'Manager Kim' Son Na-eun, SBS Drama Awards Prediction: "So Ji-sub for Grand Prize, Yoon Kyung-ho and Choi Tae-hoon for Best Couple Award" [Interview ④]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actress Son Na-eun, who plays the role of Jeong Sang-a in SBS's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Manager Kim'

Actress Son Na-eun, who took on her first action role in 'Manager Kim', predicted that So Ji-sub would win the Grand Prize at the awards.

On the 29th, Son Na-eun held a commemorative interview for the finale of SBS's Saturday-Sunday 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 'Manager Kim', 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, who plays Jeong Sang-a, a deputy at Saengsaeng Savings Bank and a special mission officer, took on her first action role.

According to ratings survey company Nielsen Korea, the final episode achieved a viewership rating of 23.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 23.0% nationwide. In particular, the peak viewership soared to 27.1%. With such impressive performance results, the production team and cast of 'Manager Kim' are planning a reward trip to Guam. However, SBS stated, "Currently, some actors and key production staff are discussing a small-scale team-building trip to accommodate their individual schedules. No specific dates or locations have been confirmed yet."

Regarding the reward trip, Son Na-eun expressed excitement, saying, "I didn't get many opportunities to talk with other cast members and staff on set. Since everyone will be going in good spirits, I'm looking forward to it."

Thanks to the remarkable viewership ratings, there is already growing interest in whether the actors will win awards at the upcoming '2026 SBS Drama Awards'. When asked if she had any desire for personal awards, Son Na-eun joked, "I don't have good luck with awards. I received so many certificates when I was in elementary school that I think I used up all my award luck back then."

She continued, "I didn't approach the drama with the thought of winning an award, but I hope the drama itself wins a production award. Since it's an award everyone receives, I really want it to win. I think So Ji-sub will take home the Grand Prize. He might also win the Best Teamwork Award, and I believe Choi Tae-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho will receive the Best Couple Award," predicting 'Manager Kim's' award prospects.

With 'Manager Kim' becoming a massive hit, was there any pressure regarding her next project? Son Na-eun replied, "There is some pressure, but I intend to work hard on whatever comes my way. My mindset toward every project remains the same. I want to become an authentic actress. I haven't yet tried romantic comedies, melodramas, or legal dramas. There are still many challenges ahead for me. I hope to become an actress who can handle various roles, and I feel proud that the characters I've portrayed so far have all been different. In the future, I want to be an actress capable of taking on diverse genres, and I hope that becomes my strength and advantage."

She added, "I sometimes wonder if something isn't right for me, but I think these very doubts help me grow. Of course, I can't be 100% satisfied with everything, but having such thoughts is part of the process. It seems that words that hurt me deeply are gradually fading from my mind."

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*This content was translated by AI.