Uhm Ji-won (; born December 25, 1977) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading roles in the films Tale of Cinema (2005), Hope (2013), The Silenced (2015), Missing (2016), and the television dramas Birthcare Center (2020), and Little Women (2022).
Career Uhm Ji-won made her acting debut in the late 1990s, and after an early role in the Korean tokusatsu series Vectorman, went on to appear in a number of films and television drama series. In 2004, she appeared alongside Han Suk-kyu and Lee Eun-ju in The Scarlet Letter, receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
In 2005, Uhm played a leading role in Hong Sang-soo's Tale of Cinema, and was praised for giving an "engaging, emotionally nuanced dual performance" as fictional actress Choi Young-shil.Neil Young (October 2005). "VIENNALE '05 (pt4 – Tue 25 Oct) Tropic of Cancer / The Novena / Tale of Cinema / Black Dragon Canyon" . Neil Young's Film Lounge. The film required her to perform her first nude scene, and she later remarked that, "After stripping in front of the camera, I felt that I could now take any role."Shin Hae-in (March 27, 2006). "What nude scenes mean for actresses" . The Korea Herald via Hancinema.
Uhm starred alongside Yoo Ji-tae and Kim Ji-soo in the 2006 film Traces of Love, portraying a survivor of the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse who still suffers from psychological trauma years later. She prepared for the role by studying news and documentaries of the event, as well as reading through various psychology texts."Eom Ji-won Rediscovered" . The Chosun Ilbo. October 27, 2006. Uhm was once again nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and later won the same category at the Chunsa Film Art Awards.
After a cameo in director Kim Jee-woon's 2008 epic western The Good, the Bad, the Weird,Park Chung-a (July 1, 2007). "Pop Diva Tops Internet News" . The Korea Times. and a leading role in another Hong Sang-soo art film Like You Know It All, she was cast in her first period film, Private Eye. Uhm returned to lighter fare in 2010 with the romantic comedy series The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry.
In 2011, Uhm appeared an episode of BBC World's The Third Eye, a documentary series that spotlights up-and-coming countries. The installment of the eight-part segment on Korea is interspersed with interviews with Uhm giving her opinions on Korean culture, domestic movies and the Korean Wave. It also featured footage from her 2010 sex comedy movie Foxy Festival. Uhm, who was interviewed in Korea, was chosen in light of her impressive acting skills, natural charm and English fluency, producers said."Uhm Ji-won Takes Center Stage for BBC's Third Eye Documentary" . The Chosun Ilbo. June 25, 2011.
From 2012 to 2013, she starred in family dramas by renowned TV writer Kim Soo-hyun, Childless Comfort and Thrice Married Woman. This was followed by a well-received supporting performance in the gangster comedy Man on the Edge.
Uhm then played the mother of a sexually assaulted child in Hope; she said it was the first movie where she let go of everything, calling it one of her best works. Uhm won Best Actress at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, and received nominations at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards. This was followed by period mystery-thriller The Silenced, and sci-fi thriller The Phone. This was followed by kidnapping drama Missing, which won her Best Actress award at the Women in Film Korea Awards. Uhm then featured in crime action film Master.
In 2017, Uhm made a small-screen comeback in SBS' legal thriller Distorted, playing a public prosecutor. In 2019, Uhm starred in the body-swap comedy drama Spring Turns to Spring. The same year, she starred in the zombie comedy film The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale. In May 2019, Uhm signed with new agency C-JeS Entertainment.
In 2025, Uhm starred in Netflix's mystery historical television series Dear Hongrang alongside Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae-wook. It is based on Tangeum: Swallowing Gold by Jang Da-hye and was produced by Studio Dragon.
Personal life Uhm is a member of Yeongwol Eom clan. She is a devout Protestant Christian, and together with Han Hye-jin was part of a church group called HaMiMo.
Uhm began dating architect Oh Young-wook in 2013; Oh is the founder of well-known architectural firm ogisadesign d'espacio architects (oddaa), and has also published several books on travel and art. They married on May 27, 2014, at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. Later on April 6, 2021, she announced on her YouTube channel that she and her husband had amicably divorced and would remain friends.
