Uhm Ji-won
Uhm Ji-won (born December 25, 1977) is a South Korean actress known for her versatile performances in film and television, often portraying emotionally complex characters in dramas and thrillers.[1][2] She began her acting career in the late 1990s, debuting as Princess Radia in the tokusatsu series Vectorman: Counterattack of the Evil Empire (1999).[3] Over the following decades, Uhm built a reputation through supporting roles in films like Scout (2007) and Traces of Love (2006), earning Best Supporting Actress nominations including at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for the latter.[3] Uhm achieved critical acclaim with her leading role as a resilient mother in the 2013 drama film Hope, directed by Lee Joon-ik and inspired by a real-life child abuse case; the performance won her the Best Actress award at the 2013 Korean Film Critics Association Awards, among other honors.[4][3] She continued to star in prominent projects, including the horror film The Silenced (2015), the thriller Missing Woman (2016)—for which she received the Best Actress award at the Women in Film Korea Awards—and the Netflix series Little Women (2022), where she played the ambitious Won Sang-ah.[3] In 2025, Uhm appeared as Ma Kwang-suk in the KBS 2TV drama For Eagle Brothers.[2] Represented by ABM Company since July 2025, she maintains an active online presence, including a YouTube channel focused on lifestyle content.[3][5]Early years
Early life
Uhm Ji-won was born on December 25, 1977, in Busan, South Korea. She spent her childhood in Daegu, a city known for its conservative cultural environment in South Korea.[6] Her father, Uhm Ie Woong, was a politician who served as deputy governor of North Gyeongsang Province and deputy mayor of Pohang City.[3] In interviews, Uhm has described herself as an ordinary child during this period, one who adhered strictly to rules and avoided causing any trouble for her parents, reflecting the disciplined upbringing common in the region.[6] Her early years were shaped by the intense focus on academic preparation typical of the Korean education system, leaving little room for personal exploration or hobbies. Uhm has noted that she was an average student, not particularly driven by studies, and had no opportunity to question or discover her own desires amid the mono-ethnic, tradition-bound society of Daegu.[6] Although she later pursued higher education, her foundational experiences in Daegu established a grounded, unassuming foundation before transitioning to broader opportunities in Seoul.[6]Education
Uhm Ji-won enrolled at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Geography from the College of Social Sciences.[7] During her university years, she showed no initial interest in acting, instead pursuing her academic studies in the social sciences, which later contrasted with her post-graduation shift to an entertainment career.[3]Career
Debut and breakthrough
Uhm Ji-won entered the entertainment industry in 1998, making her acting debut through television appearances in South Korean sitcoms, including her first fixed role in the MBC series Nonseutop (also known as No Already). Her early TV work also featured a prominent role as Princess Radia in the tokusatsu action series Vectorman: Counterattack of the Evil Empire, which helped establish her presence in genre programming.[3][8] She transitioned to film in 2000 with a supporting role as the older sister in the horror thriller The Record (also titled If You Get Caught), directed by Kim Ki-hoon, marking her cinematic debut alongside leads Kang Seong-min and Park Eun-hye. This role introduced her to feature-length storytelling, though it received mixed reviews for its supernatural elements. Following this, Uhm gained rising prominence through supporting parts in films like Over the Rainbow (2002), a romantic drama, and Mutt Boy (2003), directed by Kwak Kyung-taek, where her portrayal of Kim Jeong-ae showcased emotional depth and earned notice for her versatility in dramatic roles.[9][10][11] Uhm's breakthrough arrived in 2004 with the lead role of Han Soo-hyun in the erotic thriller The Scarlet Letter, directed by Kim Ki-duk protégé Huh In, where her bold and nuanced performance in a story of infidelity and obsession drew significant attention and praise for elevating the film's provocative narrative. This role solidified her reputation as a capable leading actress capable of handling complex, adult-oriented characters. In 2005, she starred as Choi Yeong-sil in Hong Sang-soo's arthouse drama Tale of Cinema, delivering a critically acclaimed performance in the film's exploration of life imitating art; the movie earned a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers highlighting Uhm's authentic portrayal of emotional vulnerability and reunion dynamics.[6][10][12]Mid-career developments
