Han Ji-hye
Han Ji-hye | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lee Ji-hye June 29, 1984 |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 한지혜 |
| Hanja | 韓智慧 |
| Revised Romanization | Han Ji-hye |
| McCune–Reischauer | Han Chihye |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 이지혜 |
| Hanja | 李智慧 |
| Revised Romanization | I Ji-hye |
| McCune–Reischauer | I Chihye |
Han Ji-hye (born Lee Ji-hye on June 29, 1984) is a South Korean actress.
Career
Born Lee Ji-hye, she used the stage name "Han Ji-hye" upon learning that her real name would cause confusion among fans since an older actress, Lena Lee, also has the same Korean name.
Han debuted as a model, then started acting in supporting roles in TV dramas such as Summer Scent. She landed her first leading role in Sweet 18. The next couple of years saw Han starring in low-rating dramas, but her 2007 daily drama Likeable or Not became very popular, topping the ratings chart during its run and recording the highest rating for a daily drama since 2000.[1] Han then displayed newfound maturity and great improvement in her acting in the 2008 epic drama East of Eden.[2]
In 2008, Han along with Leon Jay Williams sang the Korean and Chinese versions of Olympic theme song "Friends."[3] She was brought to the project via a proposal from the Chinese Olympic committee to sing "Friends" as the official swimming theme of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre at the Beijing Olympics. Less than a year later, she again recorded a digital single, an upbeat electro-pop song titled "Luv Luv."
After studying the craft of shoemaking and design in Florence, Italy, Han collaborated with existing shoe brand Jinny Kim to design and produce her own line, called "H by Jinny Kim." This was documented on the cable program O'live TV Han Ji-hye: Shoes! My Dream!. The Fall/Winter 2009 collection were sold in major department stores in Seoul and the surrounding metro areas, as well as in a well-known department store in Singapore and various online shopping malls.
Han published My Fair Lady, a collection of autobiographical lifestyle essays. The volume focused on Han’s hobbies and daily life rather than on her onscreen work and contained Han’s writings about her experiences as a twentysomething single woman, as well as her reflections on her life. It also touched on the various projects she has undertaken such as designing shoes, studying tea ceremony, learning about ceramics, DIY furniture making, fabric art, and more.
Director Lee Joon-ik cast Han in his period action film Blades of Blood without auditioning her — not for her talents, but for her Asian-looking eyes. Aside from finding her single eyelid unique and difficult to find these days, Lee liked that she related to him in a natural manner. Han said that Lee scolded her a lot in the beginning of the shoot for not acting well, so she used the pain in her heart to portray her character such that she improved towards the middle of the filming and learned a lot from him. She also sang on the soundtrack, having played a gisaeng in the film.[4]
In 2011 she starred in her first historical series The Duo. She played a woman who helps a young man achieve his dreams in the single-episode drama Pianist,[5] and a visually impaired teacher in the 2-part Chuseok special The Great Gift.[6]
Han played the protagonist in the 2012 drama May Queen, the success story of a woman in the shipbuilding industry during Korea’s modernization.[7]
Personal life
