Han Hyo-joo

Han Hyo-joo (Korean: 한효주; born February 22, 1987) is a South Korean film and television actress, model and singer. She is best known for her leading roles in television series such as Heaven & Earth (2007), Iljimae (2008), Brilliant Legacy (2009), Dong Yi (2010) for which she won the coveted Best Actress award at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards, W (2016) and Happiness (2021), as well as the films Masquerade (2012), which is one of the highest grossing Korean films of all-time, Cold Eyes (2013), for which she won Best Actress at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards, Love 911 (2012), The Beauty Inside (2015), and The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022). Early life Han Hyo-joo was born in Yullryang-dong, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Her mother was an elementary school teacher before becoming an inspector for public schools, and her father was an air force lieutenant colonel who served at a reserve. At the time of her birth, Han was given the name Han Ji-yeong (한지영) but when she entered the third grade, she changed it to her current name. She also has a younger brother and attended Deokseong Elementary School. As a child, she was good in sports, particularly track and field. After graduating from Yullyang Middle School in 2002, she attended Cheongju Girls' High School until 2004. In her sophomore year of high school, she moved to Seoul and transferred to Bulgok High School in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, despite the objections of her strict and conservative father. After graduating in March 2005, she entered Dongguk University’s College of Arts, where she joined the Theater and Film department, and eventually graduated in 2010. Career