Following her breakthrough in the mid-2000s, Uhm Ji-won transitioned into more prominent leading roles that showcased her range across genres, building on her early supporting work to establish herself as a versatile actress. In 2013, she delivered a critically acclaimed performance as Mi-hee, the resilient mother grappling with her daughter's sexual assault trauma in the drama film Hope, directed by Lee Joon-ik and inspired by a real-life case.[4][13] Her portrayal earned her the Best Actress award at the 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, highlighting her ability to convey raw emotional depth in maternal roles.[11] On television, Uhm explored family dynamics and personal struggles in milestones that emphasized dramatic and maternal themes. She starred as the single mother Ahn So-young in the 2012 JTBC series Childless Comfort, a family drama written by Kim Soo-hyun, where her character navigates infertility and societal pressures while supporting her aging parents.[14] This was followed by her lead role as the divorced Oh Hyun-soo in the 2013 SBS drama The Woman Who Married Three Times, another Kim Soo-hyun project, depicting a woman's turbulent path through multiple marriages and family responsibilities, further solidifying her shift toward complex, relatable maternal and relational characters.[15] By the late 2010s, this evolution culminated in roles like the career-driven new mother Oh Hyun-jin in the 2020 tvN series Birthcare Center, where she portrayed the challenges of late-in-life motherhood in a postpartum care setting, drawing widespread empathy despite her lack of personal parenting experience at the time.[16] Throughout this period, Uhm faced challenges such as typecasting in elegant, dramatic personas, prompting her to diversify through independent films that allowed for unconventional characters. Early in the decade, she took on the quirky lead of Ji-su, a woman rediscovering joy at a folk festival, in the 2010 indie comedy Foxy Festival, directed by Lee Don-ku, marking a departure from heavier roles. She also starred as the sharp-witted assistant Soon-deok in the 2009 period detective indie Private Eye, directed by Park Kwang-hyun, which helped broaden her portfolio beyond mainstream dramas. These choices, including later genre ventures like the thriller Missing (2016), where she played a desperate mother searching for her missing baby, demonstrated her deliberate efforts to avoid pigeonholing and explore multifaceted women. In a 2019 interview, director Lee Min-jae noted that casting her in the comedic zombie role of The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale presented a "challenge to play a character so different from her usual roles," underscoring her commitment to versatility.[17]Recent projects
In the 2020s, Uhm Ji-won expanded her repertoire into diverse genres, particularly sci-fi and thrillers, through high-profile streaming projects that broadened her international reach. Her role as the calculating researcher Lee Se-yeon in the Netflix sci-fi film Jung_E (2023), directed by Yeon Sang-ho, marked a venture into futuristic narratives exploring AI and human consciousness, where she portrayed a key figure in a cloning experiment amid a climate-ravaged world.[18] This collaboration with Netflix highlighted the platform's role in elevating her visibility, as the film's global release introduced her nuanced performance to audiences beyond South Korea. Uhm further delved into psychological thrillers with her portrayal of Won Sang-ah, a ruthless executive in the tvN series Little Women (2022), a modern adaptation of the classic novel infused with corporate intrigue and social commentary.[19] In 2024, she took on the enigmatic CEO Lee Seon in Netflix's mystery melodrama The Trunk, a contract-marriage thriller that earned praise for its tense atmosphere and her commanding presence as a manipulative antagonist, contributing to the series' 80% Rotten Tomatoes score and Collider's acclaim as one of Netflix's most subversive K-dramas of the year.[20][21][22] The project's collaboration with stars Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin, under Netflix's production, underscored how streaming services have amplified her opportunities in genre-bending stories, with The Trunk topping non-English TV charts in multiple regions upon release.[23] Looking ahead, Uhm continues to balance lead and supporting roles in 2025 projects. She stars as the resilient widow Ma Gwang-suk in KBS2's family comedy-drama For Eagle Brothers, reuniting with Yoon Park from their 2020 collaboration in Birthcare Center and drawing strong domestic ratings, peaking at 24.4%.[24][25] In Netflix's historical romance Dear Hongrang, she embodies the formidable matriarch Min Yeon-ui, a merchant clan leader navigating power struggles and family secrets.[26][27] Additionally, she makes a guest appearance as the scheming stepmother Na Min-ok in the slice-of-life series When Life Gives You Tangerines, adding layers of conflict to the Jeju Island-set narrative.[28][29] These roles reflect her ongoing exploration of complex maternal figures across eras, facilitated by streaming platforms' global distribution.Personal life
