Ra Mi-ran

Ra Mi-ran (Korean: 라미란; born March 6, 1975) is a South Korean actress and television personality. She works regularly as an actress, often in a supporting role, notably in Lee Joon-ik's Hope (2013), for which her portrayal of a young boy's mother won Best Supporting Actress at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards; she also won praise for her work in The Himalayas (2015), for which she won Best Supporting Actress at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards. She won acclaim for her scene stealing in the hit cable drama Reply 1988 (2015).

After starting in theater for a decade, she made her film debut in Park Chan-wook's Lady Vengeance in 2005. She successfully transitioned to leading roles in the television series Avengers Social Club (2017) and The Good Bad Mother (2023), while keeping her foot in the film world with Miss & Mrs. Cops (2019), Honest Candidate (2020), and Citizen of a Kind (2024).

Early life and education

Ra Mi-ran was born in Gohan-ri, Sabuk-eup, Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, and lived in a mining town throughout her childhood until middle school. Her father's passing when she was two years old led her mother to raise five children while operating a boarding house in the same town. From elementary school, she contributed significantly at home; when her mother had to take her older sister to the hospital, Ra, being the youngest, would prepare meals and assist with the boarding house chores. This experience made her the good cook she is today.

In her childhood, Ra had a shy personality and was not one to take the lead in school. However, She enjoyed telling jokes, drawing, singing, and participating in sports, believing she should focus on the arts rather than academics. A pivotal childhood memory from the age of five involved watching a street performer across a suspension bridge. The enthusiastic applause and cheers from the public left a lasting impression, which Ra later identified as the catalyst for her aspiration to become an actress. Eventually, she realized that theater was a way to combine all her interests. In 1993, she enrolled in the Department of Theater at Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Career

Beginning

After graduating from the Seoul Institute of the Arts, Ra Mi-ran began her acting career in plays and musicals. She believed that the stage offered more diverse opportunities than broadcasting, which she felt favored actresses who met conventional beauty standards. Recognizing that she did not fit these standards, Ra dedicated herself into honing her acting skills and gaining experience.

At the age of 28, Ra got married and had a child, taking a two-year break from her career. After this hiatus, she was invited to audition for Park Chan-wook's film Lady Vengeance, as her earlier profile had captured the director's interest. Despite her concerns about her post-pregnancy weight and lack of screen experience, she passed the audition. She portrayed Oh Soo-hee, a character tormented by a "prison witch" whom Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae) had saved. The film's release in 2005 marked her screen debut.

Breaktrough

Following her debut, Ra appeared in over 40 films, mostly in minor roles, including The Host, Miss Crush, and Hello Ghost. However, she didn't gain widespread acclaim or public recognition until her role in Jeon Kyu-hwan's independent film Dancing Queen (2012). In this film, she portrayed Myeong-ae, a North Korean defector who is Uhm Jung-hwa's character's best friend and hairdresser. Ra's performance was praised, with Variety calling it "a standout." Ra received further recognition for her acting when she won the Directors Guild of Korea Award - Best Actress at the 15th Busan International Film Festival. Since then, she has been able to secure roles without auditioning.

In 2013, Ra's career began to thrive. She appeared as a supporting actress in The Spy: Undercover Operation, where Pierce Conran noted her performance was "at ease with the throwaway banter and physical humor." She also made a cameo appearance in the film Deed. Her television work includes roles in Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love, Rude Miss Young-ae, The Suspicious Housekeeper, and The Eldest. Most notably, she took on a significant role in Lee Joon-ik's film Hope (2013). This film, which tells the story of So-won, a child who is a victim of sexual assault, was seen by 3 million viewers. For her portrayal of Young-seok's mother, So-won's neighbor, Ra brought warmth, laughter, and emotion to the character, earning her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

In 2014, Ra participated in the "Female Soldier Special" of MBC's Real Men. The show was a domestic success, achieving over a 20% viewership rating. Despite only being in the military for "3 nights and 4 days," Ra described the experience as feeling like "4 years," enduring bruises, fatigue, and sleep deprivation. Her hard work paid off as she gained wider public recognition, and received praise for her "military physique." That same year, Ra portrayed the role of the main character Deok-su's (Hwang Jung-min) aunt in the film Ode to My Father, which surpassed 10 million viewers. She earned three nominations for best supporting actress for the role at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Grand Bell Awards, and Max Movie Awards.

In 2015, she reunited with Hwang Jung-min in the feature film The Himalayas. She played Jo Myeong-ae, a member of the expedition team who accompanies Captain Um Hong-gil (Hwang Jung-min) to recover the body of the late Park Moo-taek (Jung Woo). For this role, she won Best Supporting Actress at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards. and in Buil Film Awards.

