Han Ji-min (; born November 5, 1982) is a South Korean actress. After minor roles in '' All In'' (2003) and ''

Dae Jang Geum ''Jewel in the Palace'' () is a 2003 South Korean historical drama television series directed by Lee Byung-hoon. It first aired on MBC from September 15, 2003, to March 23, 2004, where it was the top program with an average viewership rati ...

'' (2003–2004), Han had her breakout role in revenge series ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions involving the same person or deity returning to another body. The disappearance of a body is anothe ...

'' (2005). This was followed by leading roles in period dramas ''

Capital Scandal ''Capital Scandal'' (; lit. "Scandal in Gyeongseong") is a 2007 South Korean television series starring Kang Ji-hwan, Han Ji-min, Ryu Jin, and Han Go-eun. It aired on KBS2 from June 6 to August 2, 2007 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for ...

'' (2007) and '' Yi San'' (2007–2008), contemporary dramas ''

Cain and Abel In the biblical Book of Genesis, Cain and Abel are the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother Abel was a shepherd. The brothers made sacrifices, each from his own fields, to God. God had regard for Ab ...

'' (2009) and ''

Padam Padam Padam Padam may refer to: * " Padam, padam...", a 1951 song by Édith Piaf * "Padam Padam" (song), a 2023 single by Kylie Minogue * ''Padam Padam'' (TV series), a 2011 South Korean television series {{Disambiguation ...

'' (2011–2012), romantic dramas ''

Rooftop Prince ''Rooftop Prince'' () is a 2012 South Korean fantasy romantic comedy television drama, starring Park Yoo-chun, Han Ji-min, Jeong Yu-mi, Lee Tae-sung, Lee Tae-ri, Jung Suk-won, and Choi Woo-shik. It is about a Joseon crown prince who, after ...

'' (2012), ''

Familiar Wife ''Familiar Wife'' () is a romantic fantasy Korean drama, South Korean television series starring Ji Sung, Han Ji-min, Jang Seung-jo, and Kang Han-na. It aired on tvN (South Korean TV channel), tvN from August 1 to September 20, 2018. Synopsis A ...

'' (2018) and '' The Light in Your Eyes'' (2019), as well as drama film ''

Miss Baek ''Miss Baek'' () is a 2018 South Korean drama film written and directed by Lee Ji-won, starring Han Ji-min, Kim Si-a, and Lee Hee-joon. The film was released in South Korea on October 11, 2018. Plot Baek Sang-ah, who became a convict at a young ...

'' (2018) for which she was named the

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress award ...

at the

55th Baeksang Arts Awards The 55th Baeksang Arts Awards () ceremony, organised by ''Ilgan Sports'' and JTBC Plus, took place on May 1, 2019, at Hall D, COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, COEX, Seoul, beginning at 9:00 p.m. Time in South Korea, KST. It was hosted by Shi ...

. Recently, Han starred in an omnibus-format series ''

Our Blues ''Our Blues'' () is a 2022 South Korean television series starring Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Cha Seung-won, Lee Jung-eun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Han Ji-min, and Kim Woo-bin. The series revolves around the sweet and bitter lives of people at the end, c ...

'' (2022) and ''

Behind Your Touch ''Behind Your Touch'' () is a 2023 South Korean television series starring Han Ji-min, Lee Min-ki, and Suho. It aired on JTBC from August 12, to October 1, 2023, every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 ( KST). It is also available for streaming on TV ...

'' (2023).

Career

2003–2010: Beginnings and breakthrough

Han Ji-min started her career in show business while still a high school student. She made various commercial films (CF) and music videos before gaining wider attention in 2003, when she appeared in hit Korean television dramas '' All In'' and ''

''. Han said she hadn't dreamed of becoming a serious actress, but changed her mind after starring in '' All In'', where she played the teenage counterpart of the drama's main character, played by popular actress

Song Hye-kyo Song Hye-kyo (; born November 22, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She gained international popularity through her leading roles in the television dramas '' Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), '' All In'' (2003), ''Full House'' (2004), '' That Winter, ...

. Han achieved breakthrough with her performance in the critically acclaimed mania drama ''

'' in 2005. She then challenged herself by playing a cute yet ambitious tomboy who dreams of becoming a pilot in her first movie '' Blue Swallow''. A car accident on the set of ''Wolf'' seriously injured Han and her co-star

Eric Mun Eric Mun (born Mun Jung-hyuk on February 16, 1979) is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and actor. He is a member and leader of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. He is also well known for several dramas such as ''Phoenix (2004 TV series), Phoe ...

