Ha Jung-woo Biography: Parents, Height, Net Worth, Movies, TV Shows, Age, Wife, Instagram, Nationality
Ha Jung-woo, widely known as Ha Jung-woo, is a South Korean actor, director, screenwriter, and producer who has become one of the most prominent figures in modern Korean cinema.
Born Kim Sung-hoon in Seoul, he developed an interest in acting from childhood, following his father Kim Yong-gun into the profession.
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His breakthrough came in The Chaser (2008), followed by acclaimed performances in The Yellow Sea, The Berlin File, The Terror Live, The Handmaiden, The Tunnel, and the Along with the Gods films.
He has also directed Fasten Your Seatbelt and Take Off 2, while continuing to work as a producer and screenwriter.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Real Name: | Kim Sung-hoon |
| Stage Name: | Ha Jung-woo |
| Born: | March 11, 1978 (age 48 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality: | South Korean |
| Ethnicity: | Korean |
| Height: | 184 cm (6'0½") |
| Parents: | Kim Yong-gun, Mrs. Kim |
| Siblings: | Kim Young-hoon |
| Relationship: | Cha Jung-won |
| Occupation: | Actor, Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
| Net Worth: | $20 million |
Early life and education
Ha Jung-woo was born Kim Sung-hoon on March 11, 1978, in Seoul, South Korea. He was raised by parents including veteran actor Kim Yong-gun, whose long television and film career became an important influence on his son’s decision to pursue acting.
Ha has recalled that he had wanted to become an actor since he was approximately four or five years old, inspired by watching his father work.
His family was closely connected to the Korean entertainment industry. His younger brother is actor Kim Young-hoon, who has also worked in Korean television and film.
Growing up around performers and production environments gave Ha an early familiarity with acting as a profession.
Before entering university, Ha attended a private acting institute, where he received practical training and was at one point taught by actor Lee Beom-soo.
He subsequently enrolled at Chung-Ang University, majoring in theater and dramatic arts.
During his university years, he gained extensive stage experience, appearing in productions including Carmen, Othello, and The Glass Menagerie.
His education was interrupted by South Korea’s mandatory military service. Ha served beginning in 1998, working in the Armed Forces Public Relations Department.
His acting abilities were put to practical use during his service, as he appeared in approximately 10 promotional films produced for the military.
After completing his military service, Ha returned to professional acting and began building the screen career that would eventually make him one of Korea’s most successful film performers.
Career
Ha Jung-woo made his television debut in 2002 in the SBS sitcom Honest Living. He subsequently made his feature-film debut in Madeleine, beginning a screen career that initially consisted of supporting roles before his performances started attracting major critical attention.
He appeared in Mr. Gam’s Victory (2004) and She’s on Duty (2005), but his first major breakthrough came in 2005 with Yoon Jong-bin’s The Unforgiven.
His performance demonstrated a level of maturity that attracted critical attention and earned him the Korean Association of Film Critics Award for Best New Actor.
His major breakthrough arrived with The Chaser in 2008. Directed by Na Hong-jin, the crime thriller cast Ha as serial killer Ji Young-min opposite Kim Yoon-seok.
His disturbing performance became one of the defining roles of his early career and helped establish him as a leading actor in Korean cinema.
He followed The Chaser with a succession of acclaimed performances. His credits included My Dear Enemy (2008), Take Off (2009), The Yellow Sea (2010), The Unjust (2010), Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012), Berlin (2013), and The Terror Live (2013).
His work in The Yellow Sea earned him the Asian Film Award for Best Actor and another Korean Association of Film Critics Award.
Ha also expanded into filmmaking. His directorial debut was the comedy Fasten Your Seatbelt in 2013, which he also wrote.
The film marked his transition from performer to filmmaker and demonstrated his interest in shaping productions from behind the camera. He later directed Take Off 2 in 2016.
In 2014, Ha starred in Kundo: Age of the Rampant, playing a nobleman who becomes the central antagonist of the historical action film.
He followed it in 2015 with The Assassination, one of the year’s major Korean box-office successes, and Chronicle of a Blood Merchant.
