Get ready to know the best Han Hyo Joo kdramas and movies. Han Hyo Joo is a top-tier actress who has been dominating the Korean industry ever since the year 2004. She is considered one of the most ethereal and talented actresses in the acting industry. At first sight, you wouldn’t believe that she is a real human being and not an angel. The actress had first risen as a buzzing rookie in the kdrama Nonstop 5. But just after a year, she won the Best New Actress awards at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for her performance in the low-budget film Ad- Lib Night. She started to rise for stardom through Brilliant Legacy, costarring Lee Seung-gi (Mouse). The kdrama was an instant success managing to be number one in the viewership rating chart for 20 consecutive weeks. It had also was able to acquire 47.1% viewership ratings.
And so on went the saga of kdrama with Hyo Joo becoming a great success. Throughout her long-time career, she has won multiple awards, such as the Best Actress Award at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards for her performance as a rookie detective in Cold Eyes. The actress spread her influence internationally, too, in the year 2019. She had played the role of Soyun Pak in the movie Treadstone. Moreover, after taking a two years break from kdramas and movies, Han Hyo Joo is back. She had recently been preparing for Happiness alongside Park Hyun Sik. Here is a list of the 10 best kdramas and movies by Han Hyo Joo.
Best Han Hyo Joo Kdramas
5. Spring Waltz (2006)
On number five of our Best Han Hyo Joo Kdramas list, we have the evergrowing melodrama Spring Waltz. This drama was the final addition to Yoon Seok Ho’s brilliant tetralogy Endless Love. The brilliant director created a set of four kdramas based on the seasons we experience all around the year. Autumn In My Heart in 2000, Winter Sonata, Summer Scent, and Spring Waltz in 2006. The director gives us a brilliant, heartbreaking tale in Autumn and progresses to a happier story in Spring Waltz, which Han Hyo Joo was a part of.
This drama boasts of Seo Do Young, Han Hyo Joo, and Daniel Henry in the main cast. Han Hyo Joo plays the main role of Park Eun Young, whose life has not seen spring in a long time. She and Lee Su Ho meet at various points in their life. It all starts when Lee Su Ho’s father conned Park Eun Yong’s mother and took all her money. Since the mother had saved the money for her daughter’s surgery, she could just sit back. In the tiring quest to hunt down Lee Jong Tae (Lee Su Ho’s father), Park Eun Young’s mother ends up losing her life in an accident. While Park Eun Young is at the hospital, Lee Su Ho, who feels guilty because of his father’s doing, goes to meet her.
At the hospital, he meets Hyun Ji Sook and Yoon Myung Hoon, a rich couple who just lost their young son. When they offer to pay for Park Eun Young’s surgery in exchange for him becoming their son, Lee Su Ho makes the sacrifice. He takes up the identity of Yoon Jae Ha and becomes a successful pianist in Austria. Years later, Park Eun Young wins an exhibition through her handmade accessories, she goes to Austria. There she meets Yoon Jae Ha, who looks a lot like Lee Su Ho from her childhood. Han Hyo Joo and Seo Do Young will take you on this emotionally wrecking journey of love, forgiveness, sacrifice, and destiny. Undoubtedly one of Han Hyo Joo’s top 10 dramas.
4. Iljimae (2008)
The series is also popularly known as Iljimae, The Phanom Thief. Furthermore, this is one of the most engaging and thrilling historical kdramas. If you enjoyed watching Robin Hood, then this show is definitely your cup of tea. This series is inspired by the famous Chinese legend about a masked thief from the Ming dynasty during the Joseon era of Korea. This historical series will tell you the tale of Iljimae over the course of twenty episodes. This drama aired on SBS in 2008. Moreover, you can trust the writing in this drama as the screenwriter was none other than the talented Choi Ran. She has gained immense popularity through her work in the hit series Mouse in 2021. This historical action drama was directed by Lee Yong Seok (The Great Seer and Wife Returns). Han Hyo Joo’s amazing performances in historical dramas are a major reason behind her popularity.
