Hana Hong

Brief, but rare chat with a popular Korean racing and car show model

Racing and car show model Hana Hong is among the top ladies in her field in Korea. Her popularity as a model has even helped land her some parts in TV shows. However, since her exposure is pretty much limited to Korea, she’s received practically no press outside of her homeland. Of course, models like Hana often have their photos posted all over the net by Korean and non-Korean bloggers alike, but it’s very rare you’ll see an article or blog post where the author has actually contacted one of these ladies and received a reply from her worthy of publication.

I sent Hana a message through Facebook and asked if she’d like to be featured here and if she’d mind answering a few questions. She gave me a positive response and asked me to e-mail her about it. Knowing it could have been a brush-off, I sent Hana some questions anyway, thinking there’s always a chance of getting a reply. As it turned out, I was pleasantly surprised when Hana replied the next day with answers to some of my questions.

(Author’s Disclaimer: I really can’t consider this a full, much less an in-depth, interview since Hana just gave the “standard” replies to just a few of the questions I sent her and even though I have no reason to doubt it was actually her who replied to me, I can’t say I’m 100% sure it was, but I’ll go as far as saying I’m 99% sure.)


Hana Hong
“The scent of plum blossoms in the winter.”

CHRIS CHARLES: How long have you been modeling professionally?
HANA HONG: I’ve been a model for 12 years now.
CHRIS: Besides car shows and racing events, what other types of modeling do you do?
HANA: Besides being a car show and racing model, I have also modeled for commercial advertisements, and done fashion, and magazine modeling. I’ve also done some singing and acting.
CHRIS: Have you appeared on Korean TV or in any movies?
HANA: I’ve appeared on various cable TV variety shows and dramas. I’ve also done commercials and appeared on Music Bank (a popular Korean music showcase program).
CHRIS: Do you know you have fans from other countries?
HANA: It feels really good to have overseas fans. There’s a pressure on me to be as good as foreign models.
CHRIS: Is there anything you’d like to say to readers and fans outside of Korea?
HANA: I will work hard and do my best. Please support and encourage me. I will not lose sight of my original intention as a model. (Author’s Note: Sort of the standard statement a Korean entertainer gives to fans at the end of an interview.)

 


At the 2005 Seoul Motor Show
Hana on the runway during a 2008 fashion show at Seoul’s  Club Answer
Promo shot from the 2008 cable TV show 5 Girls Lingerie
Glamorous Girl (Clockwise from top left); Ye-seo Seo, Yoonsun Jung, Hana, and Jung Lee
Last month at an Incheon restaurant

Hana’s video spotlight for the 2012 Asia Model Festival Awards


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About the author

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Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Chris flirted with the music business there and in Nashville before joining the U.S. Army and serving in South Korea. He remained in Asia for several years afterwards, teaching English, traveling, and covering the regional entertainment scenes. Currently in a mindset between Seoul and San Francisco, besides Idol Features, you can also catch his writings in the print edition of the monthly magazine, Effective.

5 Comments

  1. Maybe not an in depth interview but you did get in touch with her. Good job Chris! Modeling for 12 years huh? That puts her around 30 something if she started after high school or did she start sooner?

    • Hana didn’t say when she started modeling, but it could have