Han Ji-min Reveals How Her First Relationship Changed Everything: “My Sister Was Thrilled I Finally Became Human”
On June 13, actress Han Ji-min opened up about her personal transformation and close family relationships in a heartfelt interview on Baek Eun-ha’s Give and Take YouTube channel.
In the candid conversation, Han Ji-min shared how she used to live by strict personal rules and expectations, saying, “I used to build high walls around myself with my own rules. My parents never restricted me, and I grew up in an open environment, but I still followed all the rules at school and never stepped out of line.” Reflecting on her past, she added, “Looking back, I find my old self stifling, and I much prefer who I am now.”
The actress admitted that her former self was so rigid that she wouldn’t want to be friends with that version of herself. “If I hadn’t become an actress, I might still be living that stifling life. I might not even have grown closer to my sister,” she confessed.
Han Ji-min credited her emotional breakthrough to her first romantic relationship, which helped her open up to her sister. “When I got my first boyfriend, I talked to my sister about it. She said, ‘Finally, she’s becoming human!’ She was thrilled. That conversation brought us closer, and we became best friends after that.”
A turning point in her life came after filming the movie The Age of Shadows, which inspired her to embrace new experiences. “That film opened my eyes,” she said. “I started enjoying wrap-up parties, and around 33, I began changing little by little. That’s when I really began to find my own voice.”
Currently, Han Ji-min is publicly dating Jannabi vocalist Choi Jung-hoon, who is ten years her junior. Professionally, she’s been keeping busy with recent appearances on JTBC’s drama Heavenly Ever After and is set to lead the cast in the upcoming 2025 JTBC drama Efficient Meetings of Unmarried Men and Women.
