2003–2010: Beginnings and breakthrough Han Ji-min started her career in show business while still a high school student. She made various commercial films (CF) and music videos before gaining wider attention in 2003, when she appeared in hit Korean television dramas
All In and
Dae Jang Geum. Han said she hadn't dreamed of becoming a serious actress, but changed her mind after starring in
All In, where she played the teenage counterpart of the drama's main character, played by popular actress
Song Hye-kyo. Han achieved breakthrough with her performance in the critically acclaimed
mania drama Resurrection in 2005. She then challenged herself by playing a cute yet ambitious tomboy who dreams of becoming a pilot in her first movie
Blue Swallow. A car accident on the set of
Wolf seriously injured Han and her co-star
Eric Mun, causing the drama to be delayed repeatedly until the decision was finally made to discontinue it with only three episodes aired. After a long recovery for Mun, the two actors reunited instead in the drama
Super Rookie Ranger (also known as
Invincible Parachute Agent or
Korea Secret Agency). Han continued to act in TV dramas, with memorable turns as a straitlaced resistance fighter in
Capital Scandal and a royal concubine in the historical drama
Yi San. Known for her sweet, innocent and fragile image and her depictions of good girls, Han surprised audiences with her performance as a sexy
femme fatale in
Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow.
2011–2017: Diverse genres Han played a cynical veterinarian in
Padam Padam, written by famous drama writer
Noh Hee-kyung, which aired on newly launched cable channel
jTBC. She then starred in
Rooftop Prince, about a
Joseon-era prince who time-travels to the 21st century where he meets his dead beloved's
doppelgänger. The popularity of
Rooftop Prince garnered Han several awards, and increased her international profile, notably in Japan. In October 2013, Han left her talent agency
S.M. Entertainment's
SM C&C and joined
Lee Byung-hun's
BH Entertainment. In 2014, she starred in the opposites-attract
romantic comedy film
The Plan Man, about a methodical,
mysophobic librarian who falls for a spontaneous, adventurous musician. Following that, she played the dowager
Queen Jeongsun in period film
The Fatal Encounter, who is the fierce political rival of her step-grandson
King Jeongjo. Han next reunited with
The Fatal Encounter co-star
Hyun Bin in the 2015 suspense series
Hyde Jekyll, Me, in the role of a circus master who falls for a theme park owner with
split personality disorder. In 2016, Han starred in action thriller
The Age of Shadows, based on the 1920s about anti-Japanese independence workers' plots and betrayals. In 2017, Han was cast in romantic short film titled
Two Rays of Light alongside
Park Hyung-sik.
2018–present: Critical acclaim In 2018, Han starred in the film
Miss Baek, playing the titular protagonist; an ex-convict who is emotionally closed up due to the social stigma. Han's performance in the film won her the Best Actress award at the prestigious
Blue Dragon Film Awards and
Baeksang Arts Awards as well as other major award ceremonies. The same year, she returned to the small screen with romance fantasy drama
Familiar Wife, taking on the role of an ordinary wife with anger management issues. In 2019, Han starred in two television series; slice of life melodrama
The Light in Your Eyes and romance melodrama
One Spring Night. She then appeared in
Kwak Jae-yong's romantic comedy film
A Year-End Medley in 2021 and
tvN television series
Our Blues in 2022. In 2023, she starred in
JTBC's
Behind Your Touch, playing a veterinarian who gains psychometric powers. On September 24, 2024, she was appointed 'Blue Dragon Goddess', succeeding
Kim Hye-soo. She will also be master of ceremonies for the
45th Blue Dragon Film Awards, to be held on November 29, 2024. Han starred in the drama
Love Scout as Kang Ji-yoon, CEO of a successful headhunting company, which premiered on January 3, 2025. She also starred in
JTBC's
Heavenly Ever After as Som-yi / Young Lee Hae-sook. The following year, she in another JTBC series
The Practical Guide to Love as Lee Ui-yeong, a hotel team manager. ==Personal life==