Im Jin-ah (Korean: 임진아; born September 14, 1991),[1] known professionally as Nana (나나), is a South Korean singer, actress, and model known for her work as a former group member of the South Korean girl group After School and its subgroups, Orange Caramel and After School Red. As an actress, Nana has starred in various television dramas such as Love Weaves Through a Millennium (2015), The Good Wife (2016), Kill It (2019), and Justice (2019).
Early life
Nana was born on September 14, 1991.[2] She graduated from Ochang High School [ko] in Cheongju[3] and was a participant in the 2009 Asia Pacific Super Model Contest.[4]
Career
2009–2013: Debut with After School and Orange Caramel
In November 2009 Nana debuted in After School along with Raina as third-generation members with the release of After School's second EP, Because of You.[5] In June 2010 Nana, along with After School members Raina and Lizzy, formed a sub-unit called Orange Caramel.[6]
In July 2011 Nana was part of the After School sub-unit A.S. Red along with After School members Kahi, Jungah and Uee, releasing the single "In the Night Sky".[7] In September 2011, she was chosen as the main model for the Tokyo Girls Collection fashion show.[8]
In March 2012 Nana again modeled for the Tokyo Girls Collection, walking the S/S 2012 show. She was also a model for the Japanese fashion show Girls' Award and Park Yoon-yoo's Seoul Fashion Walk S/S 2012.[4] In June 2012, After School released their fifth maxi-single Flashback. Nana has a solo song on it titled "Eyeline".[9] In December she joined fellow K-pop stars Hyolyn, Hyuna, Hyoseong, and Nicole to form the super groupDazzling Red for SBS Gayo Daejun, performing the song "This Person".[10] She also became the endorsement model for the biggest diet brand in Korea, Juvis.[11][12] Nana was also a permanent panelist on the Japanese fashion TV show Tokyo Brandnew Girls.[13]
In 2013 she walked the runway for a-nation's "NYLON" fashion show.[14] The same year, Nana collaborated with Electroboyz on their single "Ma Boy 3".[15] In December 2013, Nana gained global recognition when she placed second on the Independent Critics List of 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2013.[16] She rose to the No. 1 position in 2014[17] and placed first again in 2015.[18][19]
2014–present: Acting career
In March 2014 it was announced that Nana would be a member on a new SBS variety show called Roommate. The show features 11 celebrities living in one house.[20] In April, Nana became the host for the second season of OnStyle's Style Log, along with Hong Jong-hyun and Cho Min-ho.[21] In August 2014, Nana participated in the Chinese fashion elimination show Muse Dress,[22] and emerged runner-up in the competition.[23] She also had a cameo role in the Korean film Fashion King, which was released on November 6, 2014.[24]
In February 2016 Nana joined the cast of Real Men for the fourth season's female soldier special.[27] Later in the year, she was cast in a supporting role in the television drama The Good Wife, a remake of the American series of the same name[28][29] Nana earned positive reviews for her role as Kim Dan,[30] and received the Rookie Actress award at the 2016 Asia Artist Awards.[31] Following her success on the small screen, Nana was cast alongside her The Good Wife co-star, Yoo Ji-tae in the crime comedy film The Swindlers (Conman), as the only female lead.[32] The film garnered 213,185 admissions on the first day of its release and topped the local box office for three consecutive weeks.[33][34]
In 2017 she was cast in her first leading role, in the romantic thriller Four Men,[35] but decided to leave the cast due to delays in production.[36]
In 2019 Nana starred in OCN's crime drama Kill It, playing detective Do Hyun-jin.[37][38] The same year, she starred in KBS's melodrama Justice, based on the web novel Justice, written by Jang Ho and illustrated by Elja, as prosecutor Seo Yeon-ah.[39] Nana once again received acclaim, earning herself an Excellence Award from the 2019 KBS Drama Awards.[40]
In 2020 Nana was announced to star in a mystery thriller film, Confession, based on a Spanish film Contratiempo (The Invisible Guest), alongside So Ji-sub and Yunjin Kim.[41] In April 2020 it was announced Nana would join Park Sung-hoon as the lead actress for KBS's upcoming drama Memorials.[42][unreliable source?] The drama gathered anticipation due to the series being based on the screenplay by Moon Hyun-kyung, the grand prize winner at the Broadcasting Content Promotion Foundation (BCPF)'s 10th Find the Desert's Shooting Star Screenplay Competition, held in 2018.[43] Nana also made her return to music after 6 years through the drama with the release of her first soundtrack, "Our Memories in Summer" (우리의 여름처럼) with co-star Park Sung-hoon.[44] On September 7, it was confirmed that Nana would star in a new MBC drama Oh My Ladylord with Lee Min-ki set to premiere on March 24, 2021.[45]
After the completion of Oh My Ladylord, it was announced on May 28, 2021, that Nana was cast in Netflix's upcoming series Glitch as "Heo Bora" alongside actress Jeon Yeo-been.[46]
On December 8, 2021, Nana renewed her contract with Pledis Entertainment for the third time.[47] In September 2024, Nana left Pledis Entertainment after 15 years, and signed with new agency Sublime.[48]
^Lee Ho-young (December 8, 2021). 나나 재계약 "플레디스와 세 번째 파트너십" [공식입장] [Nana's contract renewal "The third partnership with Pledis" [Official position]] (in Korean). iMBC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim, Chae-yeon (September 2, 2024). '구제역 고소' 나나, 써브라인 전속계약..고소영·티파니와 한솥밥 [공식] [Nana, who sued for foot-and-mouth disease, signs an exclusive contract with Subline... In the same company as Ko So-young and Tiffany [Official]] (in Korean). OSEN [ko]. Retrieved September 2, 2024 – via Naver.
^Jo Ji-young (August 29, 2022). [공식] 소지섭X김윤진X나나 '자백', 10월 26일 개봉 확정..2년 만에 관객 만난다 [[Official] So Ji-seop X Kim Yun-jin X Nana 'Confession' confirmed to be released on October 26th.. Meet the audience after 2 years] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeon, Hyung-hwa (October 24, 2023). [단독] 이민호·안효섭·블랙핑크 지수·나나 등 '전지적 독자 시점' 초호화 캐스팅..12월 촬영 [[Exclusive] Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, BLACKPINK's Jisoo, Nana, and others cast for 'Omniscient Reader's Point of View'...filming in December]. Daily Sports (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023 – via Naver.
^Lee Seul-bi (September 20, 2022). 나나, '월수금화목토' 특급 카메오 출격→레전드 미모 [Nana, 'Mon-Wed-Geum, Tue, Mok-Sat' special cameo sortie → Legendary beauty"] (in Korean). Sports DongA. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022 – via Naver.
^'플레이어2' PD "기안84→이수혁 특별출연, 인맥에 읍소…깜짝 놀랄 사람 더 많아" ['Player 2' PD "Kian 84 → Lee Soo-hyuk makes a special appearance, I'm in a relationship... There are more people who will be surprised."]. SPOTVnews (in Korean). May 28, 2024.
^Park Jeong-sun (May 28, 2021). 나나, 넷플릭스 오리지널 시리즈 '글리치' 출연 확정[공식] [Nana confirmed to appear in Netflix original series 'Glitch' [Official]]. Dailysport (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-young (May 3, 2022). 고현정·나나 '마스크걸' 동시 캐스팅...2인 1역 선보인다 [Simultaneous casting of Go Hyun-jung and Nana 'Mask Girl'... 2 person 1 station will be introduced] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^Moon Ji-yeon (January 7, 2022). [공식] 장동윤X나나 '내 남자는 큐피드'로 뭉친다.."판타지 로맨스 [[Official] Jang Dong-yoon X Nana unites in 'My Man Is Cupid'.."Fantasy Romance"] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Ji-hye (December 5, 2023). 엄태화VS김지운VS안태진, 제28회 춘사국제영화제 감독상 3파전 [Uhm Tae-hwa VS Kim Ji-woon VS Ahn Tae-jin, Best Director Award 3rd round at the 28th Chunsa International Film Festival]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
^Park Jin-young (February 6, 2024). 이병헌·정우성·황정민→고현정·박보영·정해인…디렉터스컷 어워즈 경합 [Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung, Hwang Jung-min → Go Hyun-jung, Park Bo-young, Jung Hae-in... Director's Cut Awards Competition]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
^Lee Nam-kyung (December 31, 2020). "'KBS 연기대상' 서지훈X이상이X보나X신예은X이초희, 남녀신인상 수상" [KBS Drama Awards' Seo Ji-hoon x Lee Sang-i x Bona x Shin Ye-eun x Lee Cho-hee, won the male and female rookie award]. MBN Star (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
^Yang So-young (January 1, 2021). "[2020 KBS 연기대상] 천호진 두번째 대상...'한다다' 15관왕 "이변無"(종합)" [[2020 KBS Drama Awards] Cheon Ho-jin's second grand prize... 'Handada' 15 crowns, "no change" (total)]. The Daily Economy Star (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.