She was in Hwang Jini? Another classic... why I don't remember her there? I know Wang Bit-Na was in it...
I’d definitely recommend Hwang Jin Yi and Damo after Empress Ki. In Hwang Jin Yi, Ha Ji-won has two love interests, one of whom is Jang Geun-suk. It’s such a beautiful drama, and her character goes through a major transformation after about 6–7 episodes, becoming much stronger. In Damo, you’ll also notice some familiar faces from Empress Ki, like Wang Yoo’s eunuch and his bodyguard. I’ve watched that drama four times, and it still makes me cry every time. The soundtrack is incredible too—I still have some of the songs on my playlist. Just keep in mind, it’s quite an old drama. After Damo, Ha Ji-won starred in What Happened in Bali alongside Jo In-sung and So Ji-sub. Her character there is very different, and I really liked that side of her. The drama had very high ratings when it aired. There were even talks in 2018 about a remake with younger actors, but Korean netizens weren’t happy with the idea—mainly because the original ending is such a major spoiler, and people weren’t sure how it could be changed. I’d strongly recommend that drama as well. Looking at Ha Ji-won’s television career, especially starting from Damo, she delivered one iconic hit after another: Damo, What Happened in Bali, Hwang Jin Yi, Secret Garden, The King 2 Hearts, Empress Ki, and Hospital Ship. Her film career is arguably even stronger. At one point, she was the highest-paid actress in films and the only woman in the top 10. I’ve also noticed that some of her photos in climax often come from her arthouse film Duelist with Kang Dong-won,
She was in Hwang Jini? Another classic... why I don't remember her there? I know Wang Bit-Na was in it...
I’m assuming you’ve seen the Hwang Jin Yi movie version. Ha Ji-won starred in the drama adaptation, and she won her first Daesang for that role. It’s such an amazing drama—I’m actually rewatching it right now. It originally aired in 2006.
Was Ha Ji-Won a villain protagonist in Empress Ki too? If so, DAMN! I *really* need to watch it then...
Ji Chang-wook’s breakout role is undoubtedly in Empress Ki. His performance is strong, and although he begins as the second lead, he gradually rises to become the male lead. Ha Ji-won, however, remains the main focus of the story. Interestingly, Jiwon portrays three distinct roles throughout the drama: in the first six episodes, she cross-dresses as a man; from then until episode 22, she plays a clever maid; and after episode 22, her character undergoes a dramatic transformation, seeking revenge. By episode 37, she becomes more morally ambiguous. In fact, the drama doesn’t feature a single fully “good” main character, which makes it all the more intriguing.
Ha Ji-won truly deserves a third Daesang for her portrayal of Chi Sang-ah. In the first two episodes, she seemed weak, but I knew she would completely switch it up—just like she did in Hwang Jini and Empress Ki. At this point, even I feel manipulated—I can’t tell when she’s being genuine and when she’s acting.
best sageuk drama drama of 2025. Kim sejeong nailed that role. somehow these days I cant even finish new dramas, Im just dropping them after 4-6 episodes, but this gets interesting each episode
Honestly, I think both of them are doing an amazing job here. Again, Tae-Seop is the protagonist, so of course…
Oh, you still haven’t watched episode 4 yet? And yes, Empress Ki is the best K-drama of all time for me—I’ve been watching K-dramas since 2010. I’ve rewatched it 26 times, even though it has 51 episodes. The story, acting, music, and cinematography are all incredible.
It was also probably one of the first dramas with such a strong female lead—physically powerful, intelligent, and very strategic. Ha Ji Won even played three different roles in the drama. I think she and Moon Geun Young are the only actresses who have convincingly portrayed characters disguised as men. Ha Ji Won truly deserved her second Daesang for that role.
Honestly, I think both of them are doing an amazing job here. Again, Tae-Seop is the protagonist, so of course…
like Ju Ji-hoon and I’ve enjoyed his other dramas, but in this one, his acting just isn’t that impressive—especially next to Ha Ji-wont. Btw I saw their photos from the MBC Drama Awards 2013 today, and it reminded me how she won all the major awards that night, including the Daesang for Empress Ki.
In Damo, you’ll also notice some familiar faces from Empress Ki, like Wang Yoo’s eunuch and his bodyguard. I’ve watched that drama four times, and it still makes me cry every time. The soundtrack is incredible too—I still have some of the songs on my playlist. Just keep in mind, it’s quite an old drama.
After Damo, Ha Ji-won starred in What Happened in Bali alongside Jo In-sung and So Ji-sub. Her character there is very different, and I really liked that side of her. The drama had very high ratings when it aired. There were even talks in 2018 about a remake with younger actors, but Korean netizens weren’t happy with the idea—mainly because the original ending is such a major spoiler, and people weren’t sure how it could be changed. I’d strongly recommend that drama as well.
Looking at Ha Ji-won’s television career, especially starting from Damo, she delivered one iconic hit after another: Damo, What Happened in Bali, Hwang Jin Yi, Secret Garden, The King 2 Hearts, Empress Ki, and Hospital Ship.
Her film career is arguably even stronger. At one point, she was the highest-paid actress in films and the only woman in the top 10. I’ve also noticed that some of her photos in climax often come from her arthouse film Duelist with Kang Dong-won,
It was also probably one of the first dramas with such a strong female lead—physically powerful, intelligent, and very strategic. Ha Ji Won even played three different roles in the drama. I think she and Moon Geun Young are the only actresses who have convincingly portrayed characters disguised as men. Ha Ji Won truly deserved her second Daesang for that role.
I highly recommend watching Empress Ki.