He followed that project with Nocturnal (Broken) in 2025. The neo-noir crime thriller, directed by Kim Jin-hwang, stars Ha as Min-tae, a man who investigates the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death and the disappearance of his sister-in-law. The film was released on January 22, 2025.
Ha also returned to directing in Lobby, a 2025 drama-comedy. He served as director, screenwriter, and actor in the production.
The Korean Film Council lists the film as released on April 2, 2025, and credits Ha in all three roles.
His 2025 credits also included Nameless, a documentary project, and his continued work as a filmmaker and producer.
Awards and nominations
- 2005 — Korean Association of Film Critics Awards: Best New Actor for The Unforgiven — Won.
- 2005 — Director’s Cut Awards: Best New Actor for The Unforgiven — Won.
- 2007 — Fantasporto: Best Actor for Time — Won.
- 2008 — Director’s Cut Awards: Best Actor for The Chaser — Won.
- 2009 — Busan Film Critics Association Awards: Best Actor for My Dear Enemy — Won.
- 2010 — Max Movie Awards: Best Actor for Take Off — Won.
- 2011 — Asian Film Awards: Best Actor for The Yellow Sea — Won.
- 2011 — Korean Association of Film Critics Awards: Best Actor for The Yellow Sea — Won.
- 2013 — Busan Film Critics Association Awards: Best Actor for The Terror Live — Won.
- 2015 — Chunsa Film Art Awards: Best Actor for Kundo: Age of the Rampant — Won.
- 2017 — Chunsa Film Art Awards: Best Actor for The Tunnel — Won.
Social media
- Instagram Handle: @__hajungwoo
Personal life
Ha Jung-woo, 48 years old, is not married. He is currently in a serious relationship with actress and fashion influencer Cha Jung-won. The couple officially confirmed their relationship on February 4, 2026, after years of private dating.
While they have acknowledged they are seeing each other with marriage in mind, both of their talent agencies clarified that concrete wedding dates or summer marriage plans have not yet been finalized. He does not have any children.
Ha Jung-woo has openly shared that he highly values family and hopes to have children immediately after he gets married.
He playfully stated in interviews that his goal is to have a large family of “three sons and three daughters, or two sons and two daughters”.
His father, Kim Yong-gun, is a veteran South Korean actor, and his younger brother Kim Young-hoon has also pursued acting.
Ha’s family connection to the entertainment industry has therefore extended across multiple generations of Korean performers.
He has developed a significant interest in filmmaking, writing, and visual arts. His decision to direct and write films such as Fasten Your Seatbelt and Lobby has allowed him to participate in productions beyond his work as an actor.
His career consequently encompasses acting, directing, screenwriting, and producing.
Ha has also built a reputation for selecting varied roles rather than remaining confined to one genre.
His performances have included serial killers, soldiers, pilots, gangsters, lawyers, police figures, historical characters, and ordinary men caught in extraordinary circumstances. His height is 184 cm (6’0½”).
Net worth
Ha Jung-woo’s net worth is $20 million. His income comes primarily from acting in major South Korean films and television productions, alongside directing, screenwriting, producing, endorsements, and other entertainment-industry activities.
His strongest commercial period has included major productions such as The Chaser, The Yellow Sea, The Berlin File, The Terror Live, Assassination, The Handmaiden, The Tunnel, and the two Along with the Gods films.
These projects established him as one of South Korea’s highest-profile film performers.
Filmography
- Madeleine — 2003 — Lee Tae-soo
- The Unforgiven — 2005 — Yoo Tae-jeong
- The Chaser — 2008 — Ji Young-min
- The Yellow Sea — 2010 — Gu-nam
- The Berlin File — 2013 — Pyo Jong-sung
- The Terror Live — 2013 — Yoon Young-hwa
- The Handmaiden — 2016 — Count Fujiwara
- The Tunnel — 2016 — Lee Jung-soo
- Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds — 2017 — Gang-rim
- Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days — 2018 — Gang-rim
- Ransomed — 2023 — Lee Min-jun
- Hijack 1971 — 2024 — Tae-in
- Nocturnal — 2025 — Min-tae
- Lobby — 2025 — Min-soo
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