Kim Sung-hoon (; born March 11, 1978), better known as Ha Jung-woo (), is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. One of the highest grossing actors in South Korea, Ha's starring films have accumulated more than 100 million tickets. Only 3 other actors have reached this milestone, with Ha being nearly a decade younger than the rest when achieving this. His breakthrough to stardom came with the role in Na Hong-jin's serial killer film '' The Chaser'' (2008). One of the leading actors of his generation in Korean cinema, Ha showcased his versatility across films of various

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

s: sports film '' Take Off'' (2009), action thrillers '' The Yellow Sea'' (2010) and ''

The Terror Live ''The Terror Live'' () is a 2013 South Korean action-thriller film written and directed by Kim Byung-woo. It stars Ha Jung-woo as an ambitious news anchorman who monopolizes the live broadcast of a terrorist attack following the explosion of M ...

'' (2013), gangster saga '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' (2012), spy actioner ''

The Berlin File ''The Berlin File'' (; lit. "Berlin") is a 2013 South Korean action spy film written and directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. Ha Jung-woo stars as a North Korean agent in Berlin who is betrayed and cut loose when a weapons deal is exposed. Together with ...

'' (2013), period action film '' Kundo: Age of the Rampant'' (2014), and disaster thriller ''

Tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

'' (2016). Ha is also known for his role as grim reaper Gang-rim in the fantasy action film '' Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds'' (2017) and its 2018 sequel. He made his directorial debut through the comedy film '' Fasten Your Seatbelt'' (2013), followed by '' Chronicle of a Blood Merchant'' (2015).

Early life

Born as Kim Sung-hoon, Ha Jung-woo came from an acting family. His father

Kim Yong-gun Kim Yong-gun (; born May 8, 1946) is a South Korean actor. His sons Ha Jung-woo and Cha Hyun-woo are also actors. Filmography Film Television series Variety shows Music video Awards References External links * * * {{DEFAULTSO ...

is a well-known veteran actor who has appeared in many movies and television series, while his younger brother Kim Young-hoon (

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

: Cha Hyun-woo) is an aspiring actor. Ha has said that since he was 4 or 5 years old, he has always dreamed of becoming an actor like his father. Before entering college, Ha studied at a private acting institute and at one point had actor Lee Beom-soo as his instructor. He then enrolled at Chung-Ang University as a theater major, where he acted on the stage. In 1998, Ha began his

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer military, volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Few nations, such ...

, working in the Armed Forces Public Relations Department. He put his acting experience to good use during this time, appearing in 10 promotional films for the military.

Career

2002–2007: Beginnings

Kim Sung-hoon made his acting debut in the 2002 SBS

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

''Honest Living'' and his feature film debut in the 2003 film '' Madeleine''. For the next few years, Kim's acting career was relatively low-key, appearing in several supporting roles, but not receiving a lot of attention. In 2005, Kim signed with talent agency SidusHQ and on their recommendation adopted the

"Ha Jung-woo." He then appeared in his first starring role in the indie film '' The Unforgiven'', a blistering critique of the physical and psychological violence within military ranks. Ha's subsequent roles in controversial arthouse director

Kim Ki-duk Kim Ki-duk ( ; 20 December 196011 December 2020) was a South Korean film director and screenwriter, noted for his Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic Art film, art-house cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit ...

's ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' and ''

Breath Breathing (spiration or ventilation) is the neuroscience of rhythm, rhythmical process of moving air into (inhalation) and out of (exhalation) the lungs to facilitate gas exchange with the Milieu intérieur, internal environment, mostly to flu ...

'' brought more notice to his acting talents in Korea and overseas. His portrayal of a cool-headed prosecutor who is romantically involved with a feisty police officer played by Go Hyun-jung in the popular MBC drama series '' H.I.T'' attracted female fans and gained him popularity among the masses. He also starred in the American indie film '' Never Forever'' opposite Vera Farmiga, which garnered praise from the film festival circuit.

2008–2009: Breakthrough

Ha's breakout came in the 2008 film '' The Chaser'', in which he played a psychopath character loosely based on serial killer Yoo Young-chul. The movie became a huge hit at the Korean box office, raking in over 5 million ticket sales, while also garnering high praise from critics and numerous awards from local award-giving bodies. American director

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...

, rumored to be attached to a Hollywood

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

of ''The Chaser'', has complimented Ha as having as much potential as his ''

The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 crime film, crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film ''Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-lif ...

'' stars

Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...

and

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...

