Jang Mi-ja
Jang Mi-ja was a South Korean actress and voice actor. Beginning her career in around 1959, she debuted in the play Without the Pain of Breaking the Shell in 1962 and joined DBS Dong-A Broadcasting as a part of their first generation of voice actors in 1963. In 1981, she began her screen career in the movie "Ban Geum-ryeon". She was infamously known as "The Nation's Mother-in-Law" to many after her portrayal of a mother-in-law in the drama The Clinic for Married Couples: Love and War.
Jang was also known for her extensive contributions to theater. She was a member of the Theater Actors' Association and led the theater company Samgaksan. Her stage performances included plays such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Drying Peppers, Golden Pond, and Human Time.
In addition to her stage work, Jang appeared in several well-known television dramas such as Dalmuri, Land, The Second Republic, The Sons of Sol Pharmacy House, Believe in Love, and The Light in Your Eyes. In 2023, she appeared in the JTBC drama King the Land, in what would become one of her final screen roles.
Jang was married to Park Woong, a fellow voice actor and actor. The couple frequently collaborated on stage productions, notably performing together in the play Dancing Silver Portrait in 2024. They had two sons; Park Kang and Park Joon. Their second son, Park Joon, has pursued a career in acting.
Jang died on January 27, 2025 at the Seoul National University Hospital due to a chronic illness. Her funeral was held on January 29, 2025, at the Seoul City Cemetery.