ActorWalk House Company
Ha Jung-woo
Ha Jung-woo (하정우), born Kim Sung-hoon on March 11, 1978, stands among the most decorated actors in Korean cinema. One of only four actors to have accumulated over 100 million tickets across their filmography, he achieved that milestone nearly a decade younger than his peers. His breakout came with Na Hong-jin's 2008 serial killer film The Chaser, a performance that redefined the intensity ceiling for Korean genre acting.
The titles that followed mapped a career of deliberate range: the mountaineering epic Himalaya (2015), the psychological thriller The Handmaiden (2016) under Park Chan-wook, the missing persons drama Along with the Gods series, and the disaster film Tunnel (2016). Narco-Saints (2022), a Netflix limited series set in the drug trade of South America, brought his work to a global streaming audience. He also directs, with credits including Take Off 2 and The Builders.
Managed by Walk House Company, Ha made headlines in early 2026 with his first television drama in 19 years: tvN's crime-thriller black comedy Mad Concrete Dreams, premiering March 14, 2026.
2 articles5 creditsDebut: January 1, 2003South Korean
Fans Also Ask
What is Ha Jung-woo's real name?
Ha Jung-woo was born Kim Sung-hoon (김성훈) on March 11, 1978, in Jamwon-dong, Seocho District, Seoul. He comes from a prominent acting family; his father is veteran actor Kim Yong-gun, and his brother is Cha Hyun-woo.
What was Ha Jung-woo's career-defining breakthrough?
Ha Jung-woo's defining breakthrough was the 2008 serial killer film The Chaser, directed by Na Hong-jin. He played Joong-ho, a disgraced detective-turned-pimp hunting a client he suspects is a killer. The performance earned immediate recognition as a landmark of Korean genre acting.
How significant is Ha Jung-woo's box office record?
Ha Jung-woo is one of only four actors in South Korean cinema history to have accumulated more than 100 million total box office tickets across his filmography. He reached this milestone nearly a decade younger than the other three actors who achieved it.
What is Ha Jung-woo's 2026 project?
Ha Jung-woo stars as Ki Su-jong in Mad Concrete Dreams, a tvN suspense drama premiering March 14, 2026. The series, which also stars Im Soo-jung, Kim Jun-han, and Krystal Jung, follows a building owner who becomes entangled in a kidnapping scheme as his mounting debts spiral out of control.
Is Ha Jung-woo also a filmmaker?
Yes. Beyond acting, Ha Jung-woo has worked as a film director, screenwriter, and producer. He studied theater at Chung-Ang University and directed projects including Take Off 2 (2012) and Fasten Your Seatbelt (2013). His dual identity as performer and filmmaker reflects a deep creative investment in Korean cinema.
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Ha Jung Woo Returns to TV After 19 Years in Mad Concrete Dreams
Ha Jung Woo leads tvN's new crime-thriller black comedy Mad Concrete Dreams, his first drama in 19 years. Premieres March 14, 2026 with Im Soo Jung, Krystal, and Shim Eun Kyung.
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