Philanthropy On March 12, 2022, Uhm made a donation million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help the victims of the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and which spread to Samcheok, Gangwon Province. On March 17, 2022, Uhm made a donation millions to Save the Children's Children's Rights Film to help victims of the Ukrainian-Russian war.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 Vectorman: Counterattack of the Evil Empire Princess Radia 2000 The Record Older sister 2002 Over the Rainbow Kim Eun-seong 2003 Mutt Boy Kim Jeong-ae 2004 The Scarlet Letter Han Su-hyeon 2005 Tale of Cinema Choi Young-shil 2006 Running Wild Kang Joo-hee Traces of Love Yun Se-jin 2007 Epitaph Professor Park's daughter Cameo Scout Kim Se-young 2008 The Good, the Bad, the Weird Na-yeon Cameo 2009 The End short film Private Eye Soon-deok Like You Know It All Gong Hyeon-hee Invitation Woman short film 2010 Romantic Debtors Kim Mu-ryeong Foxy Festival Ji-su 2013 Man on the Edge Fortune Teller Myung Hope Kim Mi-hee 2015 The Silenced Headmistress The Phone Jo Yeong-soo 2016 Missing Ji-sun Master Shin Gemma 2019 The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale Nam-joo 2021 The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey Im Jin-hee 2023 Jung_E Lee Se-yeon Netflix film; special appearance
Television series Year Title Role 2002 Golden Wagon Hwang Soon-jung 2004 Into the Storm Oh Jung-hee Magic Ha Yeon-jin 2008 On Air Herself (cameo, episode 5) 2010 The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry Jung Da-jung 2011 Sign Jung Woo-jin 2012 Can Love Become Money? Yoon Da-ran My Kids Give Me a Headache Ahn So-young 2013 Thrice Married Woman Oh Hyun-soo 2017 Distorted Kwon So-ra 2019 Spring Turns to Spring Lee Bom 2020 The Cursed Im Jin Hee Birthcare Center Oh Hyun-jin 2022 Little Women Won Sang-ah 2024 The Trunk Lee Seon 2025 For Eagle Brothers Ma Kwang-sook
Web series Year Title Role 2023 Cruel Intern Choi Ji-won 2025When Life Gives You TangerinesNa Min-ok Dear Hongrang Min Yeon-ui
Variety shows Year Title Notes 2008–2010 MC 2010 Road for Hope Charity documentary
Music video appearances Year Song title Artist 2007 "Goodbye" () KCM 2009 "Maze" () Pearl ()
Musical theatre Year Title Role 2009 Our Sweet Days of Youth Hye-rin
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2003 24th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actress Mutt Boy 2004 25th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actress The Scarlet Letter "Blue Dragon Film Awards 2004" . Cinemaise. Retrieved February 2, 2008. 2006 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards Traces of Love "The 27th Blue Dragon Awards" . The Korea Society. Retrieved February 2, 2008. 2007 15th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Supporting Actress "'그해 여름', 춘사영화제 5관왕! (종합)" (in Korean). Naver. September 14, 2007. 2008 5th Max Movie Awards Scout "MaxMovie Film Awards "The Day of Park Cheol-min" (Bae Dae-ro from the drama "New Heart")" . Hancinema. February 21, 2008. 2009 18th Buil Film Awards Like You Know It All 2010 18th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards Excellence Award, Actress in a Film Romantic Debtors 2011 3rd Asia Jewelry Awards Sapphire Award SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special Sign 2013 22nd Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Man on the Edge 50th Grand Bell Awards Korean Film Actor's Association Top Film Star Award Hope 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Best Actress 2014 50th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) 51st Grand Bell Awards Best Actress SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Thrice Married Woman 2016 36th Golden Cinematography Awards Best Actress The Phone 21st Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Supporting Actress The Silenced 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards Best Supporting Actress (Film) 2017 SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday–Tuesday Drama Distorted 18th Women in Film Korea Awards Best Actress Missing 2018 7th Marie Claire Film Awards Marie Claire Award 2019 MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Miniseries Spring Turns to Spring 2021 57th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (TV) Birthcare Center 2022 A-Awards A-Awards Passion Little Women 30th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress 2023 9th APAN Star Awards Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Excellence Award, Actress in a Short Drama O'PENing - Summer Cold 2025 11th APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama For Eagle Brothers 39th KBS Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Best Couple Award Uhm Ji-won For Eagle Brothers
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 Included
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