Family and relationships
Uhm Ji-won married architect Oh Young-wook on May 27, 2014, at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, following a two-year courtship that began in 2012.[30][31] The couple separated amicably after seven years of marriage, with Uhm announcing their divorce on April 6, 2021, via a post on her YouTube channel's community tab. She explained that they had been living apart—Uhm in Seoul and Oh in Vietnam—and concluded that maintaining a friendship would be more suitable than continuing the marriage, citing irreconcilable differences in their lifestyles.[32][31] The marriage was never officially registered, and the pair remains on good terms, occasionally keeping in touch.[31] Since the divorce, Uhm has focused on her acting career while embracing her single life, expressing in interviews a sense of liberation and continued personal growth without delving into details of new relationships.[33]Philanthropy
Uhm Ji-won has been actively involved in charitable activities, focusing primarily on disaster relief, child welfare, and environmental conservation. In March 2022, she donated ₩10 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to support victims of the massive wildfires in Uljin and Samcheok, Gyeongsangbuk-do, aiding in the provision of temporary housing, food, clothing, bedding, and psychological recovery programs for affected residents.[34] Just days later, on March 21, she contributed another ₩10 million to Save the Children to assist children impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as part of efforts by the NGO to support vulnerable Ukrainian youth amid the humanitarian crisis.[35] Her philanthropy extends to child welfare initiatives, reflecting a consistent commitment since the early 2000s. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Uhm donated ₩10 million to Save the Children Korea to help low-income children and grandparent-headed households in her hometown region of Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do, funding basic livelihood support for those facing heightened vulnerabilities.[36] Earlier, in 2008, she gifted a vehicle—received as payment for a commercial endorsement—to a facility for disabled children, enhancing their mobility and access to services.[37] Additionally, Uhm has sponsored six children through Compassion International since 2008 and contributed narration to their 2017 VR experience project promoting awareness of child sponsorship programs.[38] Drawing from her academic background in geography at Kyungpook National University, Uhm has engaged in environmental advocacy. In 2011, she made her narration debut in the KBS1 documentary Waste Wood, Saving the Forest, a program marking the UN's International Year of Forests, and waived her fee to donate it toward environmental preservation efforts.[39] That same year, she served as MC for an environmental concert organized by the Ministry of Environment, further demonstrating her interest in sustainability issues.[40] These contributions underscore her ongoing dedication to public causes without seeking publicity.Filmography
Film roles
Uhm Ji-won made her film debut in 2000 with the horror film The Record, directed by Min Kyu-dong, where she played the lead role of Nu Ra.[41] In 2002, she appeared in Over the Rainbow, directed by Park Il-hyeong, as Kim Eun-song in a supporting capacity.[42] Her role as Kim Jeong-ae in the 2003 drama Mutt Boy, directed by Kwak Kyung-taek, marked an early supporting performance. In 2004, Uhm portrayed Han Su-hyun in the thriller The Scarlet Letter, directed by Byun Hyuk, as a supporting character.[43] She took a lead role as Choi Young-shil in Hong Sang-soo's 2005 film Tale of Cinema. The following year, in 2006, she starred as Se-jin in Traces of Love, directed by Kim Dae-seung, another lead role. Uhm's 2008 appearance in The Good, the Bad, the Weird, directed by Kim Jee-woon, was a supporting part. In 2009, she led as Gong Hyeon-hee in Like You Know It All, again directed by Hong Sang-soo. That same year, she played Soon-deok, the inventor, in the period mystery Private Eye, directed by Park Dae-min. Also in 2009, she had a lead role as "Woman" in Invitation. The 2010 comedy Foxy Festival, directed by Lee Hwan-kyung, featured Uhm in the lead as Ji-su. She also led as Kim Mu-ryeong in Romantic Debtors that year, directed by Kim Jin-min.[44] In 2013, Uhm earned acclaim for her lead performance as Mi-hee in the drama Hope, directed by Lee Joon-ik.[45] The same year, she played the shaman Myung Bo-sal in the action film Man on the Edge, directed by Won Shin-yun. Uhm starred as Jo Yeon-soo in the 2015 thriller The Phone, directed by Kim Tae-gyun.[46] In Park Hoon-jung's The Silenced (2015), she portrayed the supporting role of Headmistress Kato Sanae. Her 2016 films included the supporting detective Shin Gemma in Master, directed by Cho Ui-seok, and the lead Lee Ji-seon in the mystery Missing Woman, directed by Lee Eon-hee.[47] In 2019, Uhm played the lead Nam-ju in the zombie comedy The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale, directed by Lee Min-jae. She returned to horror in 2021's The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey, directed by Kim Yong-wan, as the lead Im Jin-hee. Her most recent film role to date is Lee Se-yeon in the 2023 science fiction thriller Jung_E, directed by Yeon Sang-ho.Television and web series
