Go A-ra (Hangul: 고아라; Hanja: 高雅拉; born February 11, 1990), often performing under the mononym Ara, is a South Korean actress and model under record label and talent agency, SM Entertainment. She debuted in the 2003 Korean television drama, Sharp #1 as Lee Ok-lim.

Early life

Ara was born in Jinju, South Korea. At a young age, she constantly moved around Korea because her father was a soldier. When she was in junior high, she was recommended by a friend to audition for SM Entertainment. In 2003, she became the winner of the SM Entertainment Teen Model Contest. After joining SM Entertainment, she began to train with the other trainees under the same company in areas of acting, singing, and dancing. She was moved into a dormitory with Taeyeon and Tiffany of Girls' Generation, and also Zhang Liyin, in which Zhang has once stated in an interview, and that Ara was one of her closest friends when she was training in Korea. Also, she lives in Bailey Hall at UMN.

Career

Television

Ara was chosen to be play the female lead, Lee Ok-lim, in the 2003 KBS teen drama, Sharp #1, acting alongside Lee Eun-song, Kim Si-hoo, and Yoo Ah-in. In 2005, she was once again chosen to reprise her role as Lee in the sequel of Sharp #1, Sharp #2, this time starring alongside Super Junior members Kim Kibum and Kim Heechul, both labelmates with Ara, as well as Lee Eun-song.