Ham Eun-jeong

Hahm Eun-jung (; born December 12, 1988), known professionally as Eunjung and also Elsie, is a South Korean singer, actress, model, host, entertainer, and lyricist. She began her career at the age of seven as an entertainer in 1995, when she won the ''Little Miss Korea'' competition and debuted as a child actress in the same year in a television drama ''A New Generation of Adults'' (1995). Since then, she has taken on several roles in movies, television series and also being cast in various commercial films. After three years of training, she debuted as a member of South Korean girl group T-ara in July 2009 (and later its subgroup T-ara N4). She has won the Child Actor Award for her role in "Drama of The Year" multi-winner ''Land'' at the 2004 SBS Drama Awards. She was also nominated and won awards for comedies ''Coffee House'' (2010) and '' Dream High'' (2011), reality show '' We Got Married'' (2011–12), family drama '' Be My Dream Family'' (2021), and daily soap opera '' Love Twist'' (2021–22)''.'''

She debuted as a solo artist by the name Elsie with her EP, '' I'm Good'', on May 7, 2015, which went on to win her The Best Female Artist at V Chart Awards, China's largest video-sharing platform. Hahm's career extends beyond music and cinema—she has forayed into modeling, hosting, and TV. She has hosted over 15 events from the Dream Concert to the Grand Bell Awards and Jecheon International Music & Film Festival. In 2012, she hosted an episode of '' Saturday Night Live Korea'' along with S.E.S.'s Bada and Horan, which drew a rating of 1.444%.

Early life and education

Hahm was born in Sanggye-dong, Nowon District, Seoul, South Korea. Her mother, a graduate of Ewha Womans University, was a former piano teacher who worked as Hahm's agent. While attending seventh grade, Hahm started Taekwondo lessons and won three different competitions. Her mother made the decision to quit teaching and manage her career upon her high school graduation in 2007. Later that year, Hahm enrolled in Dongguk University where she took performance courses.

She is an only child and has been quoted as explaining, "My mother had me 10 years after she was married to my father, which seems more hurtful. Upon watching several famous performers in the past, she wanted to become an actress. Now that I have, she is very pleased I have acting as a priority. She believes her original prayers were answered." Hahm's late mother was a piano instructor who later became her agent, while her father owns a small raw fish restaurant in Gangwon Province.

Career

1995–2008: Career beginnings

In 1995, when Hahm was seven years old, she participated in the "Little Miss Korea" pageant and won. That same year, she appeared in the youth drama ''A New Generation of Adults'', which aired on KBS. Afterwards, she had several minor roles in movies and dramas, along with being cast in several commercial films.

In 2007, Hahm made appearances in a number of music videos. Namely, eighteen-year-old Hahm is featured in SG Wannabe's music video "Gasiri" from '' Story In New York''. Later that year, she would also be seen in F.T. Island's music videos: "Thunder"; "Only One Person", and "A Man's First Love Follow Him To The Grave". She also appeared in the 2008 horror film '' Death Bell'', where she plays a student who was murdered by her teacher. Eunjung self-taught herself Pansori, a traditional Korean singing style, by practicing with old tapes to qualify for her first major role in Land.

2009–2012: Rising popularity

Hahm originally trained to be an actress, and later debuted as a member of T-ara in July 2009. She was the first leader of the group, until September 2010. Hahm featured in Davichi's music video "Time, Please Stop" which was released on May 6, 2010. Her first major acting role since joining T-ara was in SBS drama ''Coffee House'', which aired from May 17 to July 17, 2010. That same year, she was cast in the horror film '' White: Melody of Death''.

Hahm's popularity began to rise in 2011 when she starred in the teen drama '' Dream High''. The drama was a success and brought high domestic viewership ratings. It also gained popularity in other countries and won several international awards. From 2011 to 2012, she joined MBC's variety program '' We Got Married'', pairing up with actor Lee Jang-woo. She won the Best Newcomer Award at the MBC Entertainment Awards. Hahm was then cast in historical dramas '' The King of Legend'' and '' Insu, The Queen Mother''.

