Kim Ha-neul

Kim Ha-neul (; born February 21, 1978) is a South Korean actress. After starting her career as a model, she rose to fame by starring in the films Ditto, My Tutor Friend (2003), Too Beautiful to Lie (2004), and My Girlfriend Is an Agent (2009). In 2011, Kim won Best Actress at the 48th Grand Bell Awards and the 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards for her performance in the serial killer thriller Blind. Her television work includes Romance (2002), On Air (2008), A Gentleman's Dignity (2012), and 18 Again (2020).

She is recognized for her roles in both film and television, particularly in "romantic comedies". Kim Ha-neul has received awards at both the SBS Drama Awards and the Grand Bell Awards. In addition to her acting career, she also enjoys a strong following in China.

Early and personal life Kim Ha-neul was born on February 21, 1978, in Seoul, South Korea. Her given name "Ha-neul" means "sky" in Korean. Her immediate family consists of her parents and one younger brother. She attended the Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Career 1996–2000: Early career Kim Ha-neul started her career by modeling for clothing brand Storm in 1996. She then made her acting debut in the 1998 film Bye June alongside Yoo Ji-tae. In 1999, she starred a medical drama film Doctor K, which earned her first acting award nomination. In the same year, she made appearances in television dramas Happy Together and Into the Sunlight, and featured in the music video for "To Heaven" by Jo Sung-mo. Later, she reunited with Yoo Ji-tae in 2000's sci-fi romance Ditto, and rose to fame as an actress.

2001–2007: Rise to popularity Kim's breakout role was in romance melodrama series Piano, in which she played a pure, fragile young woman. The series was the second most successful drama of 2001, achieving a peak rating of 40.2%. She then starred in 2002 hit Romance alongside Kim Jae-won, which led her to stardom and won her Top Excellence Award in acting. In 2003, she raised her profile through the huge box-office hit My Tutor Friend, where she acted as a college girl tasked with helping a delinquent student her own age graduate from high school alongside her opposite Kwon Sang-woo. In 2004, she starred in Too Beautiful to Lie, as an ex-convict who pretends to be the fiancée of a man being pressured to marry by his nosy, close-knit family. Due to the success of her films, Kim was dubbed "the queen of romantic comedies" by the Korean press.

In 2004, she starred in mountain-climbing drama Ice Rain, horror film Dead Friend and the melodrama Stained Glass. Kim then returned to the familiar romance genre with 2006 romantic comedy Almost Love, in the role of an aspiring actress with stage fright, which also reunited her with My Tutor Friend co-star Kwon Sang-woo. This was followed by Lovers of Six Years, about a longtime couple facing relationship problems.

2008–2012: Revived career

In 2008, Kim starred in On Air, a Kim Eun-sook penned drama which gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at a television drama production. Kim plays a top actress with an arrogant personality in the series. The drama raised Kim's popularity and earned her acting recognition at the Korea Drama Awards. The following year, Kim starred in spy romantic comedy My Girlfriend Is an Agent. The film was a box-office success, and earned positive reviews for its quality and performance.

In 2010, Kim played a medical student torn between two soldiers in Korean War drama Road No. 1. Despite strong hype and a budget, the series received low ratings.

She bounced back in 2011 with serial killer thriller Blind, where she challenged herself by portraying a visually impaired former detective who becomes witness to a murder. Her performance won her Best Actress honors at the Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards. This was followed by another rom-com You're My Pet, adapted from the Japanese josei manga Kimi wa Petto.

In 2012, Kim returned to the small screen as a high school ethics teacher who falls for a playboy architect (played by Jang Dong-gun) in the hit drama A Gentleman's Dignity. Made by the same team behind On Air (writer Kim Eun-sook and director Shin Woo-chul), the series revolved around the love lives of four male friends in their forties.

2015–present: Return to the screen In 2015, Kim was cast in her first Chinese film, romantic comedy Making Family opposite Aarif Rahman.

In 2016, Kim starred in crowdfunded indie feature Don't Forget Me opposite Jung Woo-sung. In September, she made her small-screen comeback in four years, starring in romance melodrama On the Way to the Airport opposite Lee Sang-yoon.

