After The Scandal aired, Nana unexpectedly became the center of controversy due to her appearance in her first historical drama role. In particular, the actress’s full, recently injected lips were criticized by some viewers as being too modern and out of place in the Joseon setting, even making it difficult for them to focus on her character. In response to the increasingly harsh reactions, Nana recently issued a direct apology.

On a fan interaction platform on September 22nd, Nana candidly addressed the controversies surrounding her appearance in The Scandal. She stated, “If my lips made viewers uncomfortable, it’s my fault. I think my personal choice wasn’t a suitable one for an actress.”

The actress continued to express her remorse for having to witness negative comments from her fans. Nana shared, “I think my beloved fans must be heartbroken to see the criticism directed at me. So I feel even more guilty. In the future, I will try my best so that we can all receive more kind words together.”

Nana’s apology quickly garnered attention, but the debate surrounding her appearance in The Scandal hasn’t completely subsided. Some viewers argue that the issue isn’t just about Nana having full lips, but that this feature is too prominent in a period drama, to the point of directly impacting her ability to embody the character.

Previously, comments appeared on social media suggesting that when watching the film, they “only saw Nana’s lips,” instead of focusing on her acting and the story. Some also questioned the image preparation for the role: this is a historical drama, so why weren’t physical elements that could easily be out of place before the character appeared on screen?

From then on, the controversy didn’t stop at Nana. Some netizens argued that if the actress herself admitted that her personal appearance choices were “unsuitable for an actress,” then the styling team and those responsible for the character’s image couldn’t remain uninvolved. According to this viewpoint, the fact that a particular physical feature drew so much attention that it overshadowed the character shows that the overall consideration between the actress, the styling, and the film’s setting should have been more thorough. However, it’s clear that no one in the Scandal team paid attention to this detail and still allowed Nana to undergo cosmetic surgery and appear on screen with overly modern lips.

“Everyone knows Nana is beautiful, but if you know you’re playing a historical drama, you should understand what appearance suits the character. Being beautiful according to modern standards doesn’t mean it’s suitable for every setting,” “What’s hard to understand is that Nana knew it was a historical drama but still chose to have cosmetic surgery to get those lips. Only when the scene was criticized did she apologize. For an actress, appearance is also part of the character; you can’t just think whatever you like,” “But the crew can’t just wash their hands of it. This is a historical drama, not a modern one. The director, stylist, makeup artist, the whole crew see the look every day, and yet no one noticed how mismatched the lips were with the overall look?”, “If a historical drama crew doesn’t notice a detail on the female lead’s face that makes the audience think it’s out of place at first glance, then you really have to question the styling. Does it mean that just because an actress is beautiful, any kind of styling is acceptable?”, “Historical dramas require consistency in costumes, hair, and makeup.” “Even the facial features. If they knew Nana already had such prominent lips and still showed them on screen, then this is no longer just the actress’s personal matter but a choice made by the entire crew,”… – some comments on posts about Nana’s apology.

However, some viewers felt that focusing too much on a single physical feature was harsh on Nana, especially since she was taking on a role with significant psychological development and a unique character journey. Some sources about the drama also noted that Nana received positive feedback for scenes depicting An Hui Yeon’s transformation from a submissive woman to one who begins to yearn to live life on her own terms.

The Scandal marks Nana’s first foray into the historical drama genre. In the film, she plays An Hui Yeon, a young widow who loses her husband before they even have a chance to get married. Living in an era where women have almost no say in their own lives due to strict standards of virginity and chastity, An Hui Yeon gives up many things and lives each day in resignation.

Source: Compiled from various sources.