Ha Ji-won Embraces New Challenges in 'Climax' and Beyond

Since her debut in 1996, actress Ha Ji-won has never stopped challenging herself. In 'Climax,' she sheds her familiar image to portray the ambitious top star Choo Sang-ah, leaving a strong impression with a completely different persona.

On October 7, Ha Ji-won shared insights about her role and the drama during an interview at the ENA conference room in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

'Climax' is a gripping survival drama about prosecutor Bang Tae-seop (played by Joo Ji-hoon) who enters a power cartel to reach the top in South Korea. Ha Ji-won plays Choo Sang-ah, Bang Tae-seop's wife, who stands at a crossroads of power and choice, tackling bold themes like a show-window marriage and homosexuality.

To embody Choo Sang-ah, Ha Ji-won lost about 5kg. She explained, "Sang-ah is portrayed as a sensitive and meticulously managed actress, so the director wanted a lean look. Initially, I lost some weight for the costume fitting, but I was asked to lose more for a better fit. It was challenging to lose muscle as I have a muscular build."

Ha Ji-won also faced psychological challenges during her diet. "Sang-ah is depicted as an actress suffering from anorexia. While playing her, I found myself unable to eat properly, experiencing moments akin to anorexia, which was emotionally taxing," she recalled.

"At the time, I wanted to finish filming quickly because it was so tough. Fortunately, now that the drama is out, I feel relieved and at ease. Haha. It's the first time I'm openly discussing my weight. Before filming 'Climax,' I weighed 50kg. I lost 5kg for the role. Now, I'm working on returning to a healthy state."

Ha Ji-won also made headlines with a same-sex kiss scene with co-stars Han Ji-soo (Yoon Dong-hee) and Nana (Hwang Jung-won). She said, "I was aware of it before filming. The director depicted it so well that I trusted him. It was a challenging scene, but we shot it enjoyably, thanks to the considerate actors."

"The character Jung-won is crucial to Sang-ah. It was important to naturally portray their relationship, so we put extra effort into the same-sex kiss scene. I was worried about representing homosexuality accurately, but after monitoring the footage, I was relieved it turned out better than expected."

In the drama, Choo Sang-ah and Bang Tae-seop maintain a precarious balance, driven more by mutual interests than love. Ha Ji-won explained, "For Sang-ah, Bang Tae-seop wasn't love. However, since 'Bang Tae-seop loved Sang-ah' was part of the setup, I aimed to portray that aspect more dimensionally."

Regarding her chemistry with Joo Ji-hoon, Ha Ji-won said, "There were more physical scenes than expected, but we trusted each other, so filming was smooth." She added, "Many anticipate a romance between Bang Tae-seop and Sang-ah. If given the chance, I'd like to explore that with Joo Ji-hoon in another project."

Meanwhile, Ha Ji-won embarks on a new challenge with her first solo web variety show, 'Class of '26.' The show follows her as a freshman experiencing campus life, contrasting her intense and bold role in 'Climax' with a fresh and delightful charm.

Ha Ji-won shared, "Fans were overwhelmed, saying it felt like a rollercoaster watching me as Choo Sang-ah and then as a college freshman." She added, "As an actress, I never had a proper college experience, but through 'Class of '26,' I got to do things I missed out on. It was so romantic."

"It felt like revisiting my twenties. It was heartwarming to see my younger self through this time travel. I've always been curious about the lives of Gen Z and wanted to communicate with them. This opportunity allows me to experience it firsthand, sometimes offering advice as a life senior, and I'm grateful for it."