[Interview] Jung Eun-chae: "Lee Na-young Is My Ideal

In an interview, actress Jung Eun-chae expressed admiration for Lee Na-young, noting that she has long been a fan and shared her experience working with her.

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On the 13th, Jung Eun-chae interviewed at a café in Gangnam, Seoul, following the conclusion of the ENA Monday–Tuesday drama "Honour".

"Honour" is a mystery drama about three female lawyers who confront a massive scandal from their past head-on. In the series, Jung Eun-chae played Kang Shin-jae, the head of L&J, a law firm specializing in crimes against women. The drama ended on the 10th, recording its highest viewership rating of 4.7% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide paid households).

Regarding the finale, she said, "It hasn't been long since the last episode aired, but the filming period lasted a little over six months. Even after the broadcast began, filming continued, so everything overlapped and felt hectic. Now that it's over, I finally have time to reflect on how viewers received it".

She also mentioned audience reactions: "Each episode of our drama ended with a cliffhanger, so I received a lot of messages asking, 'What happens next?' As we approached the finale, the story unfolded very rapidly".

Jung Eun-chae admitted that choosing the project wasn't easy. "It was the project I spent the longest time thinking over after receiving the script. More than just being entertaining, I felt it was something I had to approach with a strong sense of responsibility, which made it quite burdensome".

She continued, "While thinking, I almost felt like I was trying to run away from it, but the more I did, the closer I felt to the project. In the end, I realized it was something I had to do".

She explained that her sense of responsibility came from both the character and the message of the drama. "Kang Shin-jae is the head of a law firm and leads the organization alongside her colleagues. Rather than being driven by emotions, she's a rational, grounded character, which made me feel a strong sense of responsibility".

"Also, because she is a lawyer, the stories are closely tied to the lives of her clients, so I had to think about ethical aspects as well. It was a role that carried a lot of weight".

She also shared her affection for her co-stars. "I knew that Lee Na-young had been cast first. I've been a fan of hers for a long time, so the opportunity to work together was a major reason I chose this project".

She added with a smile, "Her character in the drama "Ruler of Your Own World" was my all-time favorite and someone I aspired to be like. I liked her so much that I would even brag about it to my friends when I was younger. I don't think I'd be able to say this to her in person now, it's a bit embarrassing".

Talking about working with Lee Na-young, Jung Eun-chae said, "It felt surreal and exciting to meet her finally. Since we had to play friends, having a comfortable atmosphere was important, and both of them are easygoing and down-to-earth, so we quickly developed a sense of camaraderie".

She continued, "In real life, she's very laid-back, like a neighborhood brother. Another co-star even described her as more like a friendly uncle. On set, she jokes around easily with both actors and staff. Seeing how relaxed she was made her feel even more approachable and likable than I had imagined".

Lastly, Jung Eun-chae shared, "We're planning to meet at a neighborhood pub around late March. It wasn't easy to coordinate schedules due to filming, but she adjusted to fit mine, and I'm truly grateful".