In June 2012, Hahm was confirmed to star in the drama '' Five Fingers''. However, on August 22, it was revealed that she had been dropped from the drama. The Korean Actors Labor Union demanded that Hahm be issued an apology by the producer and crew. In February 2013, Yein E&M issued a formal apology for firing Hahm without notice. In October 2013, MBK Entertainment revealed that Eun-jung participated in the arrangement of T-ara's upcoming track "I Know The Feeling" from their newest EP ''Again''. Deoksang Park, the composer of the song proposed tthe collaboration.

2014–2017: Return to acting and solo debut

Hahm made her return to acting in 2014, with SBS' weekend period drama '' Endless Love''. In 2015, it was announced that Hahm was offered the lead role in the Thai romantic comedy ''Micro Love'', making her the first female idol to star in a Thai film. In May, Hahm made her solo debut under the stage name Elsie. She released her first mini album '' I'm Good'', with the lead single of the same name featuring K.Will. The Chinese version of her music video peaked at number two on YinYueTai's music video charts. On October 14, Hahm released the song ''Goodbye'', as the soundtrack of T-ara's web-drama ''Sweet Temptation''. The song was also included in her repackaged mini album, '' Goodbye'', released on October 30. In 2016, Hahm was cast in '' Flowers of Evil'', a thriller directed by Cho Sung-kyu. In 2017, Hahm was cast in MBC's daily drama, ''Sisters-in-Law,'' which premiered in April that year.

2018–present: New agency and solo career

In January 2018, Hahm confirmed her departure from MBK after her contract expired. In February, Hahm signed an exclusive management contract with UFO Production, making her the company's first-ever artist. UFO Production, a subsidiary of technology company Pobis TNC, is more known for producing the MBC TV weekend drama ''Money Flower''. On May 24, it was confirmed that Hahm was cast in KBS's romantic comedy-drama '' Lovely Horribly'', starring Park Si-hoo and Song Ji-hyo. On February 26, 2019, it was announced that Hahm would be the narrator for the Korea-Vietnam co-production documentary named ''The Muse Story'', which will be broadcast on KBS World. On October 14, 2020, her label announced that Hahm will star in an upcoming film called "I will sing" as a singer.

Hahm was cast in the leading role of the TV drama '' Be My Dream Family'', which aired on KBS1 every weekday from March 29, 2021,to October 1. The drama was well-received for its heartwarming portrayal of family dynamics. On July 15, Hahm left Cabin 74 after her contract expired. On September 27, Hahm signed a new exclusive contract with Management Koo. In 2021, along with Supernova's Gonil, Eun-jung took the lead role in short original drama ''Cell Division'' which was released on DramaX. The drama was also sold in Japan to multiple broadcasters—this includes streaming services like Amazon's Prime Video, Yahoo Japan's GYAO, music.Jp and Fuji TV's FOD. It premiered on KNTV Japan on May 26.

On February 15, 2023, Hahm was confirmed to be part of the main cast of JTBC's variety program for its new season which premieres on March 5. ''Differential Class'' is an informative variety show that first aired in 2017, achieving a peak rating of 5%. The show has also garnered over 500,000 followers and more than 200 million views on YouTube. Later in the year, Eun-jung was cast in Kunio Shimizu's "Dressing Room" portraying the character "D". The play was well-received and its run was extended until May 28, 2023, for encore performances. According to FN News, the play received an Interpark rating of 9.8 and a high rate of repeat attendance, earning the nickname "acting power show" for its cast of professional actors.

On February 19, 2024, Hahm signed an exclusive contract with Mask Studio. In September 2024, Eun-jung was appointed as a judge for the 4th Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival which will be held in Geumcheon District from September 6 to September 9.

On March 26, 2025, Sports Chosun reported that Eun-jung has been cast in KBS2's new revenge drama ''The Queen's House''.