In Iljjima, The Phantom Thief, she plays the love interest of the daring and heroic thief Iljimae. Although the series mostly focuses on Iljimae, the sincerity of Han Hyo Joo’s character, Byun Eun Chae, towards the week will make you love her. Iljimae, The Phantom Thief tells us the story of Lee Gyeom. He is the son of the nobleman, Lee Won Ho. Furthermore, Lee Won Ho was a loyal supporter and friend of the King. He also held a high position in Cheonwoohae, which is a secret organization that consists of the King and other five nobles. However, when a blind fortune-teller who was visiting the land says that Lee Won Ho will shine like a sun that the people will love. The King orders to kill his trusted follower Lee Won Ho.
His son, Lee Gyeom, survived as he was hiding. However, due to the traumatic events following up his father’s death, Lee Gyeom loses his memory. He is adopted by a former thief who names him Yong-I. When Yong-I does regain his memory thirteen years later, he witnesses the sentencing of his older sister. After losing all of his family members to the unjust system, he takes matters into his own hands. He takes off on a quest to find the owner of the sword that killed his father, disguised as the mysterious Iljimae. Adding to that, he steals the wealth of the nobles and gives them off to the poor.
When he falls in love with a nobleman’s daughter, Byun Eun Chae, chaos ensues. You can watch this heart-racing Han Hyo Joo kdrama on Rakuten Viki.
3. Dong Yi (2010)
Dong Yi is yet another amazing historical Han Hyo Joo drama. Fans often joke about the H in Han Hyo Joo’s name stands for historical dramas. Han Hyo Joo’s portrayal of Dong Yi brought her the prestigious Grand Daesang Award. The historical drama, Dong Yi, is based on the life of the celebrated Korean historical figure, Choi Suk Bin. Furthermore, Dong Yi consisted of a total of sixty episodes. Fans first witnessed Han Hyo Joo in Dong Yi’s avatar on the 22nd March on MBC in the year 2010. The drama went on to become the most-watched Korean drama on a Japanese network. And also broke multiple viewership rating records in its homeland. The amazing writing of this drama is all thanks to the genius of Kim Yi Young ( Splendid Politics).
Furthermore, Kim Sang Hyub, the director behind True Beauty, Extraordinary You, and Glamorous Temptation, joined hands with Lee Byung Hoon, who is known for his work in The Flower In Prison for Dong Yi. All these talents combined gave us the masterpiece that is Dong Yi. The series follows Dong Yi as she rises from being an ordinary water maid in the court to becoming one of the most acknowledged women in Joseon. The main cast of this drama includes talented actors like Ji Jin Hee, Lee So Yeon, Bae Soo Bin, Park Ha Sun, Jun Jin Young, besides Han Hyo Joo in the lead role. You can watch this historical series on Kocowa and Rakuten Viki, where it is available as Jewel In The Crown.
2. W: Two Worlds (2016)
This drama got extreme reactions from fans. Furthermore, half of the audiences deemed the story as a masterpiece due to its complex writing. The other half could not understand this thrilling, romantic-comedy drama. The series came out in the first half of 2016 and aired till 14th September on MBC. W: Two Worlds also has a Thair remake by the name of Switch On. At one point in time, we have all wondered what would happen if our favorite characters came alive. Well, Song Jae Jung answered our question with her brilliant storytelling in W: Two Worlds. The screenwriter is also receiving immense praise for her recent work in Memories Of The Alhambra and Yumi’s Cells. What makes W: Two Worlds even better is that it has been directed by Jung Dae Yun, the director of hit shows like I Am Not A Robot and She Was Pretty.
Han Hyo Joo plays a cute cardiothoracic surgeon named Oh Yeon Joo. Her father is the writer of a famous webtoon by the name ”W”. When her father suddenly disappears while writing the final chapter of his webtoon. Next thing you know, Oh Yeon Joo finds herself pulled in through the screen and is now next to a bloodied man. Oh Yeon Joo unexpectedly becomes the savior of her favorite webtoon character, Kang Chul, being played by Lee Jong Suk. She also discovers that she can only go in and out of this webtoon world based on Kang Chul’s feelings. While there are fans and naysayers of this drama, no one denies the magical chemistry that Han Hyo Joo shared with Lee Jung Suk.
