[My Daily = Reporter Lee Seung-gil] Actress Cha Joo-young, who left a strong impression on the public with her role as Choi Hye-jung in the Netflix hit ‘The Glory,’ has recently become one of the most intriguing faces sought by the broadcasting industry. With her sophisticated appearance and acting skills that range from ditsy charm to vividly expressing sometimes uncomfortably realistic desires, her performance was enough to recognize her potential. In particular, Choi Hye-jung in ‘The Glory’ was not a simple supporting role but a complex character with a multifaceted interior, which Cha Joo-young portrayed attractively, earning her praise.
However, there is criticism that the path she chose after receiving such positive evaluations is somewhat disappointing. Following her success on the global platform Netflix, Cha Joo-young appeared in the weekend drama ‘The Real One Has Appeared’ on KBS 2TV to expand her connection with the public. However, the limited framework and stereotypical character settings of weekend dramas were not suitable for showcasing her acting skills. At a critical point where the buzz from ‘The Glory’ should have been used as a springboard, such a choice became a factor in stagnating her career as an actress.
Subsequently, Cha Joo-young took on the lead role of Queen Wongyeong in tvN and TVING’s original drama ‘Wongyeong.’ The series garnered significant attention from the first broadcast, but it was the R-rated exposure scenes that were at the center of attention rather than the acting. In the first episode, Cha Joo-young portrayed a high-level bed scene with Lee Bang-won (played by Lee Hyun-wook) in a consummation scene. This two-minute scene, including a breast exposure, overshadowed the entire 60-minute episode.
Such provocative scenes quickly brought ‘Wongyeong’ to the center of attention but also raised concerns about undermining the sincerity of the actress and the work. The drama started successfully, surpassing 5% in ratings, but instead of Cha Joo-young’s acting, the exposure scenes dominated search keywords. For the public who remembers the intense acting she showcased in ‘The Glory,’ this was a disappointing move.
For Cha Joo-young, exposure scenes could be a choice to expand her acting range. However, as excessively provocative portrayals are repeatedly emphasized, there is a significant possibility that her acting skills and potential may be viewed through a distorted lens. This could limit the actress’s image and, in the long term, deprive her of opportunities to portray various characters.
Exposure acting can be a strong emotional conveyance tool when appropriately utilized within the context of a work. However, unnecessary emphasis on provocative portrayals results in tarnishing the work’s quality and the actor’s image. Cha Joo-young’s such moves reveal her agency’s lack of planning and strategy.
Cha Joo-young is an actress with great potential, combining sophisticated looks and acting skills. However, her filmography, including ‘The Glory’ and ‘Wongyeong,’ is excessively skewed in a particular direction. To maximize her growth potential as an actress, she needs opportunities to explore more diverse genres and characters, and meticulous care from her agency is essential for this. If she continues to attract attention only with exposure acting in a short period, the public will question her authenticity as an actress.
Cha Joo-young has already proven her capabilities as an actress in ‘The Glory.’ The bold challenge she showed in ‘Wongyeong’ should also be recognized. What is needed now, however, is not a choice that ends with short-term attention but a strategy that broadens her acting spectrum and solidifies her identity as an actress. To ensure that the name Cha Joo-young is not simply remembered for ‘exposure’ or ‘bold acting,’ her next move is more important than anything else.