Han Hyo-Joo was born on February 22, 1987, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Her mother was an elementary school teacher before becoming an inspector for public schools, and her father was an air force officer. As a child, Han was good in sports, particularly track and field. In her sophomore year of high school, she moved to Seoul and attended Bulgok High School, despite her father's objections.
After graduating from high school, Han entered Dongguk University, where she majored in theater and film. She won the grand prize at the Miss Bing-Geure contest in 2003, which caught the attention of the entertainment industry. She then began her acting career with a minor role in the sitcom Nonstop in 2005.
Han gained popularity with her role in the drama series Spring Waltz in 2006 and got signed by director Yoon-ki Lee, who cast her in his film Aju teukbyeolhan sonnim. The film was a success and earned several awards, including the Best New Actor honor at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.
Han's success led her to star in two big TV series, Il Ji Mae and Dong Yi, both of which became hits and earned her good ratings from Korean viewers. She then appeared in the indie film Ride Away and earned respect from cinema-goers for her performance.
In 2010, Han established herself as one of the best mainstream actresses of the year, playing a lead role in the series Shining Inheritance. The series was a huge hit and increased her endorsement deals. She received big drama awards at the South Korean award function and appeared as a blind telemarketer in the emotional drama film Always.
Han's next film was the period action drama Masquerade, in which she played the role of a queen. The film became the highest-grossing South Korean film of the year. She then appeared in the action thriller film Cold Eyes, which received positive reviews from critics and became one of the top-grossing films of the year.
Han won the Best Actress award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Buil Film Awards for her performance in Cold Eyes. She has since appeared in many films, including Miracle: Devil Claus' Love and Magic, The Beauty Inside, Golden Slumber, and many more.
Han returned to the small screen with the series W, an MBC's fantasy suspense alongside actor Lee Jong-suk. She won the Top Excellence award at the 5th APAN Star awards and the MBC Drama Awards for her performance.