You can watch W:Two Worlds starring Lee Jung Suk and Han Hyo Joo in Netflix, Rakuten Viki, Apple TV, We TV and iflix.
1. Brilliant Legacy (2009)
Brilliant Legacy helped Han Hyo Joo set up a brilliant legacy ( pun intended) for herself in the kdrama industry. Also popularly known as Shining Inheritance and Beautiful Legacy, this 2009 is one of the most popular kdramas there is. Even when online streaming platforms were not a thing, Brilliant Legacy managed to top the viewership rating chart for TWENTY consecutive weeks. Furthermore, this drama set up the base for all the other makjang (over the top) Korean dramas to come. The perfect rags to riches story with just the right amount of action, romance, and mystery. It engaged viewers all across Asia so much so that there is also a Chinese remake of the series by the name My Splendid Life.
Furthermore, the plot of Brilliant Legacy is brilliantly written by So Hyun Kyung (Seo Young, My Daughter, and Twenty Again). The director of this drama is Jin Hyeok, who went on to give us some amazing kdramas like Legends Of The Blue Sea, Sisyphus: The Myth, The Mater’s Sun, and City Hunter. Brilliant Legacy tells us the story of Go Eun Sang’s life. After her father dies, she and her brother get kicked out of their lavish house. Despite this tragedy, Eun Sang continues to work hard and be kind. When the CEO of a food company suffers from amnesia, Eun Sang is kind enough to take care of her. However, the lady turns out to be the grandmother of none other than Sun Woo Hwan. While returning from her vacation, Eun Sang and Sun Woo Hwan were on the same flight, and their bags accidentally got exchanged.
This accident leads to an array of misunderstandings and eventually love between the two. Brilliant Legacy boasts of a star-studded main cast that includes blockbuster actors like Han Hyo Joo, Lee Seung Gi, Bae Soo Bin, Moo Chae Won, and Ban Hyo Jung. You can enjoy this brilliant Han Hyo Joo makjang kdrama on Rakuten Viki, SBS World, and Apple TV.
If you want to know where to watch Han Hyo Joo’s ongoing kdrama, you can read: How To Watch Happiness Kdrama Online?
Best Han Hyo Joo Movies
5. Love, Lies
Han Hyo Joo’s Love, Lies is set in the year 1943 when South Korea was just being freed from the imperial Japanese. The movie, in a one-hour span beautifully, tells the story of three musicians Jang So Yol, Seo Yeon Hee, and Kim Yoon Woo. Although the movie is primarily about the love triangle between the main characters, there is more to the movie. Han Hyo Joo has been widely praised for her portrayal of Jang So Yol. The actress’s expression was on point when acting out Jang So Yol’s heartbroken character. Jang So Yol and Seo Yeon Hee were inseparable best friends, but their friendship got ruined when Kim Yoon Woo, So Yol’s lover, falls in love with her best friend.
And instead of helping her out with her dreams, Kim Yoon Woo offers help to Yeon Hee to become a pop sensation. With this, So Yol starts falling backwards due to her uncontrollable jealousy. Furthermore, the art department of the movie was sensational. Everything from the costumes, locations, and cinematography was on point. And of course, the music of Love, Lies mus have been one of the best. Love, Lies also has Yeo Yeon Sook, Chun Woo Hee, and Park Sung Woong as the main cast. With so many great factors, why wouldn’t this movie be great?
4. Postman To Heaven
Heaven’s Postman or Postman To Heaven is a very magical and mysterious work of Han Hyo Joo. The story of the movie starts when Ha Na goes to a supposedly mystical post box. People who have just lost their loved ones go to this postbox to send a letter to heaven for them. There Ha Na meets Jae Joon, the postman who sends all of these letters to heaven and cures the saddened heart of those who have lost their loved ones. While working with him, Ha Na’s scars also start to disappear. Along with that, she and Jae Joon even start liking each other. But what bugs Ha Na is why is Jae Joon the postman? Why was he the only one chosen to do the job?
Plus, the shots in the movie were like candy to the eyes of the audience. There were some scenes in the movie where the audience couldn’t believe how beautifully filmed this movie is. The title of the movie is also very meaningful. You can’t even find a bad review for Postman To Heaven. Its cast is also full of amazing actors and actresses. Famous names like Han Hyo Joo herself and Kim Jae Joong had been part of the main cast.