In 2015, Ra Mi-ran starred in tvN Reply 1988, the third installment of the retro Reply series by writer Lee Woo-jung and director Shin Won-ho. She played one of a trio of "ajummas" from Ssangmun-dong, alongside Lee Il-hwa and Kim Sun-young. Known by the nickname "Cheetah" due to her fondness for animal print, she portrayed the wife of Kim Sung-kyun's character and the mother of two sons, Kim Jung-bong (Ahn Jae-hong) and Kim Jung-hwan (Ryu Jun-yeol). Ra's performance in the drama was widely praised, earning her a reputation as a scene-stealer and leading to the nickname "Master of Acting Everyday Life" for her natural acting. The role further solidified her recognition as a prolific and talented supporting actress.

Following Reply 1988, Ra appeared in the KBS 2TV weekend drama The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop. In this series, she played Bok Seon-nyeo, the wife of Cha In-pyo's character, Bae Sam-do. The two were a popular comedic couple, with Bae Sam-do, a former tailor who ran a fried chicken restaurant, often described as chivalrous yet completely bewildered by his wife. The drama was a success, with ratings peaking at 34.6%.

In 2016, Ra portray Bok-mi, a devoted lady-in-waiting of Princess Deokhye in Hur Jin-ho's period film The Last Princess. That same year, through the reality show Sister's Slam Dunk, she along with cast members Min Hyo Rin, Kim Sook, Hong Jin Kyung, Jessi, and Tiffany debuted as a girl group with the oldest average age in K-pop history, under the name Unnies.

Transitioning to main roles

In 2017, Ra Mi-ran starred in the television series Avengers Social Club alongside Lee Yo-won, Myung Se-bin, and Lee Jun-young. Based on the webtoon of the same name, the drama aired on tvN every Wednesday and Thursday starting on October 11, 2017. Ra played Hong Do-hee, a fishmonger and single mother who joins a revenge club with three other people after her son is involved in a school violence incident. For her performance, Ra was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Ra later transformed into a politician running for Seoul mayor in the Park In-je's film The Mayor, where she portrayed politician Yang Jin-ju, who faced off against Choi Min-shik's character Byun Jong-go.

In the 2018 television series The Miracle We Met, Ra plays Jo Yeon-hwa, one of the two wives in a complex supernatural situation. The drama centers on an ordinary man, played by Kim Myung-min, who dies in a car crash but whose spirit is mistakenly transferred into the body of another man with the same name. This leads to him having two families and two wives, with Yeon-hwa being the wife from his new life. The series, which also stars Kim Hyun-joo and Ko Chang-seok, aired on KBS2 from April 2 to May 29, 2018. For her role, Ra was nominated for best supporting actress in 6th APAN Star Awards, and won Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama at 32nd KBS Drama Awards.

First main role in film and other roles

In the 2019 fantasy-comedy film The Dude in Me, Ra portrayed Oh Mi-sun. She is the ex-girlfriend of Jang Pan-soo (Park Sung-woong) an elite gangster whose body is swapped with that of a high school student named Dong-hyun (Jung Jin-young). The film was released on January 9, 2019.

In 2019, Ra took on her first billing film role in Miss & Mrs. Cops, alongside Lee Sung-kyung and Choi Soo-young. Her character Park Mi-young is a legendary detective who transitions to working as a civil affairs officer after having a family. The screenplay was specifically written for her. This project was a long-term endeavor for Byun Bong-hyeon, CEO of Film Momentum, who had long desired to create a story centered on Ra. She underwent three months of intensive training at Seoul Action School, impressing the action director with her athletic ability and dedication, mastering wrestling, boxing, and complex action sequences. Ra's hardwork paid off, as the film attracted 1.69 million viewers.

In the 2019-2020 South Korean television series Black Dog: Being A Teacher, Ra portrayed Park Sung-soon, an experienced and workaholic Korean language teacher. Her character serves as a mentor to the main protagonist, Go Ha-neul (played by Seo Hyun-jin), a new temporary teacher navigating the struggles of a private school. As the Head of College Admissions, Sung-soon guides Ha-neul through the challenges of the competitive education system. The series, which also stars Ha Jun, aired on tvN from December 16, 2019, to February 4, 2020.

In 2020, Ra played the lead role in the film Honest Candidate as Joo Sang-sook, a three-term National Assembly member cursed to only speak the truth. The film portrays the comedic chaos that ensues when a seasoned politician is unable to lie during an election campaign. This South Korean remake of the 2014 Brazilian film O Candidato Honesto premiered on February 12, 2020 Despite its release coinciding with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea, the film proved to be a commercial success, breaking even and becoming a box office hit.