Han was in a four-year relationship with Sweet 18 and My Boyfriend Is Type B[8] leading man Lee Dong-gun. The couple had a highly publicized breakup in early 2008.[9]
On September 21, 2010, Han married her boyfriend, a public prosecutor, in a private ceremony in Hawaii.[10][11]
Filmography
TV drama
- SBS: Great Luck Family (2002–2003)
- MBC: 남자의 향기 Scent of a Man (2003)
- KBS: 여름향기 Summer Scent (2003)
- SBS: Man and Woman "One More Step Than Love" (2003)
- MBC: 내 인생의 콩깍지 The Bean Chaff of My Life (2003)
- KBS: 낭랑18세 Sweet 18 (2004)
- SBS: 반전드라마 Banjun Drama (2004)
- SBS: 섬마을 선생님 Island Village Teacher (2004)
- MBC: 비밀남녀 Secret Lovers (2005)
- KBS: 구름계단 Cloud Stairs (2006)
- KBS: 미우나 고우나 Likeable or Not (2007–2008)
- MBC: 에덴의 동쪽 East of Eden (2008–2009)
- CCTV: 天堂绣 Heavenly Embroidery (2010)
- KBS: Drama Special 피아니스트 "Pianist" (2010)
- MBC: 짝패 The Duo (2011)
- SBS: Chuseok Special 위대한 선물 "The Great Gift" (2011)
- MBC: 메이퀸 May Queen (2012)
Film
- 굳세어라 금순아 Saving My Hubby (2002)
- 싱글즈 Singles (2003)
- B형 남자친구 My Boyfriend Is Type B (2005)
- 허밍 Humming (2008)
- 구르믈 버서난 달처럼 Blades of Blood (2010)
Music video
- 그댄 행복에 살텐데 (Leeds, 2002)
- 잊을 수 있을까요? (Leeds, 2003)
- <Part 1> 휠릴리 "Whistle to Me (Hwilili)" <Part 2> "Andante" (Lee Soo-young, 2004)
- 포에버 유 "Forever You" (Lee Soo-young, 2005)
- 광화문 연가 "Gwanghwamun Love Song" (Lee Soo-young, 2005)
Discography
- "Love You Forever" (2 duet tracks from Humming OST, 2008)
- "Friends" (Beijing Olympics swimming theme song, 2008)
- "Luv Luv" (digital single featuring Soul Tronik, 2009)
- 상사몽 (track from Blades of Blood OST, 2010)
Books
- 마이 페어 레이디 My Fair Lady (essays, 2010)
Shoe line
- H by Jinny Kim (2009)
Awards
- 2001: Korea Supermodel Contest - Special Prize
- 2003: KBS Drama Awards - Best New Actress (Summer Scent)
- 2004: Baeksang Arts Awards - Best New Actress (Sweet 18)
- 2004: MBC Entertainment Awards - Best New Star, Variety Show category
- 2006: Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards - Best Dresser, TV Actress category
- 2007: KBS Drama Awards - Female Excellence Award for Daily Drama (Likeable or Not)
- 2008: Korea Drama Festival - Female Excellence Award (Likeable or Not)
- 2008: MBC Drama Awards - Female Excellence Award (East of Eden)
- 2009: Asia Model Festival Awards - Model Star Award
- 2009: Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation - Plaque of Appreciation
- 2010: Korea International Jewelry & Watch Fair - Best Jewelry Lady
References
- ^ ""Likable or Not" Reach Highest Drama Ratings since 2000". KBS Global. April 25, 2008.
- ^ "Actress Han Ji-hye feels destined for Eden". Korea JoongAng Daily. November 26, 2008.
- ^ "Han Ji-hye Sings Beijing Olympics Theme Song". KBS Global. August 14, 2008.
- ^ "Traces of Lee Jun-ik's work in "Blades of Blood"". 10Asia. April 20, 2010.
- ^ "INTERVIEW: Actress Han Ji-hye". 10Asia. November 18, 2010.
- ^ "Han Ji-hye cast as female lead in upcoming SBS two-part series". 10Asia. August 11, 2011.
- ^ "May Queen's Han Ji-hye comes back to TV". MBC Global Media. August 16, 2012.
- ^ "The comic perils of dating a type-B". Korea JoongAng Daily. February 2, 2005.
- ^ "Announcers Gaffe Most Searched". The Korea Times. January 13, 2008.
- ^ "Han Ji-hye to Marry in Hawaii Next Month". The Chosun Ilbo. August 6, 2010.
- ^ "Actress Han to tie knot in Hawaii". The Korea Times. August 6, 2010.
External links
- Han Ji-hye at Cyworld Template:Ko icon
- Han Ji-hye on Twitter Template:Ko
- Han Ji-hye at Wayz Company Template:Ko icon
- Han Ji-hye at Yedang Entertainment Template:Ko icon