2004–2008: Career beginnings, higher education and challenges Since then, Han began auditioning for various recording companies; she entered the
S.M. Entertainment Youth Trainee Program but was eliminated. In 2004, Han started auditioning at companies besides singing competitions. In 2005, she became a finalist on a talent show called
Superstar Survival along with
2PM's
Taecyeon,
Lee Junho and
Chansung. During the show, Han received vocal and acting training; however, she was eliminated in the fifth episode and went back to Busan. A few days before the college entrance ceremony, an agent who had seen her in
Superstar Survival contacted her, and she later became a trainee at
TS Entertainment. As a trainee, she struggled to balance her education with her demanding training schedule, eventually taking an extended leave of absence from the university.
2009–2013: Secret, Invincible Youth, acting debut and rising popularity in September 2012 In October 2009, Han, along with
Jung Ha-na,
Song Ji-eun and
Jun Hyo-seong, debuted in the group Secret; In the same month, Han was chosen as a regular cast member of a South Korean variety show called
Invincible Youth; In April 2010, they released their first mini album entitled
Secret Time which spawned the hit single "
Magic" and served as their breakthrough song in South Korea. The same year, Han made her acting debut in the sitcom
More Charming By The Day. On December 28, 2010, Han made a cameo appearance on MBC's daily sitcom,
All My Love, playing Gain's old college friend. In 2012, for the year end
SBS Gayo Daejeon show, SBS created four idol
super groups, a fan vote placed Han into the group designated
Mystic White, the group working with producer Kim Do-hoon, created the song "Mermaid Princess" the profits of which was donated to charity.
2014–2020: Acting roles and group departure In 2014, Han got her first television lead role in the
MBC weekend drama
Rosy Lovers alongside actor
Lee Jang-woo.
CNN International Seoul listed Han as one of the nine rising "it" stars in Korean entertainment citing her as a "multi-tasking" artist. The same year, her performance in
tvN romance drama,
Marriage, Not Dating earned her a nomination for Best Young Actress at the 16th
Seoul International Youth Film Festival. She also won two best new actress awards from
MBC and
SBS Drama Awards for her roles in
Rosy Lovers On October 17, 2016,
Huayi Brothers announced through an official statement that it had signed an exclusive contract with Han. In 2017, Han starred in the office comedy series
Radiant Office, as well as teen drama
School 2017. In 2018, Sunhwa was cast in
MBC weekend drama
My Contracted Husband, Mr. Oh. On March 13, 2020,
KeyEast announced that it had signed an exclusive contract with Han. Later, she was cast in the romantic-comedy drama,
Backstreet Rookie, alongside actors
Ji Chang-wook and
Kim You-jung, adapted from the webtoon of the same name. She played Dae-hyun's (Ji Chang-wook) girlfriend and former boss, also a convenience store headquarters Public Relations team leader. In July 2020, she confirmed her appearance in the
JTBC drama
Undercover, a remake of 2016
BBC miniseries of the same name.
2021–present: Acting breakthrough and subsequent roles In 2021, Han made her film debut with the independent film
When Winter Comes, which premiered at the 22nd
Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF). Later that year, she also played the lead in her first theatrical release,
Cinema Street. She was further cast as one of the leads in the web series
Work Later, Drink Now, portraying the character of Han Ji-yeon across two seasons, a role that marked a significant breakthrough in her acting career, culminating in her receipt of the Excellence Award, Actress in an OTT Drama at the
8th APAN Star Awards. in 2022 In 2022, Han made a special appearance in the SBS drama
Why Her. She later appeared in the solo drama ''
O'PENing – The First Glance
, alongside actors Lee Jae-in and Kang Gil-woo. She subsequently played the role of Hye-young in the thesis film A Letter from Kyoto, which premiered at the 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) before its theatrical release in 2023. She was cast as Han Jung-mi, a YouTuber and the younger sister of Han Jung-woo (played by actor Jo Jung-suk), in the comedy film Pilot''. In February 2025, Han was cast as the main lead, playing the role of Kang Eun-kyung, a student teacher in the comedy horror film
Teaching Practice: Idiot Girls and School Ghost 2. Later that year, her performance in the film earned her the Korean Fantastic Actor Award at the 29th
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN). In April 2025, she was confirmed as one of the leads in the adventure comedy film
The First Ride. In September 2025, she held her first solo fan meeting, "Attractive Sunhwa log," of her 16-year career. ==Artistry==