On March 2, Uhm Jung-hwa‘s YouTube channel uploaded a video featuring actress Cha Joo-young as a guest. Here, Cha Joo-young, who recently left a strong impression with her first lead role in “The Queen Who Crowns”, revealed that she got casted after just one meeting, saying, “I was so excited, thinking, ‘Is it really this easy to get a role?'”
She continued, “Filming ended last summer. I poured so much love into the project that I cried my eyes out when it was over. I’ve always wanted to do a historical drama, and for some reason, I had this confidence that I would do well in one. Now that it’s over, I can say this—we put in so much effort. It was an emotionally tough journey.”
Since it was a historical drama, Cha Joo-young explained, “There were historical accuracy concerns, and I felt like just acting well wouldn’t be enough”, before adding that she still ended up working on multiple projects and took some time off in a rural area in Japan, doing nothing in-between her schedules.
Meanwhile, before her debut, Cha Joo-young, known for her background as a graduate of a prestigious U.S. university, faced difficulties due to her parents’ opposition. However, when asked about her father’s current stance, she smiled and said, “These days, he seems to like it, and that makes me really proud.” In fact, the actress once revealed how her father even offered to pay the termination fee to get her to quit acting in the past, proving how far she has advanced in her career.
The actress continued, “For me, breaking through my father’s and my family’s resistance was incredibly difficult. It took so much effort just to show them what I love. Because he’s fundamentally very conservative, he worried more than he supported me. He wouldn’t even let me go out with friends. That’s why I got into the habit of seeking his approval first, but now I think I’ve finally broken free from that.”
Cha Joo-young also shared, “I don’t have a set philosophy or theory about acting. Maybe my biggest aspiration is simply to work on projects that I find enjoyable and fulfilling. I still can’t watch my own work—I only monitor it once for technical reasons, but I feel embarrassed watching myself act. As both a performer and an audience member, I want to choose projects that truly excite me.”
On the other hand, the actress previously disclosed the various struggles she experienced while filming “The Queen Who Crowns”, which became a huge topic of controversy over its explicit scene.
