Uhm Ji-won

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Uhm Ji-won

Role / Field:

Acclaimed South Korean actress known for nuanced roles in cinema and television.

Born:

1977-12-25

Century / Era:

1977s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Uhm Ji-won (Korean: 엄지원; 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). 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.

Career & Major Achievements

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." 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. 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, 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.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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. From 2012 to 2013, she starred in family dramas by renowned TV writer Kim Soo-hyun, Childless Comfort and Thrice Married Woman.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1977 (1977-12-25): Birth of Uhm Ji-won — Acclaimed South Korean actress known for nuanced roles in cinema and television.
2. 2004: 2004 Milestone — 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.
3. 2005: 2005 Milestone — 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).
4. 2006: 2006 Milestone — " 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.
5. 2008: 2008 Milestone — After a cameo in director Kim Jee-woon's 2008 epic western The Good, the Bad, the Weird, 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.
6. 2010: 2010 Milestone — Uhm returned to lighter fare in 2010 with the romantic comedy series The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry.
7. 2011: 2011 Milestone — In 2011, Uhm appeared an episode of BBC World's The Third Eye, a documentary series that spotlights up-and-coming countries.
8. 2012: 2012 Milestone — From 2012 to 2013, she starred in family dramas by renowned TV writer Kim Soo-hyun, Childless Comfort and Thrice Married Woman.

Notable Quotes by Uhm Ji-won

“After stripping in front of the camera, I felt that I could now take any role.” (2005)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Uhm Ji-won

True or False: “Uhm Ji-won won Best Actress at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for her role in *Hope* (2013).”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): She received this award after portraying a mother dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault in the film *Hope*, which she considered one of her best works.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Contemporary (Died in 1977) (1977): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• A Certain Ratio — Contemporary (Born in 1977) (1977): English post-punk band known for blending funk, disco, and Latin percussion.
• Abdel Halim Hafez — Contemporary (Died in 1977) (1977): Iconic Egyptian singer and actor, known as 'The Brown-Skinned Nightingale'.
• Ahmed Ben Bella — Shared historical date (12-25 · Born) (1916): Algerian revolutionary and politician who served as the first President of Algeria.
• Ahn Nae-sang — Shared historical date (12-25 · Born) (1964): Acclaimed South Korean actor known for stage work and diverse roles in film and television.
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani — Historical peer (Died in 1977) (1977): Emir of Qatar (1960–1972) whose reign oversaw the nation's oil boom and independence.
• Akiva Schaffer — Historical peer (Born in 1977) (1977): American filmmaker, comedian, and musician known for The Lonely Island.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Historical peer (Died in 2005) (2005): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances and masterful impersonation.
• Akira Yoshizawa — Historical peer (Died in 2005) (2005): Japanese origamist, credited with elevating origami from a mere craft to a recognized living art.
• Aaron Swartz — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• 1977 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1977
• December 25 (12-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 25

Frequently Asked Questions about Uhm Ji-won