Jang Gyu Ri Explains Why She Left fromis_9, Acting In A Lead Role In “Cheer Up,” And More
Jang Gyu Ri has opened up about why she withdrew from fromis_9, choosing only acting as a career, hardships working as an idol actor, and more.
For Jang Gyu Ri, the SBS drama “Cheer Up” is a special work. This is because it is her first time working as only an actor after she left the group fromis_9 where she has been loved as a girl group member while taking small acting roles.
Jang Gyu Ri expressing her gratitude said,
It’s my first work since I turned into an actor, and it’s my first time getting the lead role in a terrestrial drama, so it would be a lie if I say there was no pressure. However, while filming, I could ease the burden a little, since my character wasn’t the one leading the play. I learned a lot and got help for acting from the actors I worked with. People around me helped me a lot.”
Many idol singers are active as “idol actors” by working as actors at the same time. Nevertheless, Jang Gyu Ri withdrew from the group and decided to continue her career as only an actress, she explained, “I thought that the dream of acting was on the side of my mind, I felt that it was causing inconvenience to the team.”
Jang Gyu Ri, expressing her faith in the members of fromis_9 members, said,
I thought I grew up with the members through fromis_9 and achieved a lot. We won first place. Now I thought it would be good to watch the members from the back. I trusted the members and left.”
She confessed the reason why she chose to leave the group by saying,
At the beginning of the filming of ‘Cheer Up’, I did both team activities and acting work. I couldn’t concentrate physically and mentally and felt I wasn’t good enough to do both. Especially physically, it was really hard. Later, I practiced for the album activities and the ‘Cheer Up’ together, but I couldn’t remember the choreography. I thought it was too much to do things side by side and I feel sorry for the damage I caused to the members. I was so sorry that I was absent a lot of times and couldn’t practice well.”
In the days when she was acting and singing at the same time, Jang Gyu Ri did everything without expressing herself at all. She said, “I think it’s obvious. I thought I wanted to do both and shouldn’t let anyone know that I’m having a hard time. I thought it was natural to do this for the members and fans.”
“Cheer Up” was a drama that could make full use of Jang Gyu Ri’s strengths. As the deputy leader of the cheering squad, she showed restrained choreography and even showed a surprise performance. Fans who have supported and cherished Jang Gyu Ri for a long time expressed their happiness at Jang Gyu Ri’s appearance in “Cheer Up.”
Jang Gyu Ri, expressing her affection for the fans, said,
There are many singing scenes in our drama, so I think it was a good choice as the first work. The fans must have been flustered because I suddenly announced my withdrawal from the group, but watching me dance and sing in the drama, they said, ‘We thought we’d never see you again, but this is good.’ I think it was a good choice for the fans.”
She cried during the fromis_9 fan meeting in April, and said,
I had talked about this to the company to some extent. If I cry, the fans worry about me, so I don’t cry in front of them, but I couldn’t hold back my tears that day. I was touched by the fans, but I thought it would be the last day to meet them as fromis_9 Jang Gyu Ri, and I was wondering if they would still like me and support me even if I made such a decision.”
As it is the path of an actor she decided on, she wants to do well. Jang Gyu Ri explains what kind of work she wants to try in the future, sharing.
There are so many things I want to try. Because of the scene where I hit my boyfriend in ‘Cheer Up,’ I learned it for about two to three hours at Action School, and it was fun to act while using my body. I thought I wanted to properly act in the action genre. I’ve learned how to use my body through figure skating, Korean dance, and ballet since I was young, so I’m confident in using my body.”
Jang Gyu Ri said,
It’s still so awkward to say, ‘Hello, I’m actress Jang Gyu Ri’ when I greet somewhere. I want to build a career step by step enough to confidently say that ‘I am an actress Jang Gyu Ri.’ I may not always be satisfied with my acting, but I still want to build up one by one so that I don’t feel awkward saying, ‘I’m actress Jang Gyu Ri.'”
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