Shim Eun-ha (; born September 23, 1972) is a retired South Korean actress. Shim rose to popularity in the 1990s, starring in some of the highest-rated

Korean drama Korean dramas (; RR: ''Han-guk deurama''), more popularly known as K-dramas, are television series in the Korean language, made in South Korea. They are popular worldwide, especially in Asia, partially due to the spread of Korean popular cultu ...

s of all time, such as ''The Last Match'', ''M'' and ''Trap of Youth''. But she is best known for her acclaimed performance in

Hur Jin-ho Heo Jin-ho (; born August 8, 1963) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Heo Jin-ho graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in philosophy and went on to study filmmaking at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. His first st ...

's melodrama ''

Christmas in August ''Christmas in August'' () is a 1998 South Korean romance drama film. It was director Hur Jin-ho's debut and stars Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha. Plot After a failed engagement, photo shop owner Jung-won ( Han Suk-kyu) is in his 30s and lives wi ...

'', for which she swept the Best Actress awards in 1998. This was followed by another well-received turn in romantic comedy ''

Art Museum by the Zoo ''Art Museum by the Zoo'' () is a 1998 South Korean film written and directed by Lee Jeong-hyang. Plot On leave from the military, Cheol-soo arrives at his girlfriend's apartment only to find it occupied by another woman, Choon-hee. After a few ...

''. Shim suddenly retired from show business after the

Dogme 95 Dogme 95 is a 1995 avant-garde filmmaking movement founded by the Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the "Dogme 95 Manifesto" and the "Vows of Chastity" ( da, kyskhedsløfter). These were rules to create films ...

film ''Interview'', at the height of her fame in 2001, and her mystique solidified her status as the most beloved South Korean actress of that decade.

Career

Shim Eun-ha made her acting debut in 1993 after being recruited by MBC. In 1994, she starred in the basketball-themed TV drama ''The Last Match'', and quickly became the nation's most popular and talked-about star. After more forays in television (including the horror drama ''M'') and two lesser-known films (including ''

Born to Kill Born to Kill may refer to: Film * ''Born to Kill'' (1947 film), a film noir directed by Robert Wise * ''Born to Kill'' (1967 film), a Spaghetti Western directed by Antonio Mollica * ''Born to Kill'' (1974 film) or ''Cockfighter'', a film direct ...

'' with

Jung Woo-sung Jung Woo-sung (born March 20, 1973) is a South Korean actor and the first Korean UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Jung started his career as a fashion model, rising to stardom and teenage cult status with the gangster movie '' Beat'' (1997), for which ...

), she made a permanent mark in the film industry with her performance in

's modern-day classic ''

'' (1998). Later that year ''

'', which presented a more down-to-earth side of the actress, saw her win over more critical praise for her acting abilities. Throughout this period, Shim consistently topped magazine polls as the most popular actress in the film industry."Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Shim Eun-ha"
Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-11-04. In ''Trap of Youth'' (1999), Shim originated the

anti-hero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actio ...

ine in modern

s, when her innocent-looking character avenged herself upon her beloved who had betrayed her. The revenge drama was enormously popular, with viewer ratings soaring to 35.7 percent. She then reunited with Han Suk-kyu in '' Tell Me Something'' (1999), and their star power combined to create one of the most highly anticipated works in Korean film history (though most viewers ultimately expressed disappointment at the film's convoluted narrative). The following year she appeared in Korea's first

Dogme Dogme 95 is a 1995 avant-garde filmmaking movement founded by the Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the "Dogme 95 Manifesto" and the "Vows of Chastity" ( da, kyskhedsløfter). These were rules to create films ba ...

film ''Interview'' (2000) opposite

Lee Jung-jae Lee Jung-jae (; born December 15, 1972) is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. Considered one of the most successful actors in South Korea, he has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cri ...

, which would end up being her last appearance.

Post-retirement

In 2001, after rumors surfaced of an engagement which was later called off, Shim was chased and hounded for months by reporters from local tabloids and entertainment programs. Because of this, she decided to quit acting, simply stating a desire for an ordinary life. In the ensuing years, despite periodic rumors that she would resume her film career, Shim has tried her best to remain out of the public eye, studying in France and taking up painting.

Personal life

In September 2005, Shim appeared in the news again when she announced in a press release that she was marrying Ji Sang-wook. The couple wed at a private ceremony attended by about 150 people at Aston House, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul on October 18, 2005. At the time she reaffirmed that she will not return to acting. The couple have two daughters, the first born on March 2, 2006 and the second on November 28, 2007. Having expressed regret that she hadn't pursued further education while she'd been acting, Shim entered the Korea National Open University in 2009 to study for a

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as La ...

degree. She then displayed her artwork at the 2009 Seoul Open Art Fair, where the Oriental ink-and-wash landscape paintings, done in classical Korean style, attracted attention for their exquisite detail. She sold her first painting at a fundraiser exhibit later that year. After being appointed as spokesperson for the

Liberty Forward Party Advancement Unification Party () or AUP formerly known as Liberty Forward Party was a conservative political party in South Korea. This party was created by Lee Hoi Chang, the presidential candidate who lost 2007 South Korean presidential ele ...

, Shim's husband Ji unsuccessfully ran for

mayor of Seoul The Mayor of Seoul () is the chief executive of Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul being the capital and largest city of South Korea. The position is historically one of the most powerful in the country, charged with managing an annual budg ...

in 2010. Ji subsequently joined the

Saenuri Party The Liberty Korea Party () was a conservative political party in South Korea that was described variously as right-wing, right-wing populist, or far-right. Until February 2017, it was known as the Saenuri Party (), and before that as the Hanna ...

and was elected a member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the r ...

for Seoul in April 2016. Ji now joined

Bareun Party The Bareun Party () was a conservative political party in South Korea, announced on 27 December 2016 with the defection of 29 anti-Park Saenuri Party lawmakers. It was known as the Conservative New Party for Reform until 8 January 2017. Histo ...

Filmography

Film

Television series

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shim, Eun-ha South Korean film actresses South Korean television actresses People from Yongin 1972 births Living people People from Seongnam Best Actress Paeksang Arts Award (film) winners Best Actress Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners