Actress Ha Hee Ra has shared her thoughts after watching junior actress Jin Ji Hee perform on stage, with the former child star’s dramatically matured appearance also becoming a hot topic among fans.

On July 21, Ha Hee Ra uploaded several photos to her social media account along with the caption, "The newly interpreted and directed play The Seagull. Ji Hee’s Nina was truly lovely, touching, heartbreaking, and wonderful. As expected!" expressing her admiration for Jin Ji Hee’s performance.

In the photos, Ha Hee Ra and Jin Ji Hee smile brightly at the camera while giving a thumbs-up. Their warm interaction delighted fans, but what attracted even more attention was Jin Ji Hee’s noticeably more mature appearance. Having debuted as a child actress at just five years old, she is still remembered by many for her youthful image despite her long career.

After seeing the photos, netizens flooded the comments with reactions such as, “Ji Hee has grown up so much,” *”It feels like only yesterday she was saying ‘Bbangkku-ddongkku,'” “It’s so nice to see the two of them together,” and “She looks so mature now I almost didn’t recognize her.”

Born in 1999, the 27-year-old actress made her acting debut in the 2003 KBS1 drama Yellow Handkerchief. She rose to nationwide fame in 2009 through the MBC sitcom High Kick Through the Roof, where her role as Jung Hae Ri popularized the catchphrase “Bbangkku-ddongkku” and made her one of Korea’s most beloved child stars.

Since then, Jin Ji Hee has steadily expanded her acting career, appearing in dramas including Becky’s Back, Band of Sisters, and The Penthouse: War in Life, successfully transitioning from child actress to adult performer.

Most recently, Jin Ji Hee has taken on the role of Nina in the stage production of The Seagull. The play is currently being performed at Theater Joy and will run through August 2.

Sources: Daum