. Ha followed this up with a portrayal of a charming scoundrel in '' My Dear Enemy'' that same year, showcased his versatility and elevated his status as one of the most sought-after actors in the Korean film industry. From 2008 to 2009, he took on diverse but compelling roles in '' The Moonlight of Seoul'', ''

Boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...

'', and '' Take Off''. ''Take Off'', based on the Korean national

ski jumping Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the final ...

team, became one of the biggest box office hits of 2009.

2010–2018: Commercial and critical success

Ha reunited with his ''The Chaser'' director Na Hong-jin and costar Kim Yoon-seok in Na's sophomore feature '' The Yellow Sea'', which netted Ha Best Actor awards from the

Asian Film Awards The Asian Film Awards are presented annually by the Asian Film Awards Academy to recognise the excellence of the film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema. History On January 29, 2007, Wilfred Wong, the Chairman of Hong Kon ...

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...

and the Korean Association of Film Critics.Lee, Hyo-won (23 March 2011)
"Korean cineastes sweep Asian Film Awards"

The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' () is a daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language, Korean-language daily. It is the oldest active daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. ...

.Park, Min-young (29 May 2011)
"Hyun Bin, Lee Byung-hun win Paeksang awards"

The Korea Herald ''The Korea Herald'' () is a South Korean English-language daily newspaper founded in August 1953 and published in Seoul. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from i ...

.Hong, Lucia (31 October 2011)
"''The Frontline'' receives 4 honors by Korean Association of Film Critics"
10Asia. Ha then starred in the

legal thriller The legal thriller genre is a type of crime fiction genre that focuses on the proceedings of the Criminal investigation, investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on courtroom proceedings and the lives of characters. The genre came ...

'' The Client'', which evoked his early days of theater, and the director praised Ha for his "moments of true brilliance and genius" during the production. In early 2012,

Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SEC; stylized as SΛMSUNG; ) is a South Korean multinational major appliance and consumer electronics corporation founded on 13 January 1969 and headquartered in Yeongtong District, Suwon, South Korea. It is curr ...

produced an ambitious PPL-frequent-film project featuring Galaxy Note, their latest Tablet hybrid mobile. Titled as ''Cine Note'', the giant project comprises three shorts by directors Kang Hyeong-cheol, Jang Hoon and

E J-yong E J-yong (; born September 5, 1966) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His feature films include ''An Affair'' (1998), ''Untold Scandal'' (2003), ''Dasepo Naughty Girls'' (2006), and ''Actresses (film), Actresses'' (2009). Early ...

. Ha played the leading role for all the three of the films, while celebrated musician Lee Seung-chul produced music using the device, and noted

webtoon Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...

artists Son Jae-ho and Lee Gwang-soo created the film's animated content. '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' was Ha's third collaboration with longtime friend director Yoon Jong-bin, also starring acclaimed veteran actor Choi Min-sik. This was followed shortly by the unconventional romantic comedy '' Love Fiction'' opposite Gong Hyo-jin. Both were box office hits. After wrapping ''Love Fiction'', Ha along with Gong and 14 other actors went on a cross-country walking trip from

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

to Haenam,

South Jeolla Province South Jeolla Province (), formerly South Chŏlla Province, also known as Jeonnam (), is a province in the Honam, Honam region, South Korea, and the Provinces of Korea, southernmost province in mainland Korea. South Jeolla borders the provinces of ...

. Their journey was chronicled in the

documentary A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

''577 Project'', denoting the total distance covered in kilometers. Ha was in charge of three aspects of the production including planning, acting and casting. He said he did it to thank fans for their support after he won back-to-back Best Actor awards at the 2010 and 2011 Baeksang Arts Awards. In Ryoo Seung-wan's ''

'', Ha starred as a North Korean agent in Berlin who is betrayed and cut loose in the midst of a financial espionage intrigue. He then appeared the action thriller ''

'', playing a news anchor with an exclusive, live broadcast on a terrorist attack. Ha then made his directorial debut with ''Rollercoaster'' (released internationally as '' Fasten Your Seatbelt''), based on his own screenplay about the comic interactions between the cabin crew and passengers (including an arrogant Hallyu star played by Jung Kyung-ho) of a flight from Tokyo to

Gimpo International Airport Gimpo International Airport , sometimes referred to as Seoul–Gimpo International Airport but formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Jung District, Seoul, cen ...

which becomes in danger of crashing when the plane hits a major storm. The film was a box office success. Working with Yoon Jong-bin again, Ha played a

Joseon era Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

butcher-turned-outlaw in the period

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

'' Kundo: Age of the Rampant''. In 2015, Ha directed, wrote and starred in '' Chronicle of a Blood Merchant'', a

film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...

of Chinese author Yu Hua's 1995 novel. He then appeared in one of the biggest domestic hits of the year,

Choi Dong-hoon Choi Dong-hoon (; born February 24, 1971) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He ranks as one of the most consistently successful directors working in contemporary Korean cinema, with all first five of his films becoming commercial ...