Public image and impact

Acting

Hahm Eun-jung, who debuted as a child actress and model, has significantly diversified her career over the years. She has frequently been recognized as one of the best idol-actors throughout her three-decade acting career. In 2011, ''NewsWire'' wrote that she "has proven herself to be the best acting idol of her time", while ''Cine21'' hailed her the next-generation " horror queen" due to her standout roles in horror movies '' White: Melody of Death'' and '' Death Bell'', —a genre rarely explored by idols. That same year, a ''Sports Seoul'' survey ranked her as the third-best acting idol, as voted by over 80 idols, making her the only female idol in the Top 5. Her reputation as a skilled actress was further cemented in 2012 when she again secured third place in a critics' survey conducted by ''Nate''. Alongside her T-ara groupmates Jiyeon and Hyomin, they are collectively referred to as "T-ara's 3 acting idols". In September 2024, Eun-jung was appointed as a judge for the 4th Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival, held in Geumcheon District from September 6 to September 9.

Eun-jung has starred in numerous acclaimed projects, including ''Land'' (2004), ''Coffee House'' (2010), '' Dream High'' (2011), ''Queen Insu'' (2011), and more recently '' Love Twist'' (2021–2022), and '' Suji & Uri'' (2024), which have achieved strong ratings and received widespread praise both commercially and critically. Eun-jung's performances have earned her several prestigious nominations, including multiple nods for Excellence Awards at the MBC Drama Awards and KBS Drama Awards, as well as a nomination for the Top Excellence Award at the APAN Star Awards, both one of the highest honors in South Korea's acting industry. In 2024, her role in ''Suji & Uri'' earned her the Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards.

Cultural impact

Eun-jung rose to prominence not only through her acting but also through her widespread popularity on Cyworld pages, an early social media platform, where she frequently topped the most-visited and popular pages with hundreds of thousands of weekly views. Hahm's successful musical and acting career secured her numerous brand endorsements across South Korea.

In addition to her commercial success, Eun-jung served as an ambassador for various organizations in South Korea and abroad. At 17, she was appointed by the Ministry Of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as a public relations ambassador. Her international representation includes attending the "Korea-Brunei 30th year Relations Ceremony", where she met with government officials and dined formally with the country's Prime Minister.

In 2022, Hahm was awarded the Korea-China Culture Exchange Award Grand Prize at the 2022 World Creators Awards for her channel on Bilibili, one of the major Chinese streaming platforms, which garnered nearly 200,000 subscribers and 10 million views.

Other ventures

Endorsements and promotions

Hahm has modeled for several brands since before her debut as a singer. Her first-ever advertisement was a print ad for Korea's No.1 mineral water, '' J'' eju Samdasoo, in 1998. In February 2011, was selected as an exclusive model for the clothing brand SPRIS, alongside actor Kim Soo-hyun. Known as one of the most popular fashion brands among young people, SPRIS previously featured notable figures such as Lee Joon-gi, Kim Beom, and 2PM. TThe campaign included multiple TV commercials and a 3-minute music-drama video featuring a newly recorded song by Hahm and Kim, titled "Crazy4s". However, the track was never officially released. In 2015, Hahm became the face of Burger King in Korea, following fellow T-ara members Hyomin and Jiyeon, who had endorsed the brand the previous year. Her promotional posters were displayed nationwide. The following year, she was chosen as a model for Coca-Cola alongside Yubin and Park Yoon. From 2015 to 2017, she actively participated in various promotional events for the brand, including its 130th-anniversary exhibition.

Ambassadorships

Hahm has been appointed as an ambassador for numerous institutions and events across various countries since her debut in 1995. In 2005, she was named an ambassador for South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In 2011, she was appointed as the public relations and goodwill ambassador for the National Police Agency, receiving an ambassador award from Police Commissioner Cho Hyun-oh at the National Warfare Guard Festival on March 8. That same year, she became an ambassador for ETN's audition show ''Global Super Idol'' in Thailand, where she also served as a mentor and judge.

