On October 21, Han Ga-eul’s agency, Story J Company, confirmed to Xports News that Han is indeed related to Won Bin. The confirmation comes after a Sports Donga report revealed that Han Ga-eul is the daughter of Won Bin’s older sister, making them first cousins once removed.
Industry insiders shared that Han entered the entertainment world on her own merit, nurturing her acting dreams independently without any assistance from her famous uncle.
Han Ga-eul began her career in 2022 by appearing in Nam Young-joo’s digital single music video “Again, Dream.” She recently gained attention for her role as intern Jang Ye-jin in MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “To the Moon.”
For years, the title of “Won Bin’s niece” had been unofficially linked to actress Kim Hee-jung. Born in 1992, Kim rose to fame as a child actress in the 2000 drama “Tough Guy’s Love,” where she played the titular role. In the same series, Won Bin played Song Myung-tae, the third uncle of Kkokji, which sparked the ongoing misconception.
Despite the drama airing over two decades ago, Kim Hee-jung carried the “Won Bin’s niece” label due to the strong impression left by their characters’ relationship and her continued activity in entertainment, in contrast to Won Bin’s increasingly rare public appearances.
Now that Han Ga-eul has been revealed as Won Bin’s actual niece, Kim Hee-jung can finally shed the misleading tag. While the association may have helped her visibility at times, it may also have created limitations in establishing her own identity as an actress.
Meanwhile, as Han Ga-eul enters her fourth year in the industry, the newfound spotlight on her familial ties with Won Bin adds to growing interest in her career. Given that she carved her path without familial influence, many are eager to see how she continues to evolve as an independent actress.
Sources: Daum
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