Kang Ji-young shared an episode of how the Korean national anthem helped her overcome hardships while working in Japan.

During a recent interview with local media, Kang, a former member of K-pop girl group Kara, was asked how it had been to settle down in Japan as an actress. Since leaving the group in 2014, Kang has mostly focused on an acting career in Japan.

“It was my first time playing a lead role, for which I had to work a lot on Japanese narration. It was really hard,” Kang recalled.

“I cried in a narration booth, as the director kept saying I was doing it wrong. I haven’t told anyone in Korea, but I went into a bathroom, cried my eyes out and there I sang the Korean national anthem. And I stopped crying, thinking, ‘I can do this.’”

Kang recently attended the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Festival for her lead role in “Killer, Her,” a collaboration between Japan and the US.

“Thinking back, I felt proud of myself. I once thought, ‘Why am I asking for trouble?’ but I decided to keep going. I don’t know till when I will promote in Japan, but I will proceed as long as there are people looking for me,” she added.

(lotus@heraldcorp.com)