Ra's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her the Best Actress Award at the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards on February 9, 2021. During her acceptance speech, she hinted at a sequel, stating, "Actually, I'm trying to film Honest Candidate 2. I will try to be your belly button thief next year." The casting for Honest Candidate 2 was confirmed on August 6, with Ra, Kim Mu-yeol, and Yoon Kyung-ho reprising their roles, joined by new cast members Seo Hyun-woo, Park Jin-joo, and Yoon Doo-joon. Principal photography for the sequel began on July 31, 2021, wrapped up on October 31. The film was subsequently released on September 28, 2022.

In the 2022 TVING streaming series Dr. Park's Clinic, Ra starred as Sa Mo-rim, the wife of the titular Dr. Park Won-jang (played by Lee Seo-jin). The comedy follows Dr. Park's struggles as he tries to keep his new clinic afloat. Sa Mo-rim, while trying to be understanding of her husband's financial woes, often spends money on a lifestyle inspired by television, adding to the couple's mounting debt. It premiered on TVING on January 14, 2022.

In 2023 drama The Good Bad Mother, Ra starred as Jin Young-soon, a single mother who runs a pig farm and has a strained relationship with her son, played by Lee Do-hyun. Directed by Shim Na-yeon, the series also features Ahn Eun-jin and Yoo In-soo. Airing on JTBC from April 26 to June 8, 2023, and available for streaming on Netflix, the series was a commercial success and became one of the highest-rated series in Korean cable television history, setting a new record for the highest ratings of any Wednesday-Thursday drama in JTBC history.

In 2024, she starred as Deok-hee, the titular character in Park Young-joo's film Citizen of a Kind. The storyline follows Deok-hee, an ordinary citizen, as she sets out to catch the ringleader of a voice phishing scam. She starred alongside Yeom Hye-ran.

In the 2024 tvN television series Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, Ra plays Kang So-bok, the director of the Maeran Theater Company. The show, which is based on a webtoon, is set in the 1950s after the Korean War and follows the journey of a talented young singer named Yoon Jeong-nyeon (Kim Tae-ri) as she joins a women's Gukgeuk troupe and develops her skills.

In May 2025, Ra signed an exclusive contract with T&N Entertainment.

Endorsement

Following her increased prominence as "Cheetah Ahjumma" in Reply 1988, Ra became a sought-after figure in the advertising industry. In 2016, she starred in commercials for various products such as Paldo Bibim-myeon, Society Game, CJ Bio-Lactobacillus, Estée Lauder, and Homestory Housekeeping. Ra received the CF Popularity Star Award at the 2016 MTN Broadcast Advertising Festival.

Her success continued in 2017 with endorsement deals for chicken, pharmaceuticals, clothing, and beverages. Thanks to her widespread recognition from her roles in films and dramas, she has become a versatile model, even appearing in ads for competing products like chicken and clothing, typically reserved for top-tier celebrities.

Philanthropy

In 2017, Ra participated in a green campaign for Allure Korea, joining six other artists from C-JeS Entertainment and designer Yoon Chun-ho. She hand-wrote "Live Green" on limited-edition T-shirts sold at an Allure event, with the proceeds donated to Green Korea United for endangered mountain goat protection. The following year, in 2018, Ra was one of 25 C-JeS artists involved in the "Black Dog Campaign" by the animal rights group CARE and Innocean Worldwide. She participated in a photoshoot with a black dog to combat prejudice and encourage the adoption of black dogs.

In 2021, Ra contributed her talent as a poster model for the "Artists' Employment Insurance" promotional campaign. This system, established by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Korea Arts & Culture Education Service on December 10, 2020, provides unemployment and parental benefits to artists, helping to stabilize their lives and support their creative endeavors.

In 2022, Ra donated the proceeds from her single "Ramirani," which featured rapper Mirani, to The Purme Foundation. The donation, made through the Jal Project with broadcaster Song Eun-i's music label Vivo Wave, was intended to fund rehabilitation treatment for children with disabilities.

Personal life

Ra met her husband while performing in a musical called "Dracula." The lead role was played by singer Shin Sung-woo, and my husband was Shin Sung-woo's manager at the time. We ran into each other casually in the practice room, became friends, and then one day, I found myself walking into a wedding hall (laughs). Ra married Kim Jin-goo, who was previously Shin Sung-woo's road manager, in 2002. They have a son named Kim Geun-woo, who is currently pursuing a career as a cyclist.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Web series

Music videos

Television shows

Discography

Stage

Musical

Theater

Accolades

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Notes

External links

Media related to Ra Mi-ran at Wikimedia Commons

• (in Korean)
• at the Korean Movie Database
• at IMDb
• at HanCinema