Born in 1990, Cha Joo Young received much attention from the audience when she played the role of flight attendant Choi Hye Jeong in the hit TV series "The Glory".
According to My Daily, with her attractive appearance and impressive acting skills, Hye Jeong is remembered not only as a supporting role but also as a multi-dimensional character with complex inner struggles and daring semi-nude scenes.
After the work, Cha Joo Young had many new opportunities. In addition to playing a supporting role in the weekend drama “The Real Has Come!”, in early 2025, she surprised everyone when she took on the lead role in the drama “Queen Wongyeong”, broadcast on tvN (Korea) and the OTT (online) platform - Tving.
Although the film received attention as soon as it aired with viewership ratings reaching 4.9% and 5.5%, this attention did not come from the plot or acting but from the scenes labeled 19+.
In the very first episode, Won Gyeong (Cha Joo Young) appeared in a hot scene lasting more than 2 minutes with Lee Bang Won (Lee Hyun Wook). According to Korean newspapers, the female lead's exposure of almost her entire body overshadowed the remaining 58 minutes of the episode.
Such bold and provocative scenes also raise many concerns about the audience's interest in the film's content as well as Cha Joo Young as an actress.
My Daily emphasized that the posts discussing “Queen Wongyeong” mainly revolved around Cha Joo Young and her hot scenes instead of her acting skills. This is considered a big regret for the audience who loved the actress’s convincing performance in the movie “Glory in Vengeance”.
According to Korean media, for Cha Joo Young, the decision to take on a nude role may be an attempt to expand her range as an actress.
However, focusing on sensitive scenes repeatedly risks distorting the public's perception of her talent and potential. This could in the long run limit her image as an actress, depriving her of the opportunity to portray a wider range of characters.
“When nude scenes are used properly within the context of a work, they can serve as a powerful tool for conveying emotion.
But excessive and unnecessary provocative content can tarnish both the artistic value of the work and the image of the actor. Cha Joo Young's recent career moves also show a lack of planning and strategy from the management company," My Daily wrote.
Korean newspapers hope that after the criticism of the newly aired drama, Cha Joo Young will pay more attention to the way she accepts roles to develop her acting career in the long term.
