Ra Mi-ran

Ra Mi-ran (; born March 6, 1975) is a South Korean actress and television personality. She works regularly as an actress, often in a supporting role, notably in Lee Joon-ik's Hope, for which her portrayal of a young boy's mother won Best Supporting Actress at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards; she also won praise for her work in The Himalayas (2015), for which she won Best Supporting Actress at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards. She won acclaim for her scene stealing in the hit cable drama Reply 1988 (2015).

After starting in theater for a decade, she made her film debut in Park Chan-wook's Lady Vengeance in 2005. She successfully transitioned to leading roles in the television series Avengers Social Club (2017) and The Good Bad Mother (2023), while keeping her foot in the film world with Miss & Mrs. Cops (2019), Honest Candidate (2020), and Citizen of a Kind (2024).

Early life and education Ra Mi-ran was born in Gohan-ri, Sabuk-eup, Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, and lived in a mining town throughout her childhood until middle school. Her father's passing when she was two years old led her mother to raise five children while operating a boarding house in the same town. From elementary school, she contributed significantly at home; when her mother had to take her older sister to the hospital, Ra, being the youngest, would prepare meals and assist with the boarding house chores. This experience made her the good cook she is today.

In her childhood, Ra had a shy personality and was not one to take the lead in school. However, She enjoyed telling jokes, drawing, singing, and participating in sports, believing she should focus on the arts rather than academics. A pivotal childhood memory from the age of five involved watching a street performer across a suspension bridge. The enthusiastic applause and cheers from the public left a lasting impression, which Ra later identified as the catalyst for her aspiration to become an actress. Eventually, she realized that theater was a way to combine all her interests. In 1993, she enrolled in the Department of Theater at Seoul Institute of the Arts.

At the age of 28, Ra got married and had a child, taking a two-year break from her career. After this hiatus, she was invited to audition for Park Chan-wook's film Lady Vengeance, as her earlier profile had captured the director's interest. Despite her concerns about her post-pregnancy weight and lack of screen experience, she passed the audition. She portrayed Oh Soo-hee, a character tormented by a "prison witch" whom Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae) had saved. The film's release in 2005 marked her screen debut.

Breakthrough Following her debut, Ra appeared in over 40 films, mostly in minor roles, including The Host, Miss Crush, and Hello Ghost. However, she didn't gain widespread acclaim or public recognition until her role in Jeon Kyu-hwan's independent film Dancing Queen (2012). In this film, she portrayed Myeong-ae, a North Korean defector who is Uhm Jung-hwa's character's best friend and hairdresser. Ra's performance was praised, with Variety calling it "a standout." Ra received further recognition for her acting when she won the Directors Guild of Korea Award - Best Actress at the 15th Busan International Film Festival.

In 2013, Ra's career began to thrive. She appeared as a supporting actress in The Spy: Undercover Operation, where Pierce Conran noted her performance was "at ease with the throwaway banter and physical humor." She also made a cameo appearance in the film Deed. Her television work includes roles in Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love, Rude Miss Young-ae, The Suspicious Housekeeper, and The Eldest. Most notably, she took on a significant role in Lee Joon-ik's film Hope (2013). This film, which tells the story of So-won, a child who is a victim of sexual assault, was seen by 3 million viewers. For her portrayal of Young-seok's mother, So-won's neighbor, Ra brought warmth, laughter, and emotion to the character, earning her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

In 2014, Ra participated in the "Female Soldier Special" of MBC's Real Men. The show was a domestic success, achieving over a 20% viewership rating. Despite only being in the military for "3 nights and 4 days," Ra described the experience as feeling like "4 years," enduring bruises, fatigue, and sleep deprivation. Her hard work paid off as she gained wider public recognition, and received praise for her "military physique." That same year, Ra portrayed the role of the main character Deok-su's (Hwang Jung-min) aunt in the film Ode to My Father, which surpassed 10 million viewers. She earned three nominations for best supporting actress for the role at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Grand Bell Awards, and Max Movie Awards.

In 2015, she reunited with Hwang Jung-min in the feature film The Himalayas. She played Jo Myeong-ae, a member of the expedition team who accompanies Captain Um Hong-gil (Hwang Jung-min) to recover the body of the late Park Moo-taek (Jung Woo). For this role, she won Best Supporting Actress at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards. and in Buil Film Awards.