Her ambassadorships extend to the luxury sector as well—she was named an ambassador for ''Gold Elite Paris'' in Thailand in 2016. That same year, she was appointed as a public relations ambassador for Dongguk University, receiving her appointment certification from the university's president on October 17.

In 2017, as the public relations ambassador for the 9th Gangneung Coffee Festival, she attended the opening ceremony and received the talent ambassador plaque from the mayor of Gangneung. She has also supported cultural and philanthropic initiatives, serving as an honorary ambassador and participant in ''Hattung's Aesop Fable Donation'' in 2020 and acting as an ambassador for the Chunsa Film & Arts Awards Festival the same year.

Internationally, Hahm represented South Korea in Brunei at the Korea-Brunei 30th Year Relations Ceremony in 2014, participating in the signing ceremony of a 500 billion won joint project between the two nations.

''Smile'' (book)

In 2016, Eunjung published her first pocket-book, ''Smile'', inspired by her experiences while filming the reality show ''What Should I Do?'' in Thailand. In the book, she shares her thoughts and emotions from her time traveling and working in the country. The title reflects her impression of the Thai people's constant warmth and smiles.

The book was a limited release and published in three languages—English, Korean, and Thai. Beyond writing, Hahm was also involved in the creative process, designing the cover and accompanying merchandise.

Philanthropy and activism

Eunjung is an advocate for pet protection. In July 2016, Eunjung participated in the 'Protect Us' campaign. Hosted by premium pet magazine ''Life & Dogue'' and Thank You Studio, It aimed to revise the animal protection act in South Korea and prevent animal abuse. A year later, she participated in G9's abandoned animal campaign. The singer donated several fashion items through ''TV Report''. All donations collected were donated to the animal protection civic group 'KARA' and used for abandoned animal rescue.

In 2016, Eunjung traveled to Thailand to volunteer to distribute food at Sanam Luang. In 2018, to celebrate her 30th birthday, Hahm held a charity event in Vietnam during which she met up with her fans, visited a nursing home and provided meals to 300 homeless people. She also gave gifts to 150 of her fans including bottles, photos, key chains and slogans that she made herself. She explained that her Vietnamese fans celebrated her last birthday which warmed her heart and inspired her to organize the event.

In August 2024, Hahm participated in " Daehan is Alive" campaign to celebrate the National Liberation Day of Korea. As a holder of a level 2 certificate in Korean history, she released a multi-lingual video introducing independence activist and poet Lee Yuk-sa in collaboration with Professor Seo Kyung-deok on August 14.

Personal life

In 2010, Eunjung revealed that she holds a 3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo. She frequently showcased her martial arts skills on live television programs such as ''Haha Mong Show'', ''Three Wheels'', and '' Let's Go Dream Team'' in Vietnam. Her expertise in Taekwondo also proved beneficial in her acting career, particularly in historical dramas that required action sequences. In addition to Taekwondo, Eunjung trained in ballet and rhythmic gymnastics as a child.

Discography

Korean extended plays

Japanese extended plays

Singles

Japanese singles

Soundtrack appearances

Compilation appearances and covers

Other appearances

Songwriting credits

In October 2013, MBK Entertainment revealed that Eun-jung participated in the arrangement of T-ara's upcoming track "I Know The Feeling" from their newest EP ''Again''. Deoksang Park, the composer of the song proposed the collaboration. However, Eun-jung hasn't been credited for the song yet.

Filmography

Theatre

Narrating

Concerts

Awards and nominations

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hahm, Eun-jung
1988 births
Living people
T-ara members
Actresses from Seoul
People from Nowon District
Singers from Seoul
South Korean child actresses
South Korean female dancers
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean female taekwondo practitioners
Dongguk University alumni
K-pop singers
South Korean film actresses
South Korean dance music singers
South Korean female idols
South Korean television actresses
South Korean television personalities
MBK Entertainment artists
21st-century South Korean actresses
21st-century South Korean women singers