Kim Sung-hoon (Korean: 김성훈; born March 11, 1978), better known asHa Jung-woo (하정우), is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. One of the highest grossing actors in South Korea, Ha's starring films have accumulated more than 100 million tickets. Only 3 other actors have reached this milestone, with Ha being nearly a decade younger than the rest when achieving this.
Born as Kim Sung-hoon, Ha Jung-woo came from an acting family. His fatherKim Yong-gun is a well-known veteran actor who has appeared in many movies and television series, while his younger brother Kim Young-hoon (stage name:Cha Hyun-woo) is an aspiring actor.[2][unreliable source?] Ha has said that since he was 4 or 5 years old, he has always dreamed of becoming an actor like his father. Before entering college, Ha studied at a private acting institute and at one point had actorLee Beom-soo as his instructor. He then enrolled at Chung-Ang University as a theater major, where he acted on the stage.[citation needed]
In 1998, Ha began hismilitary service, working in the Armed Forces Public Relations Department. He put his acting experience to good use during this time, appearing in 10 promotional films for the military.
Kim Sung-hoon made his acting debut in the 2002SBSsitcomHonest Living and his feature film debut in the 2003 filmMadeleine. For the next few years, Kim's acting career was relatively low-key, appearing in several supporting roles, but not receiving a lot of attention. In 2005, Kim signed with talent agencySidusHQ and on their recommendation adopted thestage name "Ha Jung-woo."[3] He then appeared in his first starring role in the indie filmThe Unforgiven, a blistering critique of the physical and psychological violence within military ranks.[4][unreliable source?][5]
Ha's subsequent roles in controversialarthouse directorKim Ki-duk'sTime andBreath brought more notice to his acting talents in Korea and overseas.[6] His portrayal of a cool-headed prosecutor who is romantically involved with a feisty police officer played byGo Hyun-jung in the popularMBC drama seriesH.I.T attracted female fans and gained him popularity among the masses. He also starred in the American indie filmNever Forever oppositeVera Farmiga, which garnered praise from the film festival circuit.[7]
Ha's breakout came in the 2008 filmThe Chaser, in which he played a psychopath character loosely based on serial killerYoo Young-chul.[8] The movie became a huge hit at the Korean box office, raking in over 5 million ticket sales, while also garnering high praise from critics and numerous awards from local award-giving bodies. American directorMartin Scorsese, rumored to be attached to a Hollywoodremake ofThe Chaser,[9][needs update] has complimented Ha as having as much potential as hisThe Departed starsLeonardo DiCaprio andMatt Damon.[10]Ha followed this up with a portrayal of a charming scoundrel inMy Dear Enemy that same year, showcased his versatility and elevated his status as one of the most sought-after actors in the Korean film industry.[11] From 2008 to 2009, he took on diverse but compelling roles inThe Moonlight of Seoul,[12]Boat,[13] andTake Off.[14]Take Off, based on the Korean nationalski jumping team, became one of thebiggest box office hits of 2009.[15][16][17]
Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time was Ha's third collaboration with longtime friend directorYoon Jong-bin, also starring acclaimed veteran actorChoi Min-sik.[28] This was followed shortly by the unconventional romantic comedyLove Fiction oppositeGong Hyo-jin.[29][30] Both were box office hits.[31] After wrappingLove Fiction, Ha along with Gong and 14 other actors went on a cross-country walking trip fromSeoul toHaenam,South Jeolla Province. Their journey was chronicled in thedocumentary577 Project, denoting the total distance covered in kilometers. Ha was in charge of three aspects of the production including planning, acting and casting. He said he did it to thank fans for their support after he won back-to-back Best Actor awards at the 2010 and 2011 Baeksang Arts Awards.[32][33][34]InRyoo Seung-wan'sThe Berlin File, Ha starred as a North Korean agent in Berlin who is betrayed and cut loose in the midst of a financial espionage intrigue.[35][36][37] He then appeared the action thrillerThe Terror Live, playing a news anchor with an exclusive, live broadcast on a terrorist attack.[38][39][40]
Ha then made his directorial debut withRollercoaster (released internationally asFasten Your Seatbelt), based on his own screenplay about the comic interactions between the cabin crew and passengers (including an arrogantHallyu star played byJung Kyung-ho) of a flight from Tokyo toGimpo International Airport which becomes in danger of crashing when the plane hits a major storm.[41][42][43] The film was a box office success.[44]
Ha received significant recognition for his role in the 2022 Netflix seriesNarco-Saints. He won the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 13th Korea Drama Awards for his performance in the series.[65] The following year, he was nominated for Best Actor in Television at the 21st Director's Cut Awards[66] and secured the Best Actor award at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards.[67] Furthermore, he was honored with the Best Actor in a Leading Role (National Winners – Korea) at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.[68] In 2023, Ha starred in the sports drama filmBoston 1947, which tells the story of the 1947Boston International Marathon.[69]
In 2024, Ha starred in the disaster filmHijack 1971, which is based on the real-life hijacking of aKorean Air flight to North Korea.[70] In 2025, Ha made his directional comeback after ten years with the comedy filmsLobby andThe People Upstairs.[71][72] That year, he also starred in the filmNocturnal, marking his return to the crime-thriller genre.
