She made her debut in 2001 in dramas
before taking up a lead role in Sweet 18. Born Lee Ji-hye,
she used the stagename "Han Ji-hye" upon learning that
her real name would cause confusion among fans with an older actress,
Lena Lee, who has the same Korean name as Han.
Together with Song Seung-hun and Son Ye-jin,
Han is noted for her role in the well-known KBS drama Summer Scent