3. The Beauty Inside
One of Han Hyo Joo’s most enjoyable movies. This movie created a huge buzz because of all the multiple big stars that were in it. Furthermore, this movie is the one and only film by the talented director Baek Jang Yeol. Baek Jang Yeol went on to win the 52nd Grand Bell Awards for his The Beauty Inside. Moreover, this movie is an adaptation of the Drake Doremus,2012, social film starring megastars like Topher Grace, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Matthew Gray Gubler. The movie is based on a man named Woo Jin who wakes up with a new face every single day. Additionally, Woo Jin has grown comfortable with this strange condition that he has. After all, he has been waking up with a new face every single day since he was born. The only two people who are aware of Woo Joo’s secret are his mother and best friend.
When Woo Joo meets Yi Soo, a sweet girl who works at a furniture shop, Woo Joo immediately falls head over heels for her. He uses his superpower to his advantage and meets the love of his life as a new customer every day. However, Woo Joo defies sleep for three days straight to spend time with Yi Soo. As the two pass through various hurdles in their relationship, Yi Soo staying the same and Woo Joo with a new face every day, they grow stronger. The Beauty Inside brought in swarms of viewers at its Box Office release. Although most of the viewers came in after hearing about their favorite actor being in the movie, they were left dazzled by the story. This supernatural-ish melodrama will make you question what is love and how much can a person do in the name of love?
Han Hyo Joo impressed the critics with her effortless performance and chemistry with the dozens of actors that were a part of this movie. Kim Dae Myung, Park Seo Joon, Lee Hyun Woo, Hong Da Mi, Yoo Yeon Seok, Do Ji Han, Kim Joo Hyuk, Lee Dong Wook, Seo Kang Joon, Park Shin Hye, and so many more beautiful faces woke up as Woo Joo. The movie was even adapted as a South Korean drama starring Seo Hyun Jin and Lee Min Ki in 2018. Undoubtedly one of Han Hyo Joo’s best movies that you can enjoy on Rakuten Viki, Amazon Prime Video, and KUKAN.
2. Always
Han Hyo Joo makes every character that she plays unmemorable. Her character Jung Hwa in this movie is something that the audiences will never forget. Starring Han Hyo Joo and So Ji Sub, the success of this drama is no secret to anyone. This romantic movie sold out over two thousand online tickets in just mere SEVEN seconds. Unsurprisingly the movie did great in the box office theatres. This heart-wrenching romance was written by Yoo Young Ah (Kim Ji Young: Born 1982). This was also the talented screenwriter Song II Gon’s last writing venture.
This movie tells the story of Jung Hwa and Chul Min, two people with polar opposite personalities. Chul Min is a boxer who has been living by himself and sees no light in this world. He meets a beautiful telemarketer who brings light to any situation even though she is slowly losing her eyesight. Chul Min’s heart that has not been moved by anything for years, begins to flutter after meeting Jung Hwa. The movie is a real tearjerker. Furthermore, Always has been remade in multiple languages around the globe. You can watch Always it on Amazon Prime Video.
1. Cold Eyes
Cold Eyes is yet another great South Korean thriller. South Korea has made a name for itself globally with all the amazing thrillers. Their thrillers don’t completely dissociate from the origin and always remain grounded while keeping the audiences hooked at the same time. Moreover, Cold Eyes is a remake of the Chinese movie Eye In The Sky. Cho Ui Seok (Make It Big and The World Of Silence) is the mastermind behind this movie.
Han Hyo Joo plays the role of a rookie detective who joins hands with Chief Detective Hwang Sun Jun to track down the dangerous criminal named James. All throughout the movie, Han Hyo Joo is called ‘piglet’, which is her code name. Furthermore, she has a photographic memory and will leave you starry-eyed with her fighting skills. There is not a single dull moment in this entire two-hour-long movie. Till the very end, it will have you guessing what will happen next. Cold Eyes is also ranked as one of the best Korean thrillers, and the fact that it has Han Hyo Joo makes it even better. You can enjoy this movie on Rakuten Viki.
