K-pop girl group Kara’s former member Kang Ji-young is to make her way into the Japanese entertainment scene as an actress in partnership with a Japanese agency, Japanese news outlets reported Thursday.

According to the news reports, Kang signed a management contract with Japanese talent agency Sweet Power to launch her acting career. Sweet Power is a Japanese entertainment powerhouse that manages a slew of Japanese top-tier actresses including Maki Horikita and Meisa Kuroki.

“Kang will show her mature side in a departure from her (cute) image,” her agency said. “We look forward to her future as an actress given that she is fluent both in Japanese and English.”

Kang also plans to hit the runway at the “19th Tokyo Girls Collection” fashion show to be held in Tokyo on Sept. 6.

Earlier this year, Kang departed from Kara to pursue a solo career along with fellow member Nicole. She then went to the U.K. to study.

Meanwhile, Kara’s three remaining original members Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon and Koo Ha-ra were recently joined by Heo Young-ji, who won the TV audition program “KARA Project,” a scheme to pick a new member for Kara. The band dropped the new EP “Day & Night” on Aug. 18.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

[Photo Credit: OSEN]