Ha Jung-woo | |
---|---|
Born |
Kim Sung-hoon March 11, 1978 South Korea |
Education |
Chung-Ang University School of Performing Arts and Media - Theater |
Occupation | Actor, film director |
Years active | 1998-present |
Agent |
Fantagio (2002-2016) Artist Company (2017-present) |
Parent(s) | Kim Yong-gun |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Revised Romanization | Ha Jeong-u |
McCune–Reischauer | Ha Chŏng-u |
Birth name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Gim Seong-hun |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Sŏng-hun |
Ha Jung-woo (born Kim Sung-hoon on March 11, 1978) is a South Korean actor and film director. Ha studied theater at Chung-Ang University, and after several years of minor and supporting parts, he was cast in his first starring role in the low-budget indie The Unforgiven (2005), directed by his friend Yoon Jong-bin. This was followed by Kim Ki-duk's Time (2006), and Never Forever (2007) with Vera Farmiga. But his breakthrough role to stardom was in Na Hong-jin's serial killer film The Chaser (2008). Known to attract both critical acclaim and commercial success, Ha quickly became the most in-demand leading actor of his generation in Korean cinema, showcasing his versatility in road movie My Dear Enemy (2008), sports film Take Off (2009), crime drama The Yellow Sea (2010), gangster saga Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012), romantic comedy Love Fiction (2012), spy thriller The Berlin File (2013), and action thriller The Terror Live (2013). He made his directorial debut through the comedy film Fasten Your Seatbelt (2013), followed by Chronicle of a Blood Merchant (2015).
Born as Kim Sung-hoon, Ha Jung-woo came from an acting family. His father Kim 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. 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 actor Lee Beom-soo as his instructor. He then enrolled at Chung-Ang University as a theater major, where he acted on the stage.