WATCHING the KDrama Reply 1994, I was immediately captured by the mesmerizing eyes of the leading actress. Searching for the cast of this fantastic television series, I later found out that the actress whose eyes enamored me and the rest of the world is named Go Ara.
Looking at the videos of her previous work, have honestly became a fan. Not only she is funny and witty, but she sure acts really well. Her devotion to her projects and her adaptability to the role led her to drastically changing her body – just to portray the roles well. Talk about dedication!
Read on to understand the genius of South Korean actress, and overall extraordinary person who is the lead female lead of the ongoing top-rating series ‘Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’, Go Ara.
EARLY LIFE
Go Ara was born in Jinju, South Korea on February 11,1990. Due to her father’s profession, he was a soldier, she and her family moved around a lot. She has a younger brother. She finished her secondary degree at the Chungshin Girls’ High School. She has a theater degree from the ChungAng University.
Due to a recommendation by a friend, she auditioned to a contest organized by the famous talent agency, SM Entertainment. She won the SM Entertainment Teen Model Contest in 2003, which launched her career as a model.
In her free time, she enjoys listening to various music genre and playing the flute. Her impressive knowledge in three languages – English, Korean and Japanese allowed her to take diverse roles, shifting languages effortlessly.
MODELING ENDORSEMENTS
Go Ara started as a model. Among her endorsements are: Special T SK Ting (with Jang Geun Suk), Anycall (with Jung Il Woo, Jun Ji Hyun and Lee Hyo Ri), Etude Cosemetics (with Jang Geun Suk and Im Joo Hwan), Spris Clothes (with Kim Bum), Ottogi Noodle (with Kim Ki Bum, Jung Hwa Young and Kim Hee Chul) and Bausch and Lomb Contacts.
EARLIER TELEVISION SERIES IN KOREA
That same year (2003), Go Ara was casted the female lead role in the teen drama series “Sharp”, playing the role of Lee Ok Rim. She played the character of an overly ambitious middle schooler which made her a household name. She reprised her role in the second season, “Sharp 2” which aired from March 2005 to February 2006.
She then starred in the melodrama “Snow Flower” which portrays the story of a mother Lee Kang-ae (played by Kim Hee-ae) who tries to do everything to protect her rebellious daughter, Yoo Da Mi (Go Ara). Go Ara won the prestigious 43rd Baeksang Arts Awards for Best New Actress in 2006.
FILM DEBUTS IN JAPAN AND KOREA
Apart from her acting skills, she is also fluent in the Japanese language. This combination earned her the role of Khulan in the Japanese film “Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea” in 2007, which also was her film debut. The production team reportedly had to go through 40,000 auditions before they picked Go Ara. She then appeared again in the Japanese comedy drama “Karei naru Spy” in 2009.
In 2012, she finally made her Korean film debut with the film “Pacemaker” as Yoo Ji-won, a pole vaulter representing South Korea. For this film, she had to gain five kilograms. The film, which was about the journey of an aspiring Olympian from an impoverished background, was nominated for three awards at the 49th Grand Bell Awards.
CAREER REVIVAL
Go Ara further rose to fame with her performance in the television series “Reply 1994”, where she had to drastically alter her appearance. For the role of Sung Na Jung, she had to cut her hair very short and gain about 10 kilograms. Her performance in the series were recognized when she received nominations for Best Actress in the Baeksang Art Awards and APAN Star Awards.
She then continuously appeared in dramas such as “You’re All Surrounded” (2014). “The Magician”(2015), “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth”(2016), “Black”(2017), “Ms. Hammurabi”(2018) and “Haechi” (2019). In 2020, she appeared in the drama “Hospital Playlist”. She plays the lead role in the musical romantic series “Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” besides Lee Jae-wook and Kim Joo-hun.
Well, I know that many fans and non-fans are raving about her performance in the current series “Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol”. Her role as the energetic pianist definitely fits her! Watch more in Netflix to know what I am talking about, and enjoy!
