Ha Ji-won’s Brutal Transformation: Dropping to 45kg for the Thrilling ‘Climax’

In the world of high-stakes K-dramas, few actresses embody their characters as physically and emotionally as Ha Ji-won. On April 6, 2026, the veteran star sat down at the ENA headquarters in Sangam-dong to pull back the curtain on her latest role in the hit series Climax.

Returning to the small screen after a four-year hiatus, Ha Ji-won hasn’t just returned; she has reinvented herself. Playing Chu Sang-ah, a former “Nation’s First Love” who spiraled into disgrace following a tax evasion scandal, Ha Ji-won delivers a performance that is as haunting as it is fragile.

The Physical Toll: Stretching to 45kg

To portray a character teetering on the edge of a psychological breakdown, the director had a very specific vision: “A woman who is painfully thin but meticulously maintained.”

For Ha Ji-won, a self-proclaimed “muscle-heavy” person, achieving this look was an uphill battle.

• The Weight Drop: She dieted down from 50kg to a mere 45kg.
• The Muscle Struggle: To prevent her muscles from bulking up, she actually stopped walking as much as possible.
• The Routine: She swapped high-intensity workouts for constant stretching to elongate her frame.

“Sang-ah wears a lot of slips in the drama,” Ha Ji-won explained. “I wanted those clothes to look loose and hanging on my body to reflect her inner fragility. It was exhausting to shrink my muscle mass, but it was necessary for the role.”

Syncing with the Soul: Eating Disorders and Identity

The transformation wasn’t just skin-deep. In Climax, Chu Sang-ah struggles with symptoms akin to anorexia, triggered by her immense stress. Ha Ji-won revealed that she became so immersed in the role’s emotional turmoil that she lost her appetite in real life.

“There were moments where I felt exactly what Sang-ah felt—an inability to even look at food,” she shared. “Playing a character who is an actress herself, essentially acting within an act, led to a lot of identity confusion. It was psychologically draining.”

Complex Chemistry: Ju Ji-hoon and the Cast

The drama is being hailed for its intricate “web of emotions.” Ha Ji-won’s character navigates a treacherous landscape of relationships:

• Ju Ji-hoon (as Bang Tae-seop): Ha Ji-won describes their onscreen marriage not as a romance, but as a “marriage of interest.” It’s a cold, calculated partnership built on survival rather than affection.
• Nana & Cha Joo-young: Working with her juniors provided a fresh spark. Ha Ji-won praised Cha Joo-young for her endless ideas on set and Nana for her sheer dedication to building her character, Jung-won.

The “Bad Acting” Challenge

Ironically, one of the hardest things for the seasoned pro to do was… act badly. In the show, Chu Sang-ah is known for her “wooden acting” despite her fame.

“The script specifically called for ‘bad acting’ during the period-drama scenes,” Ha Ji-won laughed. “I just followed the director’s tone exactly. It was a fun, meta-commentary on the image of a ‘First Love’ star who lacks actual depth.”

The Final Word: Survival Over Scrupulosity

Ha Ji-won views Chu Sang-ah not as a villain or a hero, but as a survivor. “She chooses survival at every turn, even when those choices look extreme or cruel to others,” she noted. “My job was to understand those radical decisions so the audience could at least see the ‘why’ behind her desperation.”

As Climax continues its run on ENA, it’s clear that Ha Ji-won’s 5kg sacrifice and emotional deep-dive have paid off. She has successfully shed her “First Love” image once and for all, replacing it with the raw, jagged edge of a woman who will do anything to stay in the spotlight.

Editor’s Notes

Climax airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9:00 PM KST on ENA and is available for streaming on select platforms. Ha Ji-won has since returned to her healthy weight and has taken up running to regain her stamina.