Uhm Jung-hwa is a singer, dancer, and actor from South Korea. She has defied all difficulties to become a role model for women all across the world. She lost her father when she was young and battled poverty to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She overcame thyroid cancer after an eight-year struggle and went on to star in films and television shows as well as record music CDs. She is a pioneer in electronica music, and her album ‘Prestige’ won the Best Electronic Dance Music Award at the Korean Music Awards ceremony. Her inherent aptitude for acting was recognized with her award-winning performance in the film ‘Marriage is a Crazy Thing,’ despite her desire to be a singer. ‘Princess Aurora,’ ‘Dancing Queen,’ and ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ are among her other successful films. She has appeared in several television series, including ‘Mystery Melodrama,’ ‘Get Karl! Oh Soo-jung,’ ‘He Who Can’t Marry,’ and the most recent serial, ‘You Are Too Much.’ She also has her own clothes and lingerie lines in New York called ‘Corner Suite’ and ‘ZHUM,’ which have done extremely well.
Childhood and Adolescence
Uhm Jung-hwa was born in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, on August 17, 1969, to Yoo Gyeong-sook and Uhm Jin-ok. Her father was a music teacher, and she got her talent from him. Sadly, he died in a car accident when she was six years old, and her mother raised her and her brother, Uhm Tae-woong.
In the absence of her father, the family faced financial difficulties. Her mother, on the other hand, was able to provide a rudimentary education to both of her children so that they may follow in their father’s footsteps.
Uhm has always wanted to be a vocalist and began performing at a young age. From 1987 to 1990, she was a part of MBC’s chorus. She discovered her innate ability for acting as she grew older and began appearing in films and television.
Career of Uhm Jung-hwa
In 1993, she released her first studio album, ‘Sorrowful Secret.’ Following that, she released a string of singles that cemented her reputation as one of South Korea’s top vocalists. Her fourth album, ‘Invitation,’ was a smash hit and went on to become the year’s best-selling album. By the year 2000, she had five chart-topping albums under her belt.
She participated in a series of television serials during this time, beginning with ‘Sarang’ in 1990, followed by ‘Remember to Love’ in 1995, and ‘Beautiful Sin’ in 1997. She also appeared in the films ‘Marriage Story,’ ‘Blue Seagull,’ and ‘How to Top My Wife,’ among others.
She concentrated on her acting from 2000 onwards, quickly establishing herself as one of South Korea’s best actors. In 2002, she won the Best Actress Award for her role in the film ‘Marriage is a Crazy Thing,’ and in 2012, she got the Best Actress Award for her work in the film ‘Dancing Queen.’ ‘Princess Aurora,’ ‘Five Senses of Eros,’ and ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ are just a handful of her previous box office hits.
She has curtailed her television appearances in recent years, concentrating on a few prime time dramas such as ‘Get Karl! Oh Soo-jung’ (2007), ‘He Who Can’t Marry’ (2009), and ‘Witch’s Romance’ (2010). (2014). Her most recent appearance was in the 2017 television series ‘You Are Too Much.’
As her career in the entertainment industry grew, she began to experiment with electronica music, which is based on synthesized pop and is designed to provide a pleasant as well as stimulating dance environment. Her double album ‘Self Control’ blew up in the music world, garnering plaudits from both fans and critics.
‘Prestige,’ her eighth album, was released in 2006, around the same time as her smash singles ‘Come 2 Me’ and ‘Song of the Wind.’ In 2007, she won the Korean Music Award for Best Electronic Dance Record for her creative approach.
She collaborated with members of the boy band Big Bang to release her album, ‘D.I.S.C.O.,’ which was a hit and paved the way for a remix version, ‘D.I.S.C.O. Part 2,’ which was also a hit.
Major Projects of Uhm Jung-hwa
‘Sorrowful Secret’ (1993), ‘Uhm Jung-hwa 2’ (1995), ‘Self Control’ (2004), ‘Prestige’ (2006), ‘Come 2 Me New Remix’ (2006), ‘D.I.S.C.O.’ (2008), and ‘The Cloud Dream of the Nine Part 2’ (2009) are among her studio albums (2017)
She has appeared in several television series, including ‘Mystery Melodrama’ (1994), ‘Beautiful Sin’ (1997), and ‘Get Karl!’ ‘Oh Soo-jung’ (2007), ‘He Who Can’t Marry’ (2009), ‘Witch’s Romance’ (2014), and ‘You Are Too Much’ (2015) are some of his most well-known works (2017).
Uhm Jung-hwa has appeared in films such as ‘Marriage Story’ (1993), ‘How to Top My Wife’ (1994), ‘Marriage is a Crazy Thing’ (2002), ‘Princess Aurora’ (2005), ‘Five Senses of Eros’ (2009), ‘Dancing Queen’ (2012), ‘Venus Talk’ (2014), and ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ (2015). (2015).
Achievements & Awards
At the Mnet Asia Music Awards in 1999, she got the Best Female Solo Award for her song “I Don’t Know.”
In 1998, 1999, and 2000, she received the Bonsang Award three times at the Golden Disk Awards ceremony for her songs ‘Poison,’ ‘I Don’t Know,’ and ‘Escape.’
For her album ‘Prestige,’ she received the Best Electronic Dance Music Award at the Korean Music Awards ceremony in 2007.
In 2000, 2001, and 2003, she won the Grand Price Award three times at the SBS Gayo Daejejeon, KBS Song Festival, and SBS Gayo Daejejeon awards ceremonies.
For her part in ‘On a Windy Day We Must Go to Apgujeong,’ she earned the Best Supporting Actress award at the 17th Golden Scene Awards in 1993.
In 2001, she received the MBC Gayo Daejejeon’s 30 Years Old and Above Award.
For her roles in ‘Marriage is a Crazy Thing,’ ‘Princess Aurora,’ ‘Bestseller,’ ‘Dancing Queen,’ and ‘Montage,’ she has won five Academy Awards for Best Actress.
In 2003, she received the KBS Drama Awards’ Excellence Award (Actress) for her work in ‘Wife.’
For her act in ‘Mr Handy,’ she received a Special Award at the 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2004.
In 2006, she was named Fashion Icon of the Year at the Donga TV Fashion Beauty Awards gala, and in 2007, she received the Friendship Award at the FKCCI Gala Dinner Party.
In 2013, she received the Grand Prize for Best Actress at the Korean Culture Entertainment Awards, as well as the Korean Film Actors Association’s Year-end Movie Star Award.
Personal Experiences of Uhm Jung-hwa
In 2010, Uhm Jung-hwa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery. Following her recovery from the sickness, she has dedicated her life to assisting cancer patients in coping with their worry.
She is currently unattached.
Estimated net worth
Uhm Jung-hwa is one of the wealthiest Pop Singers, as well as one of the most popular. Uhm Jung-net hwa’s worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
After achieving superstar status, Uhm went on to develop her own apparel and lingerie lines in New York, dubbed ‘Corner Suite’ and ‘ZHUM.’ The business proved to be a big success.
Uhm Tae-woong, her brother, is also a prominent actor.