Han So-hee, birth name Lee So-hee, was born in 1993 in Ulsan. When she was five years old, her parents divorced; her father passed away early, and her mother was burdened with debt. The person who raised her and was closest to her was her grandmother. She once shared that her grandmother was both her support and her greatest source of encouragement. Growing up in a broken family gave her a realistic, sometimes cold view of marriage and love.
At the age of 20, Han So-hee moved to Seoul with about 300,000 won. She had to work several part-time jobs at restaurants and bars to cover living expenses. At times, she only ate one meal a day to save money. From these jobs, she began working as a model and gradually entered the entertainment industry.
Han So-hee first drew attention when she appeared in the music video Tell Me What To Do (2016) by SHINee, a popular South Korean boy group, and later in other music videos and commercials. In 2017, she had her first acting role in the drama Reunited Worlds. She went on to appear in 100 Days My Prince (2018) and Abyss (2019), before rising to fame with her role as Yeo Da-kyung in The World of the Married (2020). The drama brought her widespread recognition and established her as one of the notable actresses in Korean television.
In the early stage of her career (2017–2019), Han So-hee was often compared to Song Hye-kyo due to their similar appearance. From 2020 onwards, she appeared in various projects with different roles: Yeo Da-kyung in The World of the Married (2020), a student in Nevertheless (2021), an action-driven character in My Name (2021), and a survival role in Gyeongseong Creature (2023). These changes showed that she moved beyond the image of a “Song Hye-kyo lookalike” and built her own identity on screen.
In 2020, when her career had just begun to flourish, old photos of Han So-hee smoking and showing tattoos spread widely on social media and major Korean outlets such as Newsis (뉴시스) and Segye Ilbo (세계일보). This led to debates, as her on-screen image was placed against her personal past. At that time, she admitted frankly: “That was me a few years ago, and those experiences are part of who I am now.” Her attitude of not avoiding the issue helped her gain some understanding from the public.
In 2022, as her career advanced, Han So-hee was involved in a case related to her mother’s debt. Some people accused her mother of financial fraud, including using her daughter’s name to borrow money. Han So-hee later issued a public apology, saying she was not in close contact with her mother and had repaid debts on her behalf several times. The incident affected her public image to some extent.
In 2024, Han So-hee told reporter Choi Ji-ye of Tenasia that she was born in 1993, not 1994 as many records had stated. She explained that the discrepancy came from taking a year off school due to family circumstances. The information sparked discussion, but most viewers saw it as an administrative error and expressed sympathy.
Han So-hee’s difficult and turbulent childhood, her time working part-time in Seoul, personal controversies, and family burdens are all elements that shaped her. Instead of defeating her, these experiences made her more resilient in her career. From a young woman leaving Ulsan with little money, Han So-hee has become one of the leading actresses in South Korean television.
