Nam Bo-ra Says She Much Resembles Her Role in ′Live Your Own Life′

Nam Bo-ra Says She Much Resembles Her Role in 'Live Your Own Life': K-DRAMA&FILM / 연합뉴스 / 2024-03-18 15:38:03

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- "I researched 'bad acting' a lot, but there were difficulties. Even though I struggled with how to exaggerate and express joyous tones that come out of tension more funnily, the director gave me NG (no good) even with a little good acting."

Actor Nam Bora drew attention online for her so-called 'bad acting' in the KBS 2TV weekend drama 'Live Your Own Life,' which ended on the 17th.

In the drama, Nam Bora played Jeong Mirim, who quits her job as a lawyer and challenges her dream of becoming an actor. Due to her lack of acting skills, Mirim fails auditions consecutively. Mirim's overly awkward and exaggerated acting during auditions amused the judges and viewers alike.

▲ Profile photo of actress Nam Bo-ra, provided by Jellyfish Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

During an interview on the 14th at a cafe in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Nam Bora revealed, "In that scene, the director said, 'You're acting too well right now, I hope you can't do better,' and gave me an NG."

Nam Bora said, "I acted by exaggerating, raising my voice tone, or breathing excessively," and added, "If Nam Bora was 1 on the nervousness scale in the audition room, I thought Mirim in that scene was about 20."

'Live Your Own Life' is a family drama that depicts the protagonist Lee Hyosim's (played by Yoo Yi) journey of seeking an independent life after dedicating herself to her family for a lifetime.

Mirim, who lives in a goshiwon (boarding house), becomes close to Lee Hyojun (played by Seo Jeonghwan), Hyosim's brother who is preparing for the bar exam at the same goshiwon.

After repeatedly failing auditions, Mirim decides to work as a lawyer again for a living and leaves the goshiwon. Later, she learns that Hyojun has a child, leading her to decide to marry Hyojun and start living with his family.

Mirim shocks her mother-in-law by saying, "I named the baby 'Danggeun'," and confidently tells Hyojun's sister Hyosim, "I will take responsibility for Hyojun." Nam Bora said, "I felt pleasure watching Mirim, who says everything she wants to say," and explained, "I'm usually cautious and hesitant, so I couldn't speak as confidently as Mirim."

In the drama, Nam Bora's character Mirim shares similarities with Hyosim, the protagonist who dedicates herself to her family.

Nam Bora first gained public recognition on the MBC variety show 'Sunday Sunday Night' in 2005. In the program, which depicted the daily lives of eleven siblings including Nam Bora, she drew attention for taking care of her siblings like a mother.

Due to the strong impression she left at the time, Nam Bora has been called the 'K-Eldest Daughter' since her debut as an actress.

Nam Bora said, "While watching Hyosim, I thought 'It must be really hard,'" and confessed, "Most of Hyosim's decisions were for her family, and although I felt frustrated by that, I also thought that's probably how others feel when they see me."

In the drama, Hyosim quits college, where she was preparing for the bar exam to support Hyojun's preparation, and works at a fitness center from dawn. She decides to donate her liver after learning that her father, who disappeared after abandoning the family, is suffering from acute renal failure.

"I found myself talking to Hyosim from a third person's perspective without realizing it. I wanted to tell her, 'You don't have to try so hard, you can find your dream.' And I wanted to say those things to myself too." Nam Bora debuted as an actress in a sitcom in 2006, and it has been 18 years since then. Although she has appeared in new works almost every year, she says her thirst as an actress has not been quenched yet.

She said, "When people think of Nam Bora, they think of a few stereotypical images," and emphasized, "I want to break away from the existing image and show a new side of myself."

Nam Bora said that especially in this work, she felt a strong desire to entertain viewers by portraying scenes of 'bad acting' and giving her mother-in-law encouragement out of nowhere by dancing, etc.

"What I realized in this drama is that actors are people who give joy to viewers. No matter what work I do in the future, I will work hard so that viewers won't feel their time was wasted watching it."