Ha Ji-won

Since her 1996 debut in the drama  Adults Don't Know Ha Ji-won has blessed us with her presence. I consider her to be one of the top actresses in all of Korea. She knows how to play so  many different characters from a somewhat tomboyish anti-social stunt-woman (Secret Garden) to a lazy party girl (Love, So Divine). Yes, she happens to be beautiful but besides that she also brings a signature presence to the film. Meaning there is something about her, that we (the viewers) never get tired of. 

Yes, Ha Ji-won has done some bad roles but who hasn't? 

Ha Ji-won would have her film debut four years after her appearance in her first drama. In 2000 she managed to make appearances in three movies (Truth Game, Nightmare, Ditto). It wouldn't be until 2002 that she got her first starring role in the horror film Phone. I have yet to watch those four movies but I have seen most of her newer roles. She must have been decent in those films as she was able to become a very successful actress afterwards. 

Now on to what I consider her best roles. Her appearance in Love, So Divine was the one that brought her to my attention. It's not the best movie overall but she was able to keep me interested in the film with her wonderful character. I felt like she was still trapped in the image of the popular girl like the one she played in Sex is Zero. 
She became one of my favorite actresses when I saw her in BA:BO. Ji-won was able to portray a pianist who becomes stricken with stage fright and decides to come home. Her character was distant, a bit rude and more importantly full of pain. BA:BO was successful in my opinion as it had a different kind of storyline and the main character had the mentality of a child but was more human than most people despite his own problems.
Ha Ji-won's finest performance was in Closer to Heaven. She portrayed a funeral director who is considered "dirty" in Korean society due to her career. She is a time divorcee, she happens to fall in love with an old friend and the two get married. The catch is, he has Lou Gehrig's Disease. As the two live out their lives, her husband's condition gets worse as the days go by. Ji-won was able to express such a realistic set of emotions that she was a delight to see. I had a family member who developed the disease, so it was nice to watch the film as it made me understand the way the disease works.
Closer to Heaven was not your normal romance movie but kind of tragic romance film that is popular in Korea. It's no wonder as the film was done so well I doubt anyone can recapture the emotion necessary to make the film. To that I tip my hat to Ha Ji-won for her wonderful performance in the film. I will always remember this movie and I will try to get more people to watch it.

Besides acting Ha Ji-won appears to be a wonderful human being. She was the first Asian woman to be the promotional ambassador to NGO (second Asian person as the first was Jackie Chan). She was named an honorary coach for the 2012 London Olympics where she helped promote exercise and develop younger athletes.  She donated the money from her first book to charity and does charity on a regular basis. In 2005 she pledged to donate her cornea after her death. 

Ha Ji-won is my favorite kind of celebrity because she has talent and she gives back to her community. There are not a whole lot of celebrities who can do this and keep a positive track record. Ji-won is a wonderful human being and I hope she is able to spread more happiness to the people in need and I hope she works for a very long time. 

Film Credits:

100 Days With Mr. Arrogant

Love, So Divine

All For Love

Daddy-Long-Legs

Duelist

BA: BO

Tidal Wave

Closer to Heaven

The Huntresses