Son Na-eun, makes action debut as "Manager Kim"... "Will she join Season 2? I'd be grateful if they call me back" [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actress Son Na-eun, who plays Jung Sang-a in SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Manager Kim"

Actress Son Na-eun expressed her wish for the production of Season 2 of "Manager Kim," which opened a new page in her acting career.

On the 29th, Son Na-eun held an interview to commemorate the finale of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Manager Kim" (script by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun) at a café in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

The drama, which concluded on the 25th, is an action revenge drama about a father who becomes "the most dangerous man in the world" to reclaim his only daughter, described as "the most ordinary dad in the world." Son Na-eun played Jung Sang-a, a deputy at Sangsaeng Savings Bank where Manager Kim (played by So Ji-sub) works and a special mission unit agent. Notably, she disguised herself as a resort staff member to assist Manager Kim's team in their undercover operation, deceiving North Korean agents and performing intense gunfight action scenes on a golf cart.

When asked about her feelings upon the drama's conclusion, Son Na-eun said, "I didn't expect to receive such overwhelming love, but I feel very happy. I also found it enjoyable while watching the broadcast myself, and even after its finale, viewers have continued to show such passionate responses, which is both surprising and heartwarming."

According to ratings survey firm Nielsen Korea, the final episode achieved a 23.4% viewership rate in the Seoul metropolitan area and 23.0% nationwide. In particular, the peak viewership soared to 27.1%, once again shattering its own record for the highest rating.

Regarding the high ratings and intense public interest, Son Na-eun remarked, "I had anticipated that many people would enjoy the drama, but I never imagined it would achieve such record-breaking viewership numbers." She added, "I am deeply grateful for the immense love we've received, and my senior colleagues who acted alongside me are also delighted. The team atmosphere was incredibly positive."

She continued, "I often check viewer reactions myself. From the first broadcast, the ratings were strong, so I think viewers looked forward to each episode. After finishing the series, I would naturally wake up in the morning just thinking about it. I'm truly grateful for all the kind words we received, such as 'What will you watch after Manager Kim ends?'"

On the other hand, had she not been worried at all? For some time, Son Na-eun had carried the label of controversy surrounding her acting abilities. Addressing this, she stated, "I wasn't deeply concerned this time. I view any evaluation as a stimulant, and I'm grateful that people appreciated my new challenge and seemed to think, 'Oh, so Son Na-eun can do this too.'"

The "new challenge" Son Na-eun referred to was action acting. Having taken on action roles for the first time through "Manager Kim," she said, "I attended an action school for about two months and spent considerable time practicing on set before filming. I hope to showcase even better performances in the future, including things I couldn't display this time."

She further added, "In terms of results, I am satisfied with having taken on a new challenge. My acting spectrum has broadened." She then expressed her affection for the role: "I enjoy taking on new challenges and feel my spirit of adventure has grown even stronger. There are many things I want to try, but the character Sang-a perfectly matched what I had always wanted to portray, so there was no reason not to accept this role."

On set, Son Na-eun had already gained a reputation as "an actress skilled in action." She shared, "The director told me, 'You're going to become an action actress.' I don't know why, but on set, I heard many people say, 'They say Sang-a does action so well?' That's how the rumor spread. Perhaps the director was the one who started it."

Jung Sang-a, portrayed by Son Na-eun, begins as a bubbly MZ generation bank employee in the early episodes but later transforms into a cool-headed special mission unit agent who performs daring action without holding back.

Regarding her character Jung Sang-a, Son Na-eun revealed, "I wasn't very familiar with the MZ generation, so I researched their characteristics. They reportedly use social media heavily. The detail about carrying keychains on their phones was already in the script, and I thought it was a great idea. As a special mission unit agent, the director wanted Sang-a to appear agile, nimble, and light, so I focused on those aspects. I also remember using very dark makeup base to match the skin tone of my senior colleagues when playing the agent."

She also expressed her desire for Season 2. Son Na-eun said, "Nothing is officially confirmed yet, but everyone is anticipating it, and so am I. If they call me back, I would be grateful and eager to participate again," raising expectations among fans.

So, how will "Manager Kim" be remembered for Son Na-eun? She responded, "It feels like a new page has begun in my acting career. I'm not sure if I'll ever encounter another work that receives such immense love in the future. I am truly grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.