In 2015, Ra Mi-ran starred in tvN Reply 1988, the third installment of the retro Reply series by writer Lee Woo-jung and director Shin Won-ho. She played one of a trio of "ajummas" from Ssangmun-dong, alongside Lee Il-hwa and Kim Sun-young. Known by the nickname "Cheetah" due to her fondness for animal print, she portrayed the wife of Kim Sung-kyun's character and the mother of two sons, Kim Jung-bong (Ahn Jae-hong) and Kim Jung-hwan (Ryu Jun-yeol). Ra's performance in the drama was widely praised, earning her a reputation as a scene-stealer and leading to the nickname "Master of Acting Everyday Life" for her natural acting. The role further solidified her recognition as a prolific and talented supporting actress.

Following Reply 1988, Ra appeared in the KBS 2TV weekend drama The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop. In this series, she played Bok Seon-nyeo, the wife of Cha In-pyo's character, Bae Sam-do. The two were a popular comedic couple, with Bae Sam-do, a former tailor who ran a fried chicken restaurant, often described as chivalrous yet completely bewildered by his wife. The drama was a success, with ratings peaking at 34.6%.

In 2016, Ra portray Bok-mi, a devoted lady-in-waiting of Princess Deokhye in Hur Jin-ho's period film The Last Princess. That same year, through the reality show Sister's Slam Dunk, she along with cast members Min Hyo Rin, Kim Sook, Hong Jin Kyung, Jessi, and Tiffany debuted as a girl group with the oldest average age in K-pop history, under the name Unnies.

Transitioning to main roles In 2017, Ra Mi-ran starred in the television series Avengers Social Club alongside Lee Yo-won, Myung Se-bin, and Lee Jun-young. Based on the webtoon of the same name, the drama aired on tvN every Wednesday and Thursday starting on October 11, 2017. Ra played Hong Do-hee, a fishmonger and single mother who joins a revenge club with three other people after her son is involved in a school violence incident. For her performance, Ra was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Ra later transformed into a politician running for Seoul mayor in the Park In-je's film The Mayor, where she portrayed politician Yang Jin-ju, who faced off against Choi Min-shik's character Byun Jong-go.

In the 2018 television series The Miracle We Met, Ra plays Jo Yeon-hwa, one of the two wives in a complex supernatural situation. The drama centers on an ordinary man, played by Kim Myung-min, who dies in a car crash but whose spirit is mistakenly transferred into the body of another man with the same name. This leads to him having two families and two wives, with Yeon-hwa being the wife from his new life. The series, which also stars Kim Hyun-joo and Ko Chang-seok, aired on KBS2 from April 2 to May 29, 2018. For her role, Ra was nominated for best supporting actress in 6th APAN Star Awards, and won Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama at 32nd KBS Drama Awards.

First main role in film and other roles In the 2019 fantasy-comedy film The Dude in Me, Ra portrayed Oh Mi-sun. She is the ex-girlfriend of Jang Pan-soo (Park Sung-woong) an elite gangster whose body is swapped with that of a high school student named Dong-hyun (Jung Jin-young). The film was released on January 9, 2019.

In 2019, Ra took on her first billing film role in Miss & Mrs. Cops, alongside Lee Sung-kyung and Choi Soo-young. Her character Park Mi-young is a legendary detective who transitions to working as a civil affairs officer after having a family. The screenplay was specifically written for her. This project was a long-term endeavor for Byun Bong-hyeon, CEO of Film Momentum, who had long desired to create a story centered on Ra. She underwent three months of intensive training at Seoul Action School, impressing the action director with her athletic ability and dedication, mastering wrestling, boxing, and complex action sequences. Ra's hardwork paid off, as the film attracted 1.69 million viewers.

In the 2019-2020 South Korean television series Black Dog: Being A Teacher, Ra portrayed Park Sung-soon, an experienced and workaholic Korean language teacher. Her character serves as a mentor to the main protagonist, Go Ha-neul (played by Seo Hyun-jin), a new temporary teacher navigating the struggles of a private school. As the Head of College Admissions, Sung-soon guides Ha-neul through the challenges of the competitive education system. The series, which also stars Ha Jun, aired on tvN from December 16, 2019, to February 4, 2020.

In 2020, Ra played the lead role in the film Honest Candidate as Joo Sang-sook, a three-term National Assembly member cursed to only speak the truth. The film portrays the comedic chaos that ensues when a seasoned politician is unable to lie during an election campaign. This South Korean remake of the 2014 Brazilian film O Candidato Honesto premiered on February 12, 2020 Despite its release coinciding with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea, the film proved to be a commercial success, breaking even and becoming a box office hit.