's ''

Assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

'' about resistance fighters given orders to kill a Japanese army commander in the colonial era. In 2016, Ha starred again in two box office hits;

Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook (; born 23 August 1963) is a Koreans, South Korean film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer, and former film critic. He is considered one of the most prominent filmmakers of Cinema of South Korea, South Korean cinema a ...

's '' The Handmaiden'', an adaptation of the

Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as '' Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sara ...

novel '' Fingersmith'' that changed the setting from Victorian England to 1930s Korea;, and survival thriller '' The Tunnel''. In 2017, Ha starred in Kim Yong-hwa's '' Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds'', an adaptation of the

'' Along With the Gods'', about a court in the afterlife where the deceased undergo multiple trials for 49 days, and '' 1987: When the Day Comes'', about a political crisis that led to the June Democratic Uprising in 1987 which ended the military regime of President

Chun Doo-hwan Chun Doo-hwan (; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean politician, army general and military dictator who served as the fifth president of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Prior to his accession to the presidency, he was the cou ...

. He reprised his role as Gang-rim in the 2018 sequel, '' Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days''.

2019–present: Career fluctuations

In the same year, Ha starred in the action thriller '' Take Point'', reuniting with ''The Terror Live'' director

Kim Byung-woo Kim Byung-woo (; born 1980) is a South Korean screenwriter and film director. Personal life Kim majored in Theater & Film at Hanyang University. Career Kim is known for making inventive and self-funded films. In 2001, he made his first fiv ...

. In 2019, Ha was cast in the science fiction action film '' Ashfall''. In 2020, Ha starred in the horror film '' The Closet''. In 2023, Ha starred in the sports drama film '' Boston 1947'', which tells the story of the 1947 Boston International Marathon.

Other activities

Ha is also an artist. Though it began as a hobby in his university days, Ha began painting in earnest in 2007. His paintings, all done in a hybrid of Pop art and Expressionist styles, have been displayed in several solo art exhibitions. Critics have said his paintings, with their strong colors and interesting composition are reminiscent of those by American artist

Jean-Michel Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the neo-expressionism movement. Basquiat first achieved notoriety in the late 1970s as part of the graffiti ...

. "Life as an actor is like living through an invisible war. Paintings soothe me and make me rational. It is too extravagant to say that painting is my hobby; it is rather a way for me to survive as an actor," said Ha. In 2011, he published a compilation of essays titled ''Ha Jung-woo, Good Feeling''. Besides his musings on life, Ha also wrote his thoughts on famous artists such as

Pablo Picasso Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

. The book also included about 60 of his own drawings."Ha Jung Woo's First Attempt as an Author, "Go Hyun Jung Was a Big Help in the Pictures""
. AskActor. 15 May 2011.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Web shows

Music video appearances

*"Betrayal" ( Big Mama, 2007)

Theater

*''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' (2003) *''

Waiting for Godot ''Waiting for Godot'' ( or ) is a 1953 play by Irish writer and playwright Samuel Beckett, in which the two main characters, Vladimir (Waiting for Godot), Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), engage in a variety of discussions and encounters w ...

'' (2002) *'' The Glass Menagerie'' (2002) *'' The Good Doctor'' (2001) *''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...

'' (2001) *''Be Strong, Geum-soon!'' (2000)

Discography

Soundtrack appearances

*"Alaska" (Romantic Chimpanzee feat. Ha Jung-woo - ''Love Fiction'' OST, 2012)

Book

*''Ha Jung-woo, Good Feeling'' (essays, 2011) * '' Walker, Ha Jung-woo'' (essays, 2018)

Accolades

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ha, Jung-woo South Korean film directors South Korean film producers South Korean screenwriters South Korean male film actors South Korean male television actors South Korean male web series actors South Korean male stage actors Chung-Ang University alumni Male actors from Seoul People from Seocho District 1978 births Living people 21st-century South Korean male actors Gwangsan Kim clan Best Actor Asian Film Award winners Blue Dragon Series Awards winners