, causing the drama to be delayed repeatedly until the decision was finally made to discontinue it with only three episodes aired. After a long recovery for Mun, the two actors reunited instead in the drama ''Super Rookie Ranger'' (also known as ''Invincible Parachute Agent'' or ''Korea Secret Agency''). Han continued to act in TV dramas, with memorable turns as a straitlaced resistance fighter in ''

'' and a royal concubine in the historical drama '' Yi San''. Known for her sweet, innocent and fragile image and her depictions of good girls, Han surprised audiences with her performance as a sexy

femme fatale A ( , ; ), sometimes called a maneater, Mata Hari, or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and Seduction, seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype ...

in '' Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow''.

2011–2017: Diverse genres

Han played a cynical veterinarian in ''

'', written by famous drama writer

Noh Hee-kyung Noh Hee-kyung (; born March 21, 1966) is a South Korean television screenwriter and essayist. She is best known for her television dramas such as, '' That Winter, the Wind Blows'' (2013), '' It's Okay, That's Love'' (2014), '' Dear My Friends'' ( ...

, which aired on newly launched cable channel

jTBC JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; ; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on December 1, ...

. She then starred in ''

'', about a

Joseon 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 ...

-era prince who time-travels to the 21st century where he meets his dead beloved's

doppelgänger A doppelgänger ( ), sometimes spelled doppelgaenger or doppelganger, is a ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its own fleshly counterpart. In fiction and mythology, a doppelgänger is often portrayed as a ghostly or p ...

. The popularity of ''Rooftop Prince'' garnered Han several awards, and increased her international profile, notably in Japan. In October 2013, Han left her talent agency

S.M. Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment agency established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies and has been responsible for fostering ...

SM C&C SM Culture & Contents (; SM C&C) is a South Korean advertising, production, travel and talent company under SM Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SM Entertainment. The company operates as a talent agency, television content production company, ...

and joined

Lee Byung-hun Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably '' Joint Security Area'' (2000); '' A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); '' The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' (2008) ...

's BH Entertainment. In 2014, she starred in the opposites-attract

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film ''

The Plan Man ''The Plan Man'' () is a 2014 South Korean romantic comedy film that tells the story of an anal retentive man who attempts to escape from his fixation of trying to plan out every detail of his life. Starring Jung Jae-young and Han Ji-min, it is t ...

'', about a methodical, mysophobic librarian who falls for a spontaneous, adventurous musician. Following that, she played the dowager

Queen Jeongsun Queen Jeongsun (; 2 December 1745 – 11 February 1805), of the Gyeongju Kim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and second queen consort of Yi Geum, King Yeongjo, the 21st Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1759 ...

in period film ''

The Fatal Encounter ''The Fatal Encounter'' (; lit. ''The King's Wrath'') is a 2014 South Korean Period drama, period action film based on a real-life assassination attempt on Jeongjo of Joseon, King Jeongjo. Jeongjo is portrayed by Hyun Bin, in his first role in a pe ...

'', who is the fierce political rival of her step-grandson

King Jeongjo Jeongjo (; 28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyŏng, and succeeded ...

. Han next reunited with ''The Fatal Encounter'' co-star

Hyun Bin Kim Tae-pyung (; born September 25, 1982), better known by his stage name Hyun Bin (), is a South Korean actor. Throughout his television and film career, he has been nominated for several awards, including five at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and ...

in the 2015 suspense series ''

Hyde Jekyll, Me ''Hyde Jekyll, Me'' () is a 2015 South Korean television series starring Hyun Bin and Han Ji-min. It is based on Lee Choong-ho's webtoon ''Dr. Jekyll Is Mr. Hyde'' (), which gave a romantic comedy spin on the literary character. The series ai ...

'', in the role of a circus master who falls for a theme park owner with split personality disorder. In 2016, Han starred in action thriller ''

The Age of Shadows ''The Age of Shadows'' (; lit. "Emissary") is a 2016 South Korean period action thriller film directed by Kim Jee-woon and written by Lee Ji-min and Park Jong-dae. The film is set in Shanghai and Seoul in the 1920s and stars Song Kang-ho an ...

'', based on the 1920s about anti-Japanese independence workers' plots and betrayals. In 2017, Han was cast in romantic short film titled ''Two Rays of Light'' alongside

Park Hyung-sik Park Hyung-sik (; born November 16, 1991) is a South Korean actor and singer. After three years of training, he debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group ZE:A in 2010. As an actor, he is known for his roles in television series ''The H ...