Ra's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her the Best Actress Award at the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards on February 9, 2021. During her acceptance speech, she hinted at a sequel, stating, "Actually, I'm trying to film Honest Candidate 2. I will try to be your belly button thief next year." The casting for Honest Candidate 2 was confirmed on August 6, with Ra, Kim Mu-yeol, and Yoon Kyung-ho reprising their roles, joined by new cast members Seo Hyun-woo, Park Jin-joo, and Yoon Doo-joon. Principal photography for the sequel began on July 31, 2021, wrapped up on October 31. The film was subsequently released on September 28, 2022.

In the 2022 TVING streaming series Dr. Park's Clinic, Ra starred as Sa Mo-rim, the wife of the titular Dr. Park Won-jang (played by Lee Seo-jin). The comedy follows Dr. Park's struggles as he tries to keep his new clinic afloat. Sa Mo-rim, while trying to be understanding of her husband's financial woes, often spends money on a lifestyle inspired by television, adding to the couple's mounting debt. It premiered on TVING on January 14, 2022.

In 2023 drama The Good Bad Mother, Ra starred as Jin Young-soon, a single mother who runs a pig farm and has a strained relationship with her son, played by Lee Do-hyun. Directed by Shim Na-yeon, the series also features Ahn Eun-jin and Yoo In-soo. Airing on JTBC from April 26 to June 8, 2023, and available for streaming on Netflix, the series was a commercial success and became one of the highest-rated series in Korean cable television history, setting a new record for the highest ratings of any Wednesday-Thursday drama in JTBC history.

In 2024, she starred as Deok-hee, the titular character in Park Young-joo's film Citizen of a Kind. The storyline follows Deok-hee, an ordinary citizen, as she sets out to catch the ringleader of a voice phishing scam. She starred alongside Yeom Hye-ran.

In the 2024 tvN television series Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, Ra plays Kang So-bok, the director of the Maeran Theater Company. The show, which is based on a webtoon, is set in the 1950s after the Korean War and follows the journey of a talented young singer named Yoon Jeong-nyeon (Kim Tae-ri) as she joins a women's Gukgeuk troupe and develops her skills.

In May 2025, Ra signed an exclusive contract with T&N Entertainment.

Endorsements Following her increased prominence as "Cheetah Ahjumma" in Reply 1988, Ra became a sought-after figure in the advertising industry. In 2016, she starred in commercials for various products such as Paldo Bibim-myeon, Society Game, CJ Bio-Lactobacillus, Estée Lauder, and Homestory Housekeeping. Ra received the CF Popularity Star Award at the 2016 MTN Broadcast Advertising Festival.

Philanthropy In 2017, Ra participated in a green campaign for Allure Korea, joining six other artists from C-JeS Entertainment and designer Yoon Chun-ho. She hand-wrote "Live Green" on limited-edition T-shirts sold at an Allure event, with the proceeds donated to Green Korea United for endangered mountain goat protection. The following year, in 2018, Ra was one of 25 C-JeS artists involved in the "Black Dog Campaign" by the animal rights group CARE and Innocean Worldwide. She participated in a photoshoot with a black dog to combat prejudice and encourage the adoption of black dogs.

In 2021, Ra contributed her talent as a poster model for the "Artists' Employment Insurance" promotional campaign. This system, established by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Korea Arts & Culture Education Service on December 10, 2020, provides unemployment and parental benefits to artists, helping to stabilize their lives and support their creative endeavors.

In 2022, Ra donated the proceeds from her single "Ramirani," which featured rapper Mirani, to The Purme Foundation. The donation, made through the Jal Project with broadcaster Song Eun-i's music label Vivo Wave, was intended to fund rehabilitation treatment for children with disabilities.

