Han Groo (Korean: 한그루; born Min Han-groo on May 29, 1992) is a South Korean actress and singer.
Han Groo | |
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Born | Min Han-groo May 30, 1992 Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
Years active | 2011–2015; 2022–present |
Agent | SBD Entertainment |
Spouse |
Unknown
(m. 2015; div. 2022) |
Children | 2 |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 한그루 |
Revised Romanization | Han Geuru |
McCune–Reischauer | Han Kŭru |
Birth name | |
Hangul | 민한그루 |
Revised Romanization | Min Hangeuru |
McCune–Reischauer | Min Han'kŭru |
Early life
editHan Groo was born in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. When she was in fourth grade, her family moved to the United States where she studied at Acacia Elementary School in California, and Ladera Vista Junior High School in California. Han Groo excelled at her academic studies—to the extent that she won a U.S. President's Education Award in 2003. She also had an extensive background in dancing since middle school, winning prizes at several competitions for hip hop dance, jazz dance and tap dance.[1]
After four years in the US, her family moved again, this time to China, where Han Groo entered the Beijing International Art School. She became fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese, while continuing to dance and engage in various activities such as horse riding, martial arts, swordsmanship, and golf. Han Groo's family stayed in China for another four years before returning to Korea.[2][3]
Career
editHan Groo's father is a TV commercial director and her mother used to be a professional model, which made her familiar with and naturally drawn to show business from a very early age. Upon her return to Korea, the aspiring actress signed with the management agency Climix Academy. But at her agency's suggestion, she launched a singing career in 2011 with the EP GROO ONE, followed by the single My Boy. She was nominated as Best New Female Artist at the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Han Groo later admitted that acting was her real passion from the beginning, but she had wanted to grab whatever opportunities available to her. However, she found it difficult to stand out as a singer given the huge level of competition in Korea's music industry, especially among girl groups riding the coattails of the K-pop revolution.[2]
Later in 2011, she made her acting debut when she landed the leading role in Girl K (also known as Killer K), beating out 100 other audition hopefuls. The three-episode drama, which aired on cable channel CGV, centers on a Nikita-like character who vows to hunt down her mother's killer and joins a secret organization that trains her to become an assassin, all while attending high school. Han Groo performed most of her action stunts herself, and audiences were impressed, as Girl K ranked number one its timeslot.[4][5]
She then joined her first network series, the MBC daily drama Just Like Today, saying that when she read the script, she felt instantly attached because of the character's similarities to her real-life personality, someone "who's bright and positive despite her difficult situation."[6][2] After supporting roles in The Scandal and One Warm Word, Han Groo returned to cable in the romantic comedies Can We Get Married? (2012) and Marriage, Not Dating (2014), playing female protagonists who fall for bachelors with commitment issues.[7][8]
In June 2022, Han signed with SBD Entertainment, prefiguring a potential comeback in the entertainment industry after seven years away.[9]
Personal life
editHan Groo married her non-celebrity boyfriend in a private setting in November 2015.[10] In March 2017, she gave birth to twins.[11] On September 27, 2022, Han revealed that she divorced after 7 years of marriage. Han also decided to take custody of the twins.[12][13]
Filmography
editTelevision series
editYear | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2011 | Girl K | Cha Yeon-jin |
Just Like Today | Kim Mi-ho | |
2012 | Can We Get Married? | Min Dong-bi |
2013 | The Scandal | Ha Soo-young |
Drama Special "My Dad Is a Nude Model" | Ji-yeon | |
One Warm Word | Na Eun-young | |
2014 | Marriage, Not Dating | Joo Jang-mi / Annie Joo |
2015 | Super Daddy Yeol | Laura Jang (cameo, episodes 8-9)[14] |
2024 | The Midnight Studio | Jin Na-rae |
Variety show
editYear | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2011 | Fun Quiz Club | |
Soo-mi Ok | ||
2011-2012 | Project Serenade (season 2) | MC |
Discography
editAlbum information | Track listing |
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GROO ONE[15] | Track listing
|
My Boy
|
Track listing
|
Girl K Part 1 OST
|
Track listing
|
Just Like Today OST[16]
|
Track listing
|
Awards and nominations
editYear | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | President's Education Award (USA) | — | — | Won |
2011 | 13th Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best New Female Artist | Groo One | Nominated |
19th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | Best New Actress (TV) | Just Like Today | Won | |
2014 | 50th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actress (TV) | One Warm Word | Nominated |
7th Style Icon Awards | New Icon | — | Won | |
SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | One Warm Word | Won | |
Best Couple Award with Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
- 2005 Hall of Fame Dance Challenge (USA): 2nd place, Tap
- 2005 Hall of Fame Dance Challenge (USA): 3rd place, Jazz
- 2005 Hall of Fame Dance Challenge (USA): 2nd place, Hip hop
- 2003 American Stage: 3rd place, Lyrical dance
- 2003 Starpower Dance Competition (USA): 3rd place, Tap
- 2003 Dancesport Dance Competition (USA): 1st place, Hip hop
- 2003 Showbiz Dance Competition (USA): 2nd place, Jazz
- 2003 Dance USA: 1st place, Hip hop
References
edit- ^ "한그루". Nate. Archived from the original on 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ a b c "Han Groo Enjoying the Best Days of Her Life". The Chosun Ilbo. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ Happy Together - Kim Jihun, Lee Jangwoo, Cho Saeho, Han Groo & more! (2015.01.29) (variety show). South Korea: KBS on YouTube / Google Inc. January 29, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ Choi, Eun-hwa (23 August 2011). "Girl K's Kim Jung Tae Praises Han Groo". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ Lee, In-kyung (5 September 2011). "Han Groo Gives Killer Performance in Girl K". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ Park, Hyun-min (15 November 2011). "Kim Gab Soo's Daughter a Jungle Ent. Trainee". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ "Han Groo "I will hang on to him if I really love him"". Hancinema. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ Kim, Min-jin (26 June 2014). "Yeon Woo-jin and Han Groo reveal each other's charms". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2014-07-26.
- ^ Lee, Sun-myung (June 17, 2022). "'언플논란' 한그루, 손석구와 한솥밥" [Unplay Controversy’ Han Groo, Son Seok-gu and Hansotbap] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Retrieved June 17, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Sung, So-young (5 October 2015). "Han Groo publicizes marriage". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
- ^ "한그루 쌍둥이 출산, 2세 비주얼은?…'훈남 남편' 재조명" (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. 2017-03-08. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
- ^ Ahn Yoon-ji (September 27, 2022). "한그루, 결혼 7년 만에 이혼 "양육권 가져오기로"[공식]" [Groo Han, divorced after 7 years of marriage "to take custody" [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Hwang Hye-jin (September 27, 2022). "한그루 측 "결혼 7년만 합의이혼, 쌍둥이 양육권 가져오기로"[공식]" [Groo Han's side "Divorce by agreement after 7 years of marriage, to bring custody of twins" [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved September 27, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Ghim, Sora (2 April 2015). "Han Groo Makes A Cameo In Super Daddy Yeol". BNTNews. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "(EP) GROO ONE". Daum (in Korean). Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ "Album: Just Like Today OST". Mwave. Retrieved 2013-04-02.