2018–present: Critical acclaim

In 2018, Han starred in the film ''

'', playing the titular protagonist; an ex-convict who is emotionally closed up due to the social stigma. Han's performance in the film won her the Best Actress award at the prestigious

Blue Dragon Film Awards The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea. The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...

and

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'', ...

as well as other major award ceremonies. The same year, she returned to the small screen with romance fantasy drama ''

'', taking on the role of an ordinary wife with anger management issues. In 2019, Han starred in two television series; slice of life melodrama '' The Light in Your Eyes'' and romance melodrama '' One Spring Night''. She then appeared in

Kwak Jae-yong Kwak Jae-yong (born 22 May 1959) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He studied physics at Kyung Hee University. He achieved success with his debut film ''Watercolor Painting in a Rainy Day'' in 1989, but the failure of his next t ...

's romantic comedy film ''

A Year-End Medley ''A Year-End Medley'' () is a 2021 South Korean romance film directed by Kwak Jae-yong and features an ensemble cast. The film depicts the story of clients who visit the hotel 'Emross' with their own stories as they make their own relations in t ...

'' in 2021 and tvN television series ''

'' in 2022. In 2023, she starred in

JTBC JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; ; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on December 1, ...

, playing a veterinarian who gains psychometric powers. On November 17, 2023, SBS confirmed that Han would star in the romance drama '' Love Scout'' as Kang Ji-yoon, CEO of a successful headhunting company. The show premiered on January 3, 2025. On September 24, 2024, she was appointed 'Blue Dragon Goddess', succeeding

Kim Hye-soo Kim Hye-soo (; born September 5, 1970) is a South Korean actress. Kim was one of the most popular teen stars in the 1980s and 1990s. She is known for her headstrong independence and regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. Kim began ...

. She will also be master of ceremonies for the

45th Blue Dragon Film Awards The 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual South Korean award ceremony organized by Sports Chosun (a sister brand of The Chosun Ilbo). Hosted by Han Ji-min and Lee Je-hoon, it would be held on November 29, 2024, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seo ...

, to be held on November 29, 2024.

Personal life

Relationships

On August 8, 2024, it was reported that after participating in

KBS2 KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen ...

's music talk show '' The Seasons: Choi Jung Hoon's Night Park'' in August 2023, Han and singer-songwriter

Choi Jung-hoon Choi Jung-hoon (; born March 10, 1992) is a South Korean musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman, primary songwriter, and record producer of the indie rock band Jannabi. Early life and education Choi ...

stayed in contact and developed a romantic relationship. Both of their agencies confirmed that the two are dating.

Activism and donations

A Social Welfare major from

Seoul Women's University Seoul Women's University (SWU; ) is a private women's university in Nowon District, Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Are ...

, Han is widely known for actively participating in

volunteer work Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

and fund drives, mostly through the relief organization Join Together Society. In 2009, she published her own book titled ''We're Already Friends: Han Ji-min's Philippines Donation Book'', which includes stories and drawings of her time spent in a remote mountain village in the Philippines helping at a village school. She then donated all the

royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset or ...

to help in funding the education of children in North Korea and

developing countries A developing country is a sovereign state with a less-developed Secondary sector of the economy, industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to developed countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. ...

in Asia. In 2012, she was designated as goodwill ambassador of the

United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the Declaration of the United Nati ...

. On March 8, 2022, Han donated to help Ukrainian victims in Russian invasion through the Korea Committee for

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

. On May 6, 2022, Han donated to the UN's international relief organization JTS (Join Together Society). On June 3, 2022, Han became a member of the 'UNICEF Honors Club'. On August 11, 2022, Han donated to the Handicapped Home to assist in the

2022 South Korea floods On 8 August 2022, large scale floods hit the capital of South Korea, Seoul, especially Gangnam District and surrounding areas. It was preceded by the highest rainfall in 80 years. 2,800 buildings were damaged and at least 9 people were kill ...

through the Seoul Community Chest of Korea (Seoul Fruit of Korea). On December 24, 2022, Han donated to help support heating costs for people at risk of disaster through the National Disaster Relief Association Hope Bridge. On February 9, 2023, Han donated to help

2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes On 6 February 2023, at 04:17 Time in Turkey, TRT (01:17 Coordinated Universal Time, UTC), a 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Ba'athist Syria, Syria. The epicenter was west–northwest ...

through UNICEF of Korea.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Web series

Television shows

Hosting

Bibliography

Ambassadorship

* Australian Tourism Public Relations Ambassador (2022)

Awards and nominations

State and cultural honors

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Han, Ji-min South Korean television actresses South Korean film actresses South Korean television presenters South Korean women television presenters 21st-century South Korean actresses Actresses from Seoul 1982 births Living people People from Dongjak District Seoul Women's University alumni Best Actress Paeksang Arts Award (film) winners