5 facts about Nana, the controversial star of Netflix’s Glitch: the K-pop turned K-drama idol was called ‘Barbie Doll’ and won’t hide her tattoos – but what about those Hong Jong-hyun romance rumours?

Oct 7 , 2022

Im Jin-ah, aka Nana, is an actress and K-pop idol, but why does controversy keep stalking her? Photo: @jin_a_nana/Instagram

The 31-year-old beauty born Im Jin-ah made headlines when she proudly paraded her tattoos at a press conference for film Confession, next to actors So Ji-sub and Kim Yoon-jin

She was made famous through Pledis Entertainment, debuting with K-pop groups After School and Orange Caramel, before romance rumours linked her with Hong Jong-hyun and Jang Ki-yong

As we’ve seen over the years, plenty of K-pop idols transition from music to film, finding lucrative acting gigs in Korean dramas that only further their fame.

With Netflix’s Glitch set to drop on Friday, fans may notice a familiar face on the cast list: Nana, aka Im Jin-ah. The 31-year-old singer was made famous in the early 2010s through Pledis Entertainment’s K-pop groups After School and its subunit Orange Caramel, and began her acting career in 2014 with Fashion King.

She’s since starred in numerous K-dramas and films like Into the Ring and The Swindlers. Now, she’ll star alongside breakout actress Jeon Yeo-been in Glitch, a supernatural comedy series. According to the show’s synopsis, the story plays out the mysterious disappearance of Hong Ji-hyo’s (played by Jeon) boyfriend, and with the help of UFO “club members”, she discovers a secret. Nana plays the character of Heo Bo-ra, an “alien chaser”.

Im Jin-ah and Jeon Yeo-been in Netflix series Glitch. Photo: @jin_a_nana/Instagram.

So, what do we know about the K-pop idol-turned-actress who’s been making headlines lately?

1. Nana is not ashamed of her tattoos

Im Jin-ah, aka Nana, was made famous through gigs with Pledis Entertainment. Photo: @jin_a_nana/Instagram

Many K-pop fans know that one of the agency rules their idols must follow is the covering up of tattoos. This likely has to do with Korea’s conservative views on skin art.

So when, in September, Nana flaunted her tattoos in a strapless black dress at a press conference for this year’s film Confession, audiences were taken aback, per Allkpop. She stood alongside co-stars So Ji-sub and Kim Yoon-jin at the event, with head-to-toe inking on her body.

Following the uproar, her agency, Pledis Entertainment, issued a statement about the situation: “Please understand that it’s difficult to answer because it’s our artist’s private life.”

Then on September 27, at Glitch’s press conference, she responded to fans’ questions about her tattoos. Many wondered if it had anything to do with her character in the series, but she explained it was her personal decision to get them.