Actress Lee Na Young reflected on her acting journey and the public perception of her “mysterious” image following the conclusion of the ENA drama Honor: The Courtroom of Her.
The series, adapted from a Swedish drama of the same name, tells the story of three female lawyers who confront a massive scandal tied to their past. The final episode aired on March 10 and achieved the drama’s highest ratings, recording 4.9% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 4.7% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.
Lee Na Young played Yoon Ra-young, a determined lawyer who represents victims of sexual crimes while secretly carrying her own painful past. Her emotionally layered portrayal earned praise from viewers and critics alike.
Looking back on the experience, the actress revealed how deeply the role affected her.
“It’s been about a month since filming ended, but I still feel the chill I experienced on the last day of shooting,” she said. “I couldn’t shake off the emotions from filming, so I cried a lot while watching the final episode.”
Lee Na Young explained that her decision to join the drama was driven primarily by the strength of the script.
“If a project is good, I just do it,” she said. “I don’t calculate too much when choosing roles. I tend to follow my instincts, and the timing was right.”
She added that taking on the role of a professional lawyer was also a personal challenge.
“There were many scenes where I had to speak in front of a lot of people. Even though it was acting, I was so embarrassed that my hands would shake,” she admitted.
A Drama About Women’s Solidarity
One aspect of Honor: The Courtroom of Her that resonated strongly with Lee Na Young was its portrayal of solidarity among women.
“I was happy to see a drama that shows women supporting each other,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in female-centered narratives, so it’s encouraging to see more of them being made.”
Unlike typical courtroom dramas that focus only on justice or revenge, Honor highlighted the lingering wounds victims carry even after legal battles end. The story emphasized healing and the courage required to continue living despite trauma.
Lee Na Young found this message particularly meaningful.
“What impressed me most was that the drama doesn’t force comfort on the audience,” she explained. “It feels like a story that reflects what people actually need.”
Addressing Her “Mysterious” Image
Despite the rise of social media and celebrity vlogs, Lee Na Young has largely stayed away from sharing her personal life publicly. Because of this, she has often been described as a “mysterious” celebrity.
However, the actress said the reality is much simpler. “People probably say that because I don’t communicate with the public very often,” she said. “But when it comes to revealing myself, I think I’m quite strict with my own standards.”
She admitted that she sometimes regrets sharing too much after conversations. “Sometimes I meet someone, talk a lot, and then go home and regret it, thinking I might have said unnecessary things,” she said.
Ultimately, she believes her daily life is too ordinary to attract attention.
“My everyday life is very simple. I sometimes wonder who would even be curious about it,” she said with a laugh.
Life With Husband Won Bin
Lee Na Young also briefly spoke about her life with her husband, actor Won Bin, whom she married in 2015. The couple has one son. She explained that their daily routines are far from glamorous.
“There’s really nothing special,” she said. “We usually wear training clothes and live very normally.”
“Both my husband and I often think, ‘Is there really anything we have to show?’”
Won Bin has notably stayed away from acting since his last film The Man from Nowhere in 2010, making his absence from the screen one of the longest breaks among top Korean actors.
Lee Na Young shared that they sometimes watched Honor together at first, but it eventually became awkward.
“In the beginning we watched it together, but it felt a little strange, so we decided to watch it separately,” she said with a smile.
She added that while Won Bin became curious about the plot, he rarely asked directly. “As the drama went on, he seemed curious about what would happen next, but instead of asking, he tried to guess the story himself.”
Still Challenged by Acting After 28 Years
Now in her 28th year since debut, Lee Na Young said acting still feels like an ongoing challenge.
“Through Honor, it feels like I trimmed a new branch of my career,” she said. “It was a role I hadn’t tried before, so I approached it with the mindset of learning.”
Despite her long career, she believes acting will never become easy. “Acting is still difficult. It will probably remain difficult for the rest of my life,” she said. “But that’s also why I like it.”
For Lee Na Young, the excitement comes from taking risks and seeing whether her performance resonates with the audience.
“When my expression connects with viewers, that’s when I feel the greatest sense of reward,” she concluded.
Sources: Daum | 한국일보