Personal life Ra met her husband while performing in a musical called "Dracula." Ra recalled, Ra married Kim Jin-goo, who was previously Shin Sung-woo's road manager, in 2002. They have a son named Kim Geun-woo, who is currently pursuing a career as a cyclist.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Lady Vengeance Oh Su-hee 2006 Forbidden Quest housewife 1 The Host Cameo Mission Sex Control Un-nyeon 2007 Bank Attack Mrs. Bong 2008 Life Is Cool Cameo Crush and Blush Jung-nyeo's Aunt Portrait of a Beauty nobleman's wife 2009 Thirst Nurse Yu Running Turtle Cameo Searching for the Elephant middle-aged teacher 2010 Twilight Gangsters Cameo Enemy at the Dead End head nurse Hello Ghost Cameo 2011 Children... psychic Cameo Late Blossom nurse Dance Town Ri Jeong-rim Penny Pinchers Lady owner 2012 Dancing Queen Myung-ae The Beat Goes On Cameo Runway Cop Cameo Two Moons Na Mi-ran Horror Stories mother Traffickers female courier 1 Cameo Code Name: Jackal cleaner 2013 South Bound Ra Mi-Ran Cameo Very Ordinary Couple Ms. Son The Spy: Undercover Operation Yakult Act Doctor Choi Cameo Hope Gwang-sik's wife The Weight Woman from Incheon 2014 Hot Young Bloods Na-young My Love, My Bride Madam Big Match Young-ho's wife Ode to My Father Deok-soo's paternal aunt 2015 Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies Eum Soon-ok Wonderful Nightmare Mi-sun The Himalayas Jo Myeong-ae The Tiger Chil-goo's wife 2016 Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River Female Buddhist Yoon The Last Princess Bok-soon 2017 Ordinary Person Song Jeong-sook Special appearance The Mayor Yang Jin-joo Speckles: The Tarbosaurus 2 Fang Voice 2018 High Society Lee Hwa-ran Intimate Strangers Kim So-wol Voice 2019 The Dude in Me Oh Mi-seon Miss & Mrs. Cops Mi-yeong 2020 Honest Candidate Joo Sang-sook 2021 New Year Blues Yong Mi's sister-in-law Cameo 2022 Honest Candidate 2 Joo Sang-sook Come Back Home Yeong Shim Highway Family Yeong-seon 2024 Citizen of a Kind Deok-hee 2025 Hi-Five Sun-nyeo 2026 Strange Snack Shop Jeoncheondang Hong-ja

Television series Year Title Role Notes 2009 Cinderella Man Velvet Lee 2011 The Duo Eob Deuk-ne 2012 Fashion King Young-gul's employee The King 2 Hearts Cameo Only Because It's You Yoon Gong-ja 2013 Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love Jo Sa-seok's wife Ugly Miss Young-ae 12 Ra Mi-ran The Eldest Na Mi-soon The Suspicious Housekeeper Yang Mi-ja The Heirs Myung-soo's mother Cameo 2014 KBS Drama Special:"You're Pretty, Oh Man-book" Nam Mi-soon Let's Eat Cameo (episode 16) Ugly Miss Young-ae 13 Ra Mi-ran Steal Heart Kkang-soon A Witch's Love Baek Na-rae The Idle Mermaid Seblin Lump in My Life Class president's mother/ hairdresser Blade Man Elisa Park 2015 Ugly Miss Young-ae 14 Ra Mi-ran Reply 1988 Ra Mi-ran 2016 Come Back Mister Maya The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop Bok Sun-nyeo Ugly Miss Young-ae 15 Ra Mi-ran 2017 Avengers Social Club Hong Do-hee KBS Drama Special:"Madame Jung's Last Week" Madame Jung 2018 The Beauty Inside Han se-gye Cameo (episode 10) The Miracle We Met Jo Yeon-hwa 2019 Melting Me Softly Kang Ok Bong (Panelist) Cameo (episode 6) Black Dog: Being A Teacher Park Seong-soon 2021 Bossam: Steal the Fate A widow who gets bossam Cameo (episode 1) 2023 The Good Bad Mother Jin Young-soon 2024 Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born Kang So-bok A Virtuous Business Kim Mi-ran Cameo (episode 1) 2025 The Mysterious Candy Store Hong-ja To the Moon Kang Eun-sang 2026 The Legend of Kitchen Soldier Jae-young’s lover Cameo (episode 5)

Web series Year Title Role 2022 Dr. Park's Clinic Sa Mo-rim 2023 Cruel Intern Go Hae-ra

Music video appearances Year Title 2025 "Don't Worry Dear"

Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2014 Real Man Cast Member Season 1, episode 69–73, Female Soldier Special 2016 Sister's Slam Dunk Season 1 2018–2019 Weekend Playlist Episode 1–17 2020 I Was a Car Host Season 1 I Was a Car Winter Story Season 2 2022 Living for an Empty House in a Fishing Village 2024 Cast Member Season 4 2025 Perfect Glow Host 2025–2026Reply 1988 10th AnniversaryCast member

Discography Title Album details Peak chartpositions Sales Album KOR USWorld "Shut Up" Released: July 1, 2016 Label: KBS Media Format: Digital download 3 — KOR: 724,088+ "Show Time"

Released: June 1, 2021 — — "Together" Released: October 17, 2025 Label: Stone Music Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — — To the Moon OST Part 5 "Don't Worry Dear (걱정말아요 그대)" (Stray Dogs featuring Ra Mi-ran) Released: December 26, 2025 Label: Stone Music Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — —Reply 1988 10th Anniversary OST

