You know that feeling when you're watching a K-drama and a woman walks on screen with perfect hair, a cold stare, and an aura that says, "I could buy this entire neighborhood and still have change for a latte"? That’s Na Young-hee. She has this incredible way of playing the "rich, terrifying mother" that makes you both hate her and want to be her. Honestly, if you’ve watched more than three dramas in the last decade, you’ve definitely seen her.
She’s basically the go-to actress for any director who needs someone to look expensive. But here’s the thing: calling her just a "drama mom" is kinda selling her short. Her career spans over 40 years. She didn’t just start out playing the mother-in-law from hell in Queen of Tears. She was a massive movie star back in the 80s when the Korean film industry looked nothing like it does today.
Na Young-hee Movies and TV Shows: The Roles You Actually Remember
If we're talking about Na Young-hee movies and tv shows, we have to start with the ones that broke the internet—or at least the ratings. You’ve probably seen her in My Love from the Star. She played Cheon Song-yi’s (Jun Ji-hyun) materialistic mother. She was loud, she was vain, and she was hilarious. It was a pivot from her usual icy roles, proving she could do comedy just as well as she does melodrama.
Then there’s Legend of the Blue Sea. Again, she’s playing a wealthy woman, but with a tragic twist. She has this knack for making you feel sorry for a character who, on paper, is actually quite difficult. Most recently, her turn in Queen of Tears (2024) reminded everyone why she's still the gold standard. As Kim Ji-won's mother, she navigated that fine line between being a social climber and a woman dealing with her own internal family crises.
The Big Screen Era You Might Have Missed
Long before she was a TV staple, she was a film icon. We're talking about the early 80s. She debuted in Children of Darkness (1981), and she wasn't just a supporting player. She was the lead. She even won the Best New Actress award at the Baeksang Arts Awards for it.
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Back then, her filmography was full of "edgy" roles. Films like Prostitution (1988) were controversial but massive hits. It’s wild to think that the same woman playing the elegant CEO in a 2024 drama was once the face of Korean erotic-melodrama cinema. It shows a range that most younger actors can only dream of.
Why Producers Keep Calling Her Back
Is it just the look? Maybe a little. She has a very distinct, sharp face that fits the "Cheongdam-dong mother" archetype perfectly. But it's also the voice. It's calm, steady, and slightly condescending—perfect for telling a lead actress that she isn't good enough for her son.
- Longevity: She has been active since 1981 without any major breaks. That’s insane in an industry that usually discards actresses once they hit 40.
- The Park Ji-eun Connection: Screenwriter Park Ji-eun (the genius behind Crash Landing on You and Queen of Tears) uses her in almost everything. There’s a reason for that.
- Adaptability: She can go from the North Korean wedding dress shop owner in Crash Landing on You (a tiny cameo) to a series regular without losing her screen presence.
The Recent Hits (2021-2025)
In the last few years, she hasn't slowed down one bit. In One the Woman (2021), she played the classic evil mother-in-law role but dialled it up to eleven. She was so mean it was almost impressive.
Then came Gold Mask (2022) and Queen of Divorce (2024). She’s carved out this niche where she plays "The Matriarch." Whether she’s the villain or the misunderstood protector, she commands the scene. Even in 2025, with the landscape shifting toward streaming giants like Netflix, she remains a constant. She recently joined the cast of Cinderella Game (2024-2025), proving that the daily drama format still needs her star power to keep audiences tuned in.
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The Human Side of the "Ice Queen"
Off-camera, she’s actually known for being quite warm, which is the biggest plot twist of all. Her real name is Bang Suk-hui, and she’s a September 1961 baby. There was a scary moment back in 2002 where she was actually kidnapped by four men and held for hours. She didn't talk about it for over a decade. When she finally did, she mentioned how it changed her perspective on life and made her more cautious.
That kind of real-life trauma often informs an actor’s depth. Maybe that’s why her "cold" characters always seem to have a flicker of something else behind their eyes. It’s not just acting; it’s a life well-lived (and sometimes survived).
What to Watch First
If you’re new to her work, don’t try to watch everything at once. Her filmography is literally hundreds of titles deep. Start with the "Park Ji-eun Trilogy" to see her at her best:
- My Love from the Star: For the comedy and the fashion.
- The Producers: She plays a ruthless agency CEO. It’s terrifying.
- Queen of Tears: To see her most refined, modern performance.
After that, if you want to see her serious acting chops, find the 2017 film Forgotten. She plays the mother in a psychological thriller, and it is a total departure from her usual "rich lady" roles. It’s dark, moody, and she is brilliant in it.
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The reality is, Na Young-hee movies and tv shows are the backbone of the K-drama industry. She provides the conflict, the glamour, and the gravitas that makes the romantic leads look even better. You can't have a hero without a formidable force to stand in their way, and nobody does "formidable" better than her.
Next time she pops up on your screen, take a second to look past the designer handbag. There’s a reason she’s been at the top of the game for 45 years. She isn't just playing a character; she's owning the genre.
Check out her latest work in Cinderella Game if you want to see her in a classic revenge-style format. Or, for a quicker fix, go back and re-watch her scenes in Crash Landing on You—her North Korean accent was a sleeper hit that most people forgot about.