On August 28, Ha Ji-won appeared on the YouTube channel Hyeri alongside actor Ryu Seung-ryong. During the episode, Hyeri asked the actress about how she maintains her appearance after making her acting debut in 1996.
Hyeri remarked that although it was her first time meeting Ha Ji-won in person, she had grown up watching her on television and was amazed that the actress looked almost exactly the same.
Rather than pointing to an elaborate beauty secret, Ha Ji-won emphasized the importance of consistency. The actress explained that whenever she discovers something that makes her feel good physically, mentally, or in her everyday life, she tends to stick with it for a long time. “If I feel that something is good for my life, health, or mental well-being, I do it for a long time.”
One of those long-standing habits is drinking lemon water, which Ha Ji-won said she has maintained for more than a decade. She explained that when she noticed she felt better after drinking lemon water, she did not treat it as a short-term trend. Instead, she continued the habit for more than 10 years.
Stretching is another major part of Ha Ji-won’s routine. The actress said she began consistently stretching after noticing that it helped reduce swelling in her legs. She added that most of the habits she finds beneficial are things she has continued for more than 10 years.
However, Ha Ji-won’s approach to stretching is somewhat different from simply doing a few quick movements. She described it as being similar to meditation, saying that she prefers holding a position for a long time rather than quickly moving through multiple stretches. “You have to communicate with your body.” Ha Ji-won explained that she believes continuously paying attention to the signals her body sends allows her to better understand and respond to what it needs.
Her dedication to the routine was evident even on the day of filming. Ha Ji-won revealed that she spent two hours in the morning stretching and focusing on her body before appearing on Hyeri’s Club. On particularly busy days, she said she may only spend around 15 minutes on it. But when she has enough time, she prefers to take it slowly and pay close attention to how her body responds. Her philosophy, therefore, appears to be less about achieving quick results and more about building habits that can be maintained over the long term.
During the episode, Ha Ji-won also talked about recently recreating the performance of her song “Home Run,” which was released 23 years ago. Hyeri said she had recently seen footage of the performance and initially thought the old video had gone viral again because of how unchanged Ha Ji-won appeared.
Despite her seemingly effortless performance, Ha Ji-won admitted that she was extremely nervous about returning to the stage after approximately eight years. She recalled that her mind suddenly went blank as soon as she stepped onto the stage. “As soon as I went on stage, my mind suddenly went blank. I was so nervous.” She even had trouble looking directly at the camera and was given feedback about it during rehearsal.
To prepare for the performance, Ha Ji-won revealed that she practiced in a dance studio for five days. Once the music show schedule was confirmed, however, she became worried that she might forget the choreography. Her dedication went as far as waking up in the middle of the night. Ha Ji-won said she would wake up at 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., still wearing her pajamas, to practice the choreography again before going back to sleep.
Her story offered another glimpse into the discipline behind her youthful image—and showed that maintaining her appearance is not the only area where she relies on consistency.
Meanwhile, Ha Ji-won is set to return to the big screen alongside Ryu Seung-ryong in the upcoming film Portrait of A Family. The movie follows a top-star couple whose marriage falls apart after an unexpected incident. Eight years later, the former couple joins forces to uncover the truth in an effort to save their daughter. Portrait of A Family is scheduled to hit theaters on September 2.
Sources: Daum | 텐아시아