Stage Musical + Musical's performances of Ra Year Title Role Venue Date Notes English Korean 2006 A Midsummer's Nightmare 한여름밤의 악몽 Dongchun's Joy Place Arts Centre CJ Towol Theatre June 20–28 Egg and Nucleus Small Theater July 4–23 2006–2007 Five Sketches about Love 사랑에 관한 다섯개의 소묘 Virgin lady Hansung Art Hall 2 December 13 – July 15 2007–2008 The Donkey Show 동키쇼 Helen Daehangno Donkey Show Hall April 28 – June 30 2008 Romeo and Bernadette 로미오&베르나뎃 Camille Naru Art Center Grand Theater July 4 – August 10 When I Looked the Prettiest 내가 가장 예뻤을 때 Mother Hansung Art Hall 2 March 13 – June 15 2008–2009 A Good Day in the Rain 억수로 좋은 날 Kyung-hee SM Tintin Hall in Daehak-ro November 22 – February 15 2009–2010 Briquette Road 연탄길 Female 1 Myungbo Art Hall Haram Hall November 28 – February 28

Theater + Theater's performances of Ra Year Title Role Venue Date Notes English Korean 2000 Boeing Boeing 보잉보잉 Housekeeper 2001 The Caucasian Chalk Circle 코카서스의 백묵원 Ra Mi-ran Dongsoong Art Center Dongsoong Hall Sep 4–9 2006 (27th) Seoul Theater Festival: I went to a chicken house! (제27회) 서울연극제: 닭집에 갔었다! Ju Madame Arunguji Small Theater May 12–21 2009 My First Time 마이 퍼스트 타임 Female JTN Art Hall 3 Jan 3 – May 10 2009 Reckless People 막무가내들 Maiden Ghost Kim Ok-bin Daehakro Small Theater Festival Sep 4 – Oct 2

Accolades Awards and nominations + Sortable table of awards and nominations received by Ra Mi-ran Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result APAN Star Awards 2018 Best Supporting Actress The Miracle We Met Baeksang Arts Awards 2014 Best Supporting Actress – Film Hope 2016 The Himalayas Best Actress – Television Reply 1988 2017 Best Supporting Actress – Film The Last Princess 2018 Best Supporting Actress – Television Avengers Social Club 2024 Best Actress – Film Citizen of a Kind Best Actress – Television The Good Bad Mother Bechdel Day 2024 Bechdelian in Film Citizen of a Kind Blue Dragon Film Awards 2012 Best Supporting Actress Dancing Queen 2013 Hope 2014 My Love, My Bride 2015 Ode to My Father 2016 The Last Princess 2021 Best Actress Honest Candidate Brand Customer Loyalty Award 2021 Best Actress - Film Ra Mi-ran Buil Film Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress The Himalayas 2017 The Last Princess Busan International Film Festival 2010 Best Actress (Korean Cinema Today - Vision program) Dance Town Chunsa Film Art Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress The Himalayas Special Popularity Award 2017 Best Supporting Actress The Last Princess 2021 Best Actress Honest Candidate Golden Cinematography Awards 2023 Popularity Award selected by the cinematographer Honest Candidate 2 Grand Bell Awards 2012 Best Supporting Actress Dancing Queen 2014 Hope 2015 Ode to My Father 2016 The Last Princess KBS Drama Awards 2016 The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop Best Couple Ra Mi-ran The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop 2017 Excellence Award, Actress in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama KBS Drama Special – Madame Jung's Last Week 2018 Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama The Miracle We Met Best Couple Award Ra Mi-ran The Miracle We Met Ra Mi-ran The Miracle We Met KOFRA Film Awards 2014 Best Supporting Actress Hope 2017 The Last Princess KBS Entertainment Awards 2016 Top Excellence Award for Variety Show Sister's Slam Dunk Korea Cable TV Awards 2016 Popular Star Reply 1988 Max Movie Awards 2015 Best Supporting Actress Ode to My Father 2016 The Himalayas MBC Entertainment Awards 2014 Excellence Award for Variety Show Real Men SBS Drama Awards 2016 Special Acting Award, Actress in a Fantasy Drama Come Back Mister Scene Stealer Festival 2016 Scene Stealer of the Year Reply 1988 tvN10 Awards Scene Stealer, Actress

State honors + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country or Organization Year Honor or Award South Korea 2017 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2017 Korea Power Celebrity 40 Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200