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Han Sun-hwa
South Korean singer and actress (born 1990) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Han Sun-hwa (Korean: 한선화; born October 6, 1990), also known mononymously as Sunhwa, is a South Korean actress and singer.[2][3] She is a former member of the South Korean girl group Secret. She made her television debut in 2004 while participating in SBS' Superstar Survival as a finalist,[4] and in 2009, she was a regular cast member on a variety show called Invincible Youth.[5] Aside from music, she also ventured into acting and made her debut in the 2010 drama, More Charming By The Day.[6] Some of her notable works include School 2017 (2017), My Contracted Husband, Mr. Oh (2018), Work Later, Drink Now (2021–2023) and My Sweet Mobster (2024).
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Early life
Family
Han Sun-hwa was born on October 6, 1990,[7] in Buk District, Busan, South Korea.[1] She has one younger sister and one younger brother, Han Seung-woo.[4] Han's mother gave birth to her at the young age of 20. As the eldest child, she took care of her younger siblings by cooking them food and tutoring them when both of their parents had to work. During the East Asian Financial Crisis in 1998, Han's family struggled and recalled that her dream of being an entertainer was getting dim.[8]
Creative interests and primary education
Ever since she was young, Han had an interest in art and had always dreamed of becoming an artist. She took after-school art programs in elementary school and managed to win several awards from various art competitions. However, after seeing one of BoA's performances on television, she realized her dream was singing and dancing.[9]
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Career
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2004–2008: Career beginnings, higher education and challenges
Since then, Han began auditioning for various recording companies; she entered the S.M. Entertainment Youth Trainee Program but was eliminated.[10][11] In 2004, Han started auditioning at companies besides singing competitions. In 2005, she became a finalist on a talent show called Superstar Survival along with 2PM's Taecyeon, Lee Junho and Chansung. During the show, Han received vocal and acting training; however, she was eliminated in the fifth episode and went back to Busan.[9]
Following her setback, Han went back to being an ordinary high school student. She was later admitted to the Department of Musical Theatre at the Paekche Institute of the Arts.[12][13] A few days before the college entrance ceremony, she got a call from an agent who watched Superstar Survival and became a trainee in TS Entertainment.[14] While training, she faced difficulty balancing her education and training, and eventually took an extended leave of absence from the university, which she continues to maintain.[15][16]
2009–2013: Secret, Invincible Youth, acting debut and rising popularity
In October 2009, Han, along with Jung Ha-na, Song Ji-eun and Jun Hyo-seong, debuted in the group Secret;[5] prior to their debut, the group was on a documentary show called Secret Story which chronicled their debut process.[17] In the same month, Han was chosen as a regular cast member of a South Korean variety show called Invincible Youth;[18][5] the news that a girl group member who hadn't debuted yet would be selected for a variety program caused a huge sensation.[18]
Secret released their debut single "I Want You Back" in October 2009.[19] In April 2010, they released their first mini album entitled Secret Time which spawned the hit single "Magic" and served as their breakthrough song in South Korea.[20][21][22] The same year, Han made her acting debut in the sitcom More Charming By The Day.[6] She next starred in the workplace drama Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek.[23] On December 28, 2010, Han made a cameo appearance on MBC's daily sitcom, All My Love, playing Gain's old college friend.[24]
In 2012, for the year end SBS Gayo Daejeon show, SBS created four idol super groups, a fan vote placed Han into the group designated Mystic White, the group working with producer Kim Do-hoon, created the song "Mermaid Princess" the profits of which was donated to charity.[25][26]
2014–2020: Acting roles and group departure
In 2014, Han got her first television lead role in the MBC weekend drama Rosy Lovers alongside actor Lee Jang-woo.[27][28][29][30] CNN International Seoul listed Han as one of the nine rising "it" stars in Korean entertainment citing her as a "multi-tasking" artist.[31] The same year, her performance in tvN romance drama, Marriage, Not Dating[32][33] earned her a nomination for Best Young Actress at the 16th Seoul International Youth Film Festival.[citation needed] She also won two best new actress awards from MBC and SBS Drama Awards for her roles in Rosy Lovers[34] and fantasy thriller God's Gift: 14 Days.[35][36]
