At the press presentation for the upcoming ENA drama Climax, directed by Lee Ji-won, Ha Ji Won stepped onto the stage with a visibly slimmer figure. Her arms and legs looked especially thin, leading reporters at the scene to comment that she appeared “much thinner than before.”
Many online comments expressed concern about her appearance. Some netizens described her as “extremely skinny,” “lacking vitality,” or “looking fragile.” Others wrote, “I preferred her healthier look before,” “She looks so thin it worries me,” and “Even if it’s for a role, losing this much weight seems excessive.”
Explaining the change, Ha Ji Won said she deliberately lost weight to better match her character. In the drama, she plays Chu Sang Ah, an actress struggling with a series of box office failures while desperately trying to regain her former success.
Previously, when appearing on a YouTube channel, the actress also surprised colleagues with her thinner figure. Host Kian84 reportedly reacted with shock and asked her, “Why are you so thin? You look much slimmer than you do on television.”
Ha Ji Won has long been known as one of the early “action queens” of the Korean entertainment industry. She built a reputation for maintaining a fit and strong physique through many physically demanding roles. Her powerful and athletic image, developed through intense action scenes, has become a defining part of her public persona, which is why the recent change in her appearance has sparked considerable debate.
Born in 1978, Ha Ji Won graduated from the Department of Film and Television at Dankook University in South Korea. She gained popularity through numerous projects such as Sex Is Zero, Something Happened in Bali, Secret Garden, Hwang Jini, and Tidal Wave. Throughout her acting career, she has received many prestigious awards and is widely regarded as one of the most talented actresses in the Korean entertainment industry. She is also considered one of the few performers capable of successfully handling action, romance, and historical dramas alike.
Since around 2013, Ha Ji Won’s career momentum has slowed somewhat, with several of her projects receiving less public attention. In recent years, however, she has continued to appear in notable productions, including Curtain Call and the upcoming drama Climax.
Sources: Ngoisao