Ha is also an artist. Though it began as a hobby in his university days, Ha began painting in earnest in 2007. His paintings, all done in a hybrid ofPop art andExpressionist styles,[73] have been displayed in several solo art exhibitions.[74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81] Critics have said his paintings, with their strong colors and interesting composition[82] are reminiscent of those by American artistJean-Michel Basquiat.[83] "Life as an actor is like living through an invisible war. Paintings soothe me and make me rational. It is too extravagant to say that painting is my hobby; it is rather a way for me to survive as an actor," said Ha.[84][85]
In 2011, he published a compilation of essays titledHa Jung-woo, Good Feeling. Besides his musings on life, Ha also wrote his thoughts on famous artists such asPablo Picasso. The book also included about 60 of his own drawings.[86]
^Honors are given at theTaxpayers' Day [ko], organized byNational Tax Service, Taxpayers' Day in Korea is March 3. An award ceremony is held annually, during which individuals and corporations receive commendation for being model taxpayers.[131]
^abYoon, Sang-geun (October 8, 2022).수리남' 하정우, 2022 코리아드라마어워즈 대상 "드라마 대상 처음"[종합] [Suriname' Ha Jung-woo, the 2022 Korea Drama Awards Grand Prize "Drama Grand Prize for the first time" [General]] (in Korean). MT Star News.Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. RetrievedOctober 8, 2022 – viaNaver.
^abKim, Bo-young (February 9, 2023).제21회 '디렉터스컷 어워즈', 3년 만에 오프라인 개최 [공식] [The 21st 'Director's Cut Awards' held offline for the first time in 3 years [Official]] (in Korean). E-Daily.Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 17, 2023 – viaNaver.
^abLee, Woo-joo (July 19, 2023).수고했다 혜교야" 눈물의 첫 대상 ...수지X하정우, 남녀주연상 ['청룡시리즈어워즈'](종합) [You've done a great job, Hye Kyo" The first object of tears...Suzy X Ha Jung Woo, Male and Female Lead Actor ['Blue Dragon Series Awards'] (Overall)].Sports Chosun (in Korean).Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. RetrievedJuly 20, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Kim Soo-young (January 12, 2023)."[2023 기대작③] 김성훈 감독 '피랍', "박력 있는 영화, 정지할 때도 과감하게"" [[2023 Anticipated Work③] Director Kim Seong-hoon's 'Kidnapped', "A powerful film, boldly even when stopped"].Cine21 (in Korean).Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. RetrievedJanuary 12, 2023.
^Han Hyeon-jeong (January 17, 2023).하정우·임시완·배성우 '1947 보스톤', 9월 추석 개봉[공식] [Ha Jung-woo, Lim Si-wan, and Bae Sung-woo's '1947 Boston' to be released on Chuseok in September [Official]].Maeil Business (in Korean).Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. RetrievedJanuary 17, 2023.
