[Dispatch = Kim Ji-ho] "I cried a lot. Sometimes, I just wanted to run away."

The weight of the crown was real—both literally and figuratively. Cha Joo-young spent over 20 hours a day with her hair stiffened by strong wax, balancing a 5kg headpiece. She layered on traditional garments so heavy that even a simple trip to the restroom felt impossible.

"Physically, I broke down during filming. Every time I washed my hair, I had to soak it for ages to melt the wax. I ended up with hair loss, a cervical disc injury, gum problems, and even needed physical therapy."

But the emotional burden was even greater. Playing a real-life historical figure, Queen Wongyeong, was no easy task—especially since it was a full-fledged biographical role spanning from her teenage years to old age. The responsibility grew heavier with every scene.

"The pressure was suffocating. I could barely breathe at times, wondering, 'When will this end?' I knew I'd miss this moment once it was over, but at the time, it was mentally draining."

Even now, she finds it hard to let go of Wongyeong. Just talking about the character makes her emotional.

When we met Cha Joo-young for this interview, she confessed, "I'm doing this to find closure. I still don't know how to say goodbye to Wongyeong, so I want to talk it out."

"Stepping Into a Lifetime Role"

Wongyeong tells the story of Queen Wongyeong through her own perspective, spanning the tumultuous transition from the Goryeo dynasty to the Joseon dynasty. Despite being only 14 episodes long, the series had to capture the entirety of her life.

"I was getting a lot of period drama scripts at the time, but Wongyeong stood out. It was bold, intense, and full of risk. How often does an actor get to portray someone's entire lifetime? It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Looking back, Cha Joo-young laughs at her own courage.

"I was so fearless back then. I had this totally baseless confidence, thinking, 'I can do this!' So, I just jumped in."

To bring Wongyeong to life, she buried herself in research—studying historical records, watching documentaries, and analyzing performances by veteran actresses.

And yet, the more she learned, the more she realized just how monumental the challenge was.

"There wasn't much recorded about Wongyeong's personal life, but the existing portrayals were already iconic. I knew it would be nearly impossible to break away from those pre-established images."

But rather than feeling discouraged, she became more ambitious. If historical records were limited, why not fill in the gaps and create a version of Wongyeong that was uniquely hers?

"History is fascinating but also frustratingly vague. What's written is often biased or incomplete. So, I took the facts and used every ounce of my imagination and emotion to bring the missing pieces to life."

"Cha Joo-young Was Wongyeong"

Her performance was nothing short of breathtaking. She embodied every facet of Wongyeong—an idealistic young woman, a passionate lover, a powerful queen, a grieving mother, and a battle-worn elder.

And at the heart of it all was love.

"Every choice Wongyeong made, I saw it as an act of love. Love for her husband, her children, her people, and her kingdom. Even when she was ruthless, it all came from a place of deep devotion."

As the series progressed, her emotions grew heavier. Wongyeong suffered unimaginable losses—her entire family was executed by the man she loved, and she watched helplessly as her son died from illness.

"Of all the tragic characters I've ever seen, Wongyeong is the most heartbreaking. But I didn't want to portray her as just a pitiful figure. My job was to channel her grief in a way that was neither excessive nor restrained—just raw and real."

By the time Wongyeong reached old age, Cha Joo-young was physically and emotionally drained.

"I was running on empty at that point, which actually helped with my performance. Wongyeong had given everything she had. And so had I."

She carefully adjusted her tone, breathing, and posture to reflect the queen's slow decline.

"By the end, even opening her eyes and walking felt like a struggle. I wanted every movement to show that weight."

"Creating Iconic Scenes"

Some of the most emotionally powerful moments in Wongyeong happened because of Cha Joo-young's own creative input.

For example, the heart-wrenching scene where Wongyeong breaks down in front of her mother after losing her two younger brothers to political purges? That wasn't in the script.

"Originally, the script had Wongyeong just watching her mother from afar before leaving. But after everything she had endured, I felt like she needed to let out her grief. Otherwise, it wouldn't feel real."

She nervously pitched her idea to the director, who immediately trusted her vision.

"I was lucky. The director let me fully immerse myself in the moment. Even the way the camera was positioned and the timing of the slow-motion shots—it all came from my suggestions."

Another standout scene was Wongyeong mourning her son's death. As she spoke about it, Cha Joo-young instinctively looked down at her hands—as if she could still feel the tiny fingers of the child actor she held during filming.

"I kept holding onto the little boy's hand during the scene. And then suddenly, he was gone. That overwhelming sense of loss hit me like a truck. It was unbearable."

Even a simple farewell line carried decades of pain. When Wongyeong looked at King Taejong and quietly said, "You did your best as king," her delivery was so moving that she herself broke down in tears.

"Seeing my co-star in old-age makeup, it felt like time had truly passed. I was so overwhelmed that I literally couldn't say my lines. I still get emotional thinking about it."

"Leaving Wongyeong Behind"

Even now, she isn't ready to let go of Wongyeong.

"There are so many things I wish I had done better. I keep wondering, 'If I could do it all again, could I improve?'"

But then, she shakes her head.

"The energy I gave to this role… I don't think I could ever replicate that. I poured my entire soul into it. I gave everything I had."

After filming wrapped, she took a trip to the Sahara Desert to clear her mind. But even there, the weight of Wongyeong lingered.

Now, with this interview as her final farewell, she leaves one last message to her fans:

"It was exhausting. It was suffocating. But it was also the most precious experience of my life. And I already know—I'll miss every second of it, even the hardest parts."

"Cha Joo-young's Era Has Arrived"

Years ago, she was just a finance student in the U.S. with no acting experience. Then, she took a wild gamble—and it paid off.

After years of struggling, she finally made her breakthrough in The Glory (2022), and now Wongyeong has cemented her as one of Korea's top actresses.

A devoted fan once said:

"The Cha Joo-young era is coming. I'll keep talking about her until the whole world notices."

And now, that era has officially begun.

Photo Credit: Ghost Studio