Ha Ji-won, becoming a freshman of the class of '26 at age 48, after 26 years

The 2000 'Daehak Naeil' Girl Returns as a Class of '26 Student After 26 Years

In June 2000, Ha Ji-won, who graced the cover of , has leaped across 26 years to appear once again as a cover model for the same magazine. In June 2026, she completed her fourth cover shoot through the web variety content 'Class of '26, Ji-won Here.' As the magazine issue number jumped from No. 39 to No. 755, reactions have poured in stating that Ha Ji-won looks exactly the same.

At that time, Ha Ji-won had just released her first leading role in the film . It was also a period when the movie , where she starred alongside Yoo Ji-tae, had been released, and the film , which earned her the title 'Horror Queen,' was about to be unveiled. Boasting the same beauty even when compared to her 2002 cover photo where she wore a tiara, fans are calling her "twenty years old for the second time."

Ha Ji-won is 48 years old. Her recent activities are as active as a rookie singer. In March 2026, she drew significant attention by revealing her current status as a college freshman through the YouTube channel 'Class of '26, Ji-won Here,' announcing her enrollment as a member of the Kyung Hee University Class of '26 at the age of 48. Although she has never officially debuted as a singer, she has a background in music shows, and she is continuing her unconventional journey by stepping onto the music stage once again through web variety shows.

Lee Soo-jung's Desperation in 'Bali from Heaven' and Her Current 'Home Run'

The representative work that imprinted Ha Ji-won in the public's mind is the 2004 drama . Her character, 'Lee Soo-jung,' spends her entire one million won deposit for her semi-basement room to pay for her older brother's settlement, leaving her stranded on the cold streets in winter. At the edge of life's cliff, the choice she made was a ticket to Bali. That decision, made with the mindset of wanting to see the greatest paradise on earth before dying, made Bali the number one honeymoon destination preferred by Koreans through the drama.

The image of Lee Soo-jung from the drama 20 years ago still remains in many people's memories. Seeing Ha Ji-won, who looks exactly like the cheerful person from the early 2000s with only a slight change in her thin eyebrow style, makes the passage of time feel irrelevant. The energy she shows in recent web variety shows seems to directly transplant the liveliness of her drama character.

The recent center of attention is the 'Home Run' stage presented in the web variety show. Even in a situation where actor Cha Tae-hyun, once known as the 'I Love You' oppa, joked, "You're almost fifty the day after tomorrow!", Ha Ji-won dominated the stage with the passion of a Class of '26 freshman. This stage is a reinterpretation of 'Home Run,' the OST from the 2003 film . This performance, presented on a music show stage at the age of 48, is making her 2026 hotter than ever before.