Han Ji-min

Han Ji-min (; born November 5, 1982) is a South Korean actress. After minor roles in All In and Dae Jang Geum (2003–2004), Han had her breakout role in revenge series Resurrection (2005). This was followed by leading roles in period dramas Capital Scandal (2007) and Yi San (2007–2008), contemporary dramas Cain and Abel (2009) and Padam Padam (2011–2012), romantic dramas Rooftop Prince (2012), Familiar Wife (2018), and The Light in Your Eyes (2019), as well as drama film Miss Baek (2018) for which won Best Actress at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards. Han has since starred in the series Our Blues (2022), Behind Your Touch (2023), and Love Scout (2025)

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 Dae Jang Geum. 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.

Han achieved a breakthrough with her performance in the critically acclaimed mania drama Resurrection 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, 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 Capital Scandal 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 in Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow.

2011–2017: Diverse genres Han played a cynical veterinarian in Padam Padam, written by famous drama writer Noh Hee-kyung, which aired on newly launched cable channel jTBC. She then starred in Rooftop Prince, about a Joseon-era prince who time-travels to the 21st century where he meets his dead beloved's doppelgänger. 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's SM C&C and joined Lee Byung-hun's BH Entertainment.

In 2014, she starred in the opposites-attract romantic comedy film The Plan Man, about a methodical, mysophobic librarian who falls for a spontaneous, adventurous musician. Following that, she played the dowager Queen Jeongsun in period film The Fatal Encounter, who is the fierce political rival of her step-grandson King Jeongjo. Han next reunited with The Fatal Encounter co-star Hyun Bin in the 2015 suspense series Hyde Jekyll, Me, 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, 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.

2018–present: Critical acclaim In 2018, Han starred in the film Miss Baek, 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 and Baeksang Arts Awards as well as other major award ceremonies. The same year, she returned to the small screen with romance fantasy drama Familiar Wife, 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's romantic comedy film A Year-End Medley in 2021 and tvN television series Our Blues in 2022.

In 2023, she starred in JTBC's Behind Your Touch, playing a veterinarian who gains psychometric powers. On September 24, 2024, she was appointed 'Blue Dragon Goddess', succeeding Kim Hye-soo. She was also the master of ceremonies for the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards, which was held on November 29, 2024.

Han starred in the drama Love Scout as Kang Ji-yoon, CEO of a successful headhunting company, which premiered on January 3, 2025. She also starred in JTBC's Heavenly Ever After as Som-yi. The following year, she starred in another JTBC series The Practical Guide to Love as Lee Ui-yeong, a hotel team manager.

Personal life Relationship On August 8, 2024, it was reported that after participating in KBS2's music talk show The Seasons: Choi Jung Hoon's Night Park in August 2023, Han and singer-songwriter Choi Jung-hoon stayed in contact and developed a romantic relationship. Both of their agencies confirmed that the two are dating.

Philanthropy and activism A Social Welfare major from Seoul Women's University, Han is widely known for actively participating in volunteer work 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 to help in funding the education of children in North Korea and developing countries in Asia. In 2012, she was designated as goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme.

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

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 The Act 1, Chapter 2 Man (voice) Animated short film Blue Swallow Lee Jung-hee 2007 The Cut Seon-hwa 2011 Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow Han Gaek-ju 2012 Ending Note Narrator, barrier-free version 2014 The Plan Man Yoo So-jung The Fatal Encounter Queen Jung-soon 2015 Salut d'Amour Kim Min-jung 2016 The Age of Shadows Yeon Gye-soon 2017 Relumino:Two Rays of Light Soo-young Short film 2018 Keys to the Heart Han Ga-yool Herstory Teacher Cameo Miss Baek Baek Sang-ah Sovereign Default Cameo 2020 Josée Josée 2021 A Year-End Medley Park So-jin

Television series Year Title Role Notes 2003 All In young Min Soo-yeon Good Person Oh Soon-jung Jewel in the Palace Shin-bi 2004 Déjà vu Soo-yeon Drama City episode 2005 Memory Soo-kyung Resurrection Seo Eun-ha 2006 Wolf Han Ji-soo Great Inheritance Yoo Mi-rae Super Rookie Ranger Gong Joo-yeon 2007 Capital Scandal Na Yeo-kyung Lee San, Wind of the Palace Seong Song-yeon / Royal Noble Consort Ui 2009 Cain and Abel Oh Young-ji 2011 Padam Padam Jung Ji-na 2012 Rooftop Prince Park Ha / Hong Bu-yong 2015 Hyde Jekyll, Me Jang Ha-na 2016 Don't Dare to Dream Dr. Han Ji-min Cameo (episode 11) 2018 Familiar Wife Seo Woo-jin 2019 The Light in Your Eyes Kim Hye-ja 2023 Behind Your Touch Bong Ye-bun 2025 Love Scout Kang Ji-yoon Heavenly Ever After Som-yi 2026 The Practical Guide to Love Lee Ui-young

Web series Year Title Role Notes 2016 Dramaworld Herself Cameo 2022 Yonder Cha Yi-hu

Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2006–2008 Entertainment Weekly Host 2021 Off The Grid Main Cast 2023 Whale Host Four-part documentary; with Park Hae-soo

Hosting Year Title Notes 2018 23rd Busan International Film Festival with Kim Nam-gil 2024 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards with Lee Je-hoon