It was confirmed on September 26, 2016, that Han had not renewed her contract with TS Entertainment and would leave the company in October.[37][38][39] On October 14, 2016, Han joined Huayi Brothers as an actress.[40]
In 2017, Han starred in the office comedy series Radiant Office,[41][42] as well as teen drama School 2017.[43] In 2018, Sunhwa was cast in MBC weekend drama My Contracted Husband, Mr. Oh.[44]
On March 13, 2020, KeyEast announced that it had signed an exclusive contract with Han.[45] Later, she was cast in the romantic-comedy drama, Backstreet Rookie, alongside actors Ji Chang-wook and Kim You-jung, adapted from the webtoon of the same name. She played Dae-hyun's (Ji Chang-wook) girlfriend and former boss, also a convenience store headquarters Public Relations team leader.[46][47] In July 2020, she confirmed her appearance in the JTBC drama Undercover, a remake of 2016 BBC miniseries of the same name.[48]
2021–present: Acting breakthrough and prominent roles
In 2021, Han made her film debut with the independent film When Winter Comes, which premiered at the 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF).[49][50] Later that year, she also played the lead in her first theatrical release, Cinema Street.[51] She was further cast as one of the leads in the web series Work Later, Drink Now, portraying the character of Han Ji-yeon across two seasons, a role that marked a significant breakthrough in her acting career, culminating in her receipt of the Excellence Award, Actress in an OTT Drama at the 8th APAN Star Awards.[52][53][54]
In 2022, Han made a special appearance in the SBS drama Why Her.[55] She later appeared in the solo drama O'PENing – The First Glance, alongside actors Lee Jae-in and Kang Gil-woo.[56][57] She subsequently played the role of Hye-young in the thesis film A Letter from Kyoto, which premiered at the 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) before its theatrical release in 2023.[58][59]
In 2023, Han was cast in the film Honey Sweet.[60]
In 2024, Han took on the female lead role in the JTBC drama My Sweet Mobster, reuniting with actor Uhm Tae-goo, with whom she previously worked in the 2019 drama Save Me 2.[61][62] She was cast as Han Jung-mi, a YouTuber and the younger sister of Han Jung-woo (played by actor Jo Jung-suk), in the comedy film Pilot.[63] Furthermore, she contributed as the talent donor for the short film Love Letter to the Dog.[64][65]
In February 2025, Han was cast as the main lead, playing the role of Kang Eun-kyung, a student teacher in the comedy horror film Teaching Practice: Idiot Girls and School Ghost 2. Later that year, her performance in the film earned her the Korean Fantastic Actor Award at the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN).[66][67] In April 2025, she was confirmed as one of the leads in the adventure comedy film The First Ride.[68] In September 2025, she held her first solo fan meeting, "Attractive Sunhwa log," of her 16-year career.[53]
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Artistry
Musical style influences and acting training
Han has said from childhood that she has been influenced by pop and R&B groups such as Fin.K.L, S.E.S. and Shinhwa. Han credits BoA as one of her major influences and idols. She also credits BoA's singing and dancing as influencing her to pursue a musical career. Additionally, she underwent formal vocal and acting training as a participant in the SBS talent show Superstar Survival.[9]
Literary interests and authorship pursuits
In a 2024 episode of her YouTube channel 궁금한선화 (Curious Sunhwa), Han shared that she has a passion for reading, often visiting bookstores to find comfort during stressful or frustrating periods. She also reflected on a solo trip to Croatia, describing it as a meaningful experience that allowed her to reconnect with herself and focus on personal growth. The trip inspired introspection, which led South Korean journalist and writer Kwak Jung-eun to suggest that Han write a book, indicating a potential future path as an author. Han stated that this is something she might pursue in the future.[69][70]
Public image
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Perspective
"My MBTI is INFP. I think I've always been close to an introverted extrovert. Honestly, I was even more introverted as a child. I like calm things, but I don’t want to be drawn only to that side. When I’m alone at home, I feel ‘bored’ but also think ‘going out is such a hassle.’ Being alone feels lonely, and loneliness is scary, so I want to go out, but I’m not the type to reach out to people first. I go out when someone contacts me. So, I have both a calm side and a lively side within me."