In 2017, she starred in Misbehavior, playing an unloved teacher at a boys' high school. Kim then featured in fantasy blockbuster Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds.

In 2019, Kim returned to the small screen in JTBC melodrama The Wind Blows.

In 2020, Kim starred in the romance drama 18 Again, based on the 2009 film 17 Again.

In March 2021, Kim signed a contract with IOK Company.

Personal life Kim married a businessman, on March 19, 2016. On October 9, 2017, Kim announced that she is expecting her first child. On May 27, 2018, she gave birth to a daughter.

Baptismal name She is a Roman Catholic and her baptismal name is Cecilia.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Bye June Yoo Chae-young 1999 Doctor K Oh Sae-yeon 2000 Ditto Yoon So-eun 2003 My Tutor Friend Choi Su-wan 2004 Ice Rain Kim Kyung-min Too Beautiful to Lie Joo Young-ju Dead Friend Min Ji-won 2006 Almost Love Jin Dal-rae 2008 Lovers of Six Years Lee Da-jin 2009 My Girlfriend Is an Agent Ahn Soo-ji Paradise Mi-kyung 2011 Blind Min Soo-ah You're My Pet Ji Eun-yi 2016 Remember You Jin-young Making Family Go Mi-yeon Korean-Chinese co-production 2017 Misbehavior Park Hyo-joo Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds God of Betrayal Hell Cameo

Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Happy Together Jin Soo-ha Into the Sunlight Kang Soo-bin 2000 Secret Lee Hee-jung 2001 Piano Lee Soo-ah 2002 Romance Kim Chae-won 2004 Stained Glass Shin Ji-soo 2006 90 Days, Time to Love Go Mi-yeon 2008 On Air Oh Seung-ah 2009 Paradise Mi-kyung Telecinema 2010 Road No. 1 Kim Soo-yeon 2012 A Gentleman's Dignity Seo Yi-soo 2016 On the Way to the Airport Choi Soo-ah 2019 The Wind Blows Lee Soo-jin 2020 18 Again Jung Da-jung 2022 Kill Heel Woo Hyun 2024 Nothing Uncovered Seo Jeong-won Red Swan Oh Wan-soo

Music videos Year Song title Artist 1998 "To Heaven" Jo Sung-mo 2002 "Last Promise" Position 2009 "I Was Happy" Jo Sung-mo

Discography + List of singles, showing year released, and name of the album Title Year Album "Sky Love" 2008 On Air OST "Stars in the Night Sky" 2011 "Bbuing Bbuing" You're My Pet OST "I Only Look at You" "Good"

Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Baeksang Arts Awards 2003 Most Popular Actress (Film) My Tutor Friend 2004 Best Actress (Film) Too Beautiful to Lie 2017 InStyle Fashion Award Kim Ha-neul Best Actress (TV) On the Way to the Airport Blue Dragon Film Awards 1999 Best Supporting Actress Doctor K 2000 Best Leading Actress Ditto 2003 Best Leading Actress My Tutor Friend 2008 Popular Star Award Lovers of Six Years 2009 Best Leading Actress My Girlfriend Is an Agent 2011 Best Leading Actress Blind 2017 Best Actress Misbehavior Chunsa Film Art Awards 2001 Best New Actress Ditto 2017 Best Actress Misbehavior Grand Bell Awards 2001 Best New Actress Ditto 2004 Best Actress Too Beautiful to Lie 2011 Best Actress Blind KBS Drama Awards 2016 Best Couple Award Kim Ha-neul On the Way to the Airport Top Excellence Award, Actress On the Way to the Airport Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries 2024 Grand Prize (Daesang) Nothing Uncovered Top Excellence Award, Actress Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Popularity Award, Actress Korea Drama Awards 2008 Top Excellence Award, Actress On Air Max Movie Awards 2009 Best Actress My Girlfriend Is an Agent MBC Drama Awards 2002 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Romance SBS Drama Awards 2001 Popularity Award Piano 2008 Top Excellence Award, Actress On Air Top 10 Stars 2012 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Weekend/Serial Drama A Gentleman's Dignity Top 10 Stars Popularity Award