Uhm Ji-won's television career spans over two decades, beginning with minor guest appearances in the mid-1990s and evolving into prominent leading and supporting roles in both traditional broadcast dramas and streaming web series. Her early work often featured supporting characters in family-oriented and romantic comedies, while later projects showcased her versatility in thrillers, fantasies, and social dramas.[10]| Year | Title | Role | Episodes | Platform/Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Three Guys and Three Girls | Uhm Ji Won (Guest Role) | 1 (Ep. 416) | MBC |
| 2002 | Ruler of Your Own World | Unnamed (Guest Role) | Unknown | SBS |
| 2002 | Golden Wagon | Hwang Soon Jung (Main Role) | 201 | SBS |
| 2004 | Magic | Ha Yeon Jin (Support Role) | 16 | SBS |
| 2004 | Into the Storm | Oh Jung Hee (Support Role) | 24 | SBS |
| 2008 | On Air | Herself (Guest Role) | 1 (Ep. 5) | SBS |
| 2010 | The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry | Jung Da Jung (Main Role) | 16 | SBS |
| 2011 | Sign | Jung Woo Jin (Main Role) | 20 | JTBC |
| 2012 | Can Love Become Money? | Yoon Da Ran (Main Role) | 20 | SBS |
| 2012 | Childless Comfort | So Yeong (Main Role) | 40 | JTBC |
| 2013 | The Woman Who Married Three Times | Oh Hyun Soo (Main Role) | 40 | SBS |
| 2017 | Falsify | Kwon So Ra (Main Role) | 32 | SBS |
| 2019 | Spring Turns to Spring | Lee Bom / Kim Bo-mi (Main Role) | 32 | MBC |
| 2020 | The Cursed | Im Jin Hee (Main Role) | 12 | tvN |
| 2020 | Birthcare Center | Oh Hyun Jin (Main Role) | 8 | Naver TV (web series) |
| 2022 | Little Women | Won Sang A (Support Role) | 12 | Netflix |
| 2023 | Cold Blooded Intern | Choi Ji Won (Main Role) | 12 | tvN |
| 2024 | The Trunk | Lee Seon, NM's CEO (Support Role) | 8 | Netflix |
| 2025 | When Life Gives You Tangerines | Na Min Ok, Byeong Chul's second wife (Guest Role) | 3 (Eps. 2, 4, 6) | Netflix |
| 2025 | For Eagle Brothers | Ma Gwang Sook (Main Role) | 54 | KBS 2TV |
| 2025 | Dear Hongrang | Min Yeon Ui (Main Role) | 11 | Netflix |
| 2026 | Proxy University Entrance Exam | Sim Kyeong-O (Main Role) | TBD | TVING |
Other appearances
Uhm Ji-won has appeared as a guest on numerous South Korean variety shows, often discussing her acting career and personal life.[10] These appearances span from the mid-2000s to the 2020s, providing glimpses into her off-screen persona while promoting her projects.[10]| Year | Show | Role/Episode |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Salon Drip Season 2 | Guest (Ep. 2)[10] |
| 2023 | Jiseon’s Cine Mind Season 2 | Guest (Ep. 7)[10] |
| 2021 | No Impact Day | Guest (Ep. 4-5)[10] |
| 2021 | Dolsing Fourmen | Guest (Ep. 171)[10] |
| 2021 | Seri Money Club | Guest (Ep. 9-10)[10] |
| 2018 | Movie Room | Guest (Ep. 13)[10] |
| 2018 | Amazing Saturday | Guest (Ep. 96)[10] |
| 2018 | Omniscient Interfering View | Guest (Ep. 163, 167)[10] |
| 2016 | My Little Old Boy | Guest (Ep. 427)[10] |
| 2011 | Healing Camp | Guest (Ep. 4)[10] |
| 2010 | Running Man | Guest (Ep. 128)[10] |
| 2007 | Happy Together Season 3 | Guest (Ep. 96, 170)[10] |
| 2007 | Live Talk Show Taxi | Guest (Ep. 225)[10] |
Accolades
Film awards
Uhm Ji-won has received several accolades for her performances in South Korean films, with notable recognition for her role in Hope (2013).[11]| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actress | Mutt Boy | Nominated[54] |
| 2004 | Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | The Scarlet Letter | Nominated[55] |
| 2006 | Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Traces of Love | Nominated[11] |
| 2007 | Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Traces of Love | Won[10] |
| 2008 | Max Movie Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Scout | Won[11] |
| 2013 | Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Hope | Won[11][4] |
| 2013 | Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actress | Hope | Nominated[56] |
| 2014 | Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress | Hope | Nominated[57] |
| 2014 | Grand Bell Awards | Best Actress | Hope | Nominated[58] |
| 2016 | Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actress | Missing Woman | Nominated[59] |
| 2017 | Women in Film Korea Awards | Actress Award | Missing Woman | Won[60] |