^Jeon Hyung-hwa (August 17, 2022).[단독]하정우·성동일·채수빈, 비행기 납치극 '하이재킹' 호흡 [[Exclusive] Ha Jung-woo, Sung Dong-il, and Chae Su-bin, breathing in the plane hijacking drama 'Hijacking] (in Korean). MT Star News.Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. RetrievedAugust 17, 2022 – viaNaver.
^"(2021)".movie.daum (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2021-02-23. Retrieved2021-02-04.
^abKim Ji-won (January 16, 2024).하정우, 골프 접대 포착...12월 27일 '로비' 마무리 [Ha Jung-woo, caught playing golf... 'Lobby' completed on December 27th] (in Korean). Ten Asia.Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. RetrievedJanuary 16, 2024.
^abYeon Hwi-seon (December 12, 2024)."하정우 감독 '윗집 사람들', 공효진X김동욱X이하늬 절침 드림팀 짰다 [종합](공식)" [Director Ha Jung-woo's 'The People Upstairs' Forms a Dream Team of Gong Hyo-jin, Kim Dong-wook, and Lee Ha-nui [Comprehensive] (Official)].OSEN (in Korean). Naver. RetrievedAugust 18, 2025.
^Kim Na-yeon (August 8, 2022).하정우X황정민→장첸 '수리남', 9월 9일 넷플릭스 공개 확정 [공식] [Ha Jung-woo X Hwang Jung-min → Jang Chen 'Suriname', confirmed to be released on Netflix on September 9 [Official]] (in Korean). MT Star News.Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. RetrievedAugust 8, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Moon Ji-yeon (October 26, 2022).[공식] 하정우·주지훈·최민호·여진구 로드 트립..'두발로 티켓팅' 내년 공개 [[Official] Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Choi Min-ho, Yeo Jin-goo Road Trip..'Ticketing with Two Feet' to be released next year].Sports Chosun (in Korean). RetrievedOctober 26, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Yoo, Jeong-min (March 8, 2023).하정우, 티빙 '아워게임 : LG트윈스' 스토리텔러 참여 확정 [Ha Jung-woo confirmed to participate as a storyteller in TVing's 'Our Game: LG Twins] (in Korean).iMBC.Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. RetrievedMarch 8, 2023 – viaNaver.
^대중문화예술상 2012년 [2012 Popular Culture and Arts Awards].Korea Creative Content Agency (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2022-05-19. Retrieved2022-05-19.
^Cho, Deuk-jin; Yang, Mi-sun (February 23, 2017).박보검·송중기 한국 최고 파워 셀러브리티 [Park Bo-gum·Song Joong-ki Korea's best power celebrity].JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on February 27, 2017. RetrievedMay 22, 2021 – via Joins.
^Yang, Mi-sun (March 23, 2018).한국 연예계의 세대교체 [Generational change in Korean entertainment industry].JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. RetrievedMay 21, 2021 – via Joins.
^Kim, Min-soo (April 23, 2019).파워 셀럽 40인은 누구? [Who are the 40 power celebrities?].JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. RetrievedMay 21, 2021 – via Joins.
^Lee Hyung-seok (2013-12-26).굿바이 2013 - BIG "콘텐츠가 브랜드" tvN 대반란...그 뒤엔 '문화 지휘자' 있었다 [Goodbye 2013 - BIG "Content is a Brand" tvN insurrection...After that there was a 'Cultural Conductor'].헤럴드경제 (in Korean).Archived from the original on 2023-08-11. Retrieved2023-08-09.
^"2009~2019 흥행 파워 1위 하정우의 안목, 도전, 유연함" [2009~2019 box office power No.1 Ha Jung-woo's eyes, challenge, flexibility].thescreen.co.kr.Archived from the original on 2023-10-30. Retrieved2023-10-30.
^[영화]작품성·흥행성'두 마리 토끼' 잡는 스크린의 거인들 [[Movie] The giants of the screen who catch the 'two rabbits' of the work and the box office].Sisa Journal (in Korean). 2008-12-15.Archived from the original on 2023-08-12. Retrieved2023-08-12.
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