Ha Ji-won says returning to university helped her rediscover what she once overlooked

Ha Ji-won says becoming a university student again has brought her face to face with a part of her life she once failed to value.

The actress appeared on tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block” for the first time in three years and spoke with host Yoo Jae-suk about her unusually busy student life. She has appeared on music programs, thrown a ceremonial first pitch and begun attending university classes while sharing the experience through her YouTube channel, “Class of 2026 Ji-won.”

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That sounds fun!

Ha said she often accepts new challenges before thinking through how to manage them. When someone asks whether she wants to try something, she said her curiosity and competitive spirit lead her to answer, “That sounds fun!” before dealing with the consequences later.

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I think I was a bit of a rebel back then.

She originally entered university in 1997 and is now 29 years apart from her 2026 classmates. Ha said she enrolled because she is still trying to understand who she is, and because returning to school seemed both enjoyable and educational.

Looking back, she described her younger self as “a bit of a rebel.” She said she rarely attended classes and devoted herself to auditions because she wanted to become an actress. Studying again, she added, feels like meeting days from her past and wondering why she did not recognize their value at the time.

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Back then, I didn’t know how precious it was.