclusive contract with LAELBnc.