Ha Ji-won Reveals Her Secret to Youthful Looks and Health at 47

South Korean actress Ha Ji-won, at 47, shares her dietary habits that help her maintain a youthful appearance and good health.

On the October 16th episode of JTBC's 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' (also known as 'Chef & My Fridge'), Ha Ji-won and Jang Keun-suk appeared as guests.

Ha Ji-won expressed her love for food, saying, "Unlike Jang Keun-suk, I love eating. I enjoy eating food prepared by others." She added, "Seeing the chefs in person is as exciting as seeing celebrities." When asked about her favorite celebrity chef, she mentioned, "Chef Yoon Nam-no. I was drawn to his macho gaze on 'Black and White Chef'." Yoon Nam-no couldn't hide his smile, saying, "I might not be able to sleep. My heart is racing."

Ha Ji-won also expressed her desire to meet Chef Choi Kang-rok, describing his charm as "like an onion," with layers that make him more intriguing the more you get to know him.

MC Kim Sung-joo revealed that some chefs consider Ha Ji-won their ideal type, with Yoon Nam-no and Choi Kang-rok being among them. Yoon Nam-no shared, "I've been a fan since my teenage years, even during my military service." Choi Kang-rok proudly stated, "I've watched all of 'Empress Ki'." He added, "I usually study eyes," but when he looked into Ha Ji-won's eyes, he admitted, "I can't analyze them," turning his head away in embarrassment.

Ha Ji-won's refrigerator was revealed, which she shares with her mother. She enjoys dishes like rosemary lime ramen and radish kimchi with almonds. "I like breaking stereotypes," she said.

She also shared her unique use of cheese as a seasoning, stating, "I use it in any dish because I dislike artificial flavors. It adds umami. I even put it on salads and rice." When the MCs expressed surprise at the idea of cheese on rice, Ha Ji-won explained, "I mix olive oil with rice, then top it with arugula or herbs."

MC Kim Sung-joo asked about the origin of her unique recipes, to which Ha Ji-won replied, "I tried it, and it was delicious. It's my own discovery." Chef Kim Poong speculated, "That might be the secret to her youthful appearance," with Chef Choi Hyun-seok agreeing, "It could be the olive oil."

Her fridge was stocked with lemons and lime, and she revealed she's been consuming lemons for 15 years. Regarding bottled lemon juice, she said, "Mixing lemon with soju prevents swelling and hangovers the next day. My mom squeezes 2-3 bottles at a time for me. I also mix it with honey in a tumbler."

The fridge also contained royal jelly. Ha Ji-won explained, "The pure royal jelly is too strong, so my mom mixes it with honey. It's my health secret." Chef Choi Hyun-seok tasted the royal jelly and commented, "It has a strong acidity," noting her distinct taste preferences.

The episode concluded with a cooking competition between chefs Kim Poong and Sam Kim, and Choi Kang-rok and Yoon Nam-no, with Sam Kim and Yoon Nam-no emerging victorious.

By Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr