Kwon Ah-yoon (Korean권아윤; born March 13, 1991), known professionally as Kwon Nara (Korean권나라) or Nara, is a South Korean actress, Before she transitioned to acting career she is best known as one of the original members of the South Korean girl group Hello Venus.[3]

Kwon Nara
Kwon in 2020
Born
Kwon Ah-yoon

(1991-03-13) March 13, 1991 (age 33)
Incheon, South Korea[1]
Alma materDongduk Women's University
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active2012–present
AgentGhost Studio [ko][2]
Musical career
GenresK-pop
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2012–2019
LabelsFantagio
Formerly ofHello Venus
Korean name
Hangul
권나라
Revised RomanizationKwon Na-ra
McCune–ReischauerKwŏn Nara
Birth name
Hangul
권아윤
Hanja
Revised RomanizationKwon A-yun
McCune–ReischauerKwŏn Ayun
Websiteghoststudio.net

Career edit

Beginnings and acting debut edit

 
Kwon in June 2013

Nara became an acting trainee for Fantagio Entertainment when she was in middle school.[1] She joined the girl group Hello Venus as a founding member where she went by the stage name "Nara". They debuted on May 9, 2012, with the mini-album Venus, which contained four tracks.[4] The single "Venus" reached number 35 on the Gaon chart.[5][6]

Aside from her group activities, Nara appeared as a cameo role as a stewardess on the 20th episode of the SBS drama Take Care of Us, Captain with fellow Hello Venus member, Yooyoung.[7]

2017–present: Rise in popularity and lead roles edit

 
Kwon in August 2017

In 2017, Nara played her first major acting role in SBS's romantic comedy drama Suspicious Partner.[8][9] In 2018, Nara starred tvN's melodrama My Mister,[10] followed by SBS legal drama Your Honor.[11]

In 2019, Nara got her first lead role in the KBS' medical prison drama Doctor Prisoner.[12] In June 2019, Nara signed with new agency A-Man Project.[13]

In 2020, she starred in JTBC drama Itaewon Class, based on the webtoon of the same name.[14] The series was a commercial success and became the seventh highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.[15][16] She was also cast in historical comedy TV series Royal Secret Agent as Hong Da-In, a courtesan whose beauty is comparable to Hwang Jini.

In March 2021, Nara was confirmed to be starring in tvN's fantasy drama Bulgasal: Immortal Souls.[17] in the role of Min Sang-woon, a woman who used to be an immortal, but goes through a tragic event that turns her into a human. The drama premiered in December 2021.[18]

In June 2022, Nara signed with new agency C-JeS Entertainment.[19] In September 2022, Nara joined an essemble casts featuring actors from television dramas Love in the Moonlight, Itaewon Class, and The Sound of Magic in the TVING-produced reality tv show Young Actors' Retreat.[20]

Discography edit

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2006 Mr. Wacky High School Girl Cameo
2018 Fantasy of the Girls Ha-nam [21]

Television series edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2012 Take Care of Us, Captain Cameo [22]
2014 I Need Romance Season 3
Single Cunning Lady [23][unreliable source?]
2016 Entertainer Song-hee
2017 Suspicious Partner Cha Yoo-jung
2018 My Mister Choi Yoo-ra
Your Honor Joo-eun
2019 Doctor Prisoner Han So-geum
2020 Itaewon Class Oh Soo-ah
2020–2021 Royal Secret Agent Hong Da-in [24]
2021–2022 Bulgasal: Immortal Souls Min Sang-woon / Kim Hwa-yeon [25]
2024 The Midnight Studio Han Bom [26][27]

Web series edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 After School – Lucky or Not" Cameo
2014 After School – Lucky or Not" 2 Mal-soon

Television shows edit

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 Law of the Jungle in East Timor Cast member Episode 238–240

Web shows edit

Year Title Role Ref.
2022 Young Actors' Retreat Cast member [28]

Awards and nominations edit

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Baeksang Arts Awards 2019 Best New Actress – Television My Mister Nominated [29]
2020 Best Supporting Actress – Television Itaewon Class Nominated [30]
KBS Drama Awards 2019 Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Doctor Prisoner Nominated [31]
Best New Actress Won
Netizen Award Nominated
2021 Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Royal Secret Agent Won [32]
Korea Drama Awards 2019 Best New Actress Doctor Prisoner Won [33]
SBS Drama Awards 2017 Best New Actress Suspicious Partner Nominated [34]
2018 Your Honor Nominated [35]
Seoul International Drama Awards 2021 Outstanding Korean Actress Royal Secret Agent Nominated [36][37]

Listicles edit

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Forbes 2020 Korea Power Celebrity 40 33rd [38]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "My name is 나라, 윤조". 10Asia (in Korean). January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  2. ^ "Artist – Ghost Studio". Ghost Studio. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "HELLOVENUS' debut date announced". 10Asia. April 24, 2012. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  4. ^ Hello Venus - 'Venus' Archived December 15, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Naver Music (May 8, 2012). Retrieved on May 14, 2012.
  5. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  6. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "HelloVenus Yooyoung and Nara's Past as Actresses Revealed". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  8. ^ "Hello Venus's Nara, Opens Her Eyes to The World of Acting (Interview)". 10Asia. July 31, 2017. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "Girl Group Member Hungry for More Roles After Acting Debut". The Chosun Ilbo. September 30, 2017. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  10. ^ "[단독] 헬로비너스 나라, '나의 아저씨' 출연...이선균·아이유와 호흡". Nate (in Korean). December 13, 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  11. ^ "Nara to star in 'Dear Judge'". Kpop Herald. May 28, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Hello Venus's Nara to star in 'Doctor Prisoner' with Namgoong Min". KBS World. January 15, 2019. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  13. ^ "권나라, 에이맨프로젝트와 전속계약..이종석과 한솥밥(공식)". Newsen. June 7, 2019. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  14. ^ Sim, Eon-kyung (June 25, 2019). "권나라 측 "'이태원 클라쓰' 출연, 제안 받고 검토 중"[공식입장]". Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2020 – via Naver.
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  25. ^ Shin So-won (March 17, 2021). "불가살' 이진욱X권나라X이준, 캐스팅 확정 [공식]" [Immortal' Lee Jin-wook X Kwon Nara X Lee Jun confirmed casting [Official]]. ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021 – via Naver.
  26. ^ Lee, Seung-hoon (April 5, 2023). "[단독]권나라, '야한 사진관' 여주 낙점..주원 만난다" [[Exclusive] Kwon Na-ra, 'Naughty Photo Studio' female lead fallout... Meet Joo-won] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023 – via Naver.
  27. ^ Lee, Ye-jin (May 18, 2023). "김태희→정우성·신하균까지" ENA, 라인업 공개...제2의 '우영우' 나올까 [종합]" ["From Kim Tae-hee to Jung Woo-sung to Shin Ha-gyun" ENA reveals line-up... Will there be a second 'Woo Young-woo'?] (in Korean). X-ports News. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023 – via Naver.
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  33. ^ Park, Pan-suk (October 2, 2019). "'하나뿐인내편' 최수종, 2019 코리아드라마 어워즈 대상 영예[공식]". Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2020 – via Naver.
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  35. ^ Kim, Soo-hyung (January 1, 2019). "베스트커플→대상" 감우성♥김선아, 노련美로 완성한 '무진커플'의 위력 [2018 SBS 연기대상]" [Best Couple → Daesang" Gam Woo-sung ♥ Kim Seon-ah, the power of 'Mujin Couple' completed with expert beauty [2018 SBS Drama Awards]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Naver.
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External links edit