| Han Ji-hye | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lee Ji-hye June 29, 1984 Gwangju, South Korea |
| 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 June 29, 1984) is a South Korean actress.
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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.
In 2008, Han along with Leon Jay Williams sang the Korean and Chinese versions of Olympic theme song "Friends."[2] 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.[3] Less than a year later, she again recorded a digital single, an upbeat electro-pop song titled "Luv Luv."[4]
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!.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7]
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.[8] Han said she learned a lot from the director while filming. She also sang on the soundtrack, having played a gisaeng in the film.[9]
In 2011 she starred in her first historical series The Duo.[10] She plays a visually impaired teacher in the 2-part Chuseok special Dangerous Gift.[11]
Han was in a long-term relationship with Sweet 18 and My Boyfriend Is Type B leading man Lee Dong-gun.[12][13] The couple had a highly publicized breakup in early 2008.[14]
On September 21, 2010, Han married her boyfriend, a public prosecutor,[15] in a private ceremony in Hawaii.[16]
Han's Twitter account is "blueberryhjh1".