—Han, on her "INFP" personality.[71]
"INFP" is an MBTI personality type that stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving. Han identifies as INFP, blending introversion with sociability. This shapes her acting, favoring poetic narratives and immersive preparation, as seen in When Winter Comes.[71] Han's INFP personality, characterized by her self-described idealism and emotional nature, is reflected in her deep connection to reading, finding comfort in books like journalist and writer Kwak Jung-eun's 우리는 어째서 이토록 (Why Are We Like This) at bookstores during challenging times. It has also led her to consider the possibility of writing book and potentially becoming an author in the future.[69][70]
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Endorsements and other activities
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2010s
Aside from her works with Secret, she also became active in acting, modelling and frequently participating in variety shows. In November 2010, Han won the best wedding dress idol award on MBC's Bouquet which landed her a magazine cover feature on Wedding 21's December issue.[72]
On February 2, 2011, Han guested on the KBS's Lunar New Year special, Idol Health Beauty Contest, during which she was chosen as the star with the healthiest and most beautiful skin.[73] Han, along with many other female idols, participated in a skin evaluation by selected professionals. In the end, results showed that Han's skin appeared 10 years younger than her actual age.[74] In April 2011, Han was chosen as the model for the cosmetics company The Skin House. Han reportedly received a $100,000 deposit for her six-month contract.[75] On May 29, 2014, the company announced that it had extended its exclusive modeling contract with Han for the third time.[76]
In February 2015, Han signed a deal with popular handbag brand St. Scott LONDON as their exclusive model for Spring/Summer 2015 collection.[77] In August 2015, it was announced that Han, along with Super Junior's Choi Si-won, would be the honorary ambassador of the 11th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF).[78]
Along with Secret, Han has been featured as a model for various endorsement deals such as Grand Mer,[79] Nike,[80] Nene Chicken,[81] Good Day Soju[82] and Parkga[83] among others. Along with Jun Hyo-seong, B.A.P's Kim Him-chan and Bang Yong-guk, Han was chosen as a model for Kellan sportswear 11/12 Winter Collection in September 2011.[84]
2020–present
In 2022, Han appeared in endorsements for several brands. In January, she became a brand model for Soomgo, a South Korean local services marketplace,[85] and in March, for I'm Real, a color mask brand.[86] In June, she was appointed as the brand ambassador for Compagna, a women's clothing brand. In February 2025, the brand confirmed the continuation of their partnership with Han for the third consecutive year.[87]
In February 2023, Han was named the brand muse for Public Beacon, a South Korean fashion eyewear brand.[88] In May 2023, she featured as the brand model for Kooksoondang makgeolli. As part of the Kooksoondang campaign, a YouTube commercial titled "Han Sun-hwa's Happiness in a Liquor Commercial" was released, which accumulated 6.4 million views as of April 2024.[89][90]
In September 2025, Han appeared in the first episode of the promotional web drama series His Imagination Doesn't Become Reality for SK Telecom, South Korea's largest wireless carrier and a subsidiary of the SK Group, to advertise its T Membership benefits. The series, released on the company's YouTube channel, featured her alongside actor Park Byung-eun.[91] In November 2025, she featured as a brand model in a social media commercial for CJ CheilJedang's Beksul 10-Min Cook line of Korean meal sauces.[92]
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Discography
Singles
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Filmography
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Film
Television series
Web series
Television shows
Web shows
Hosting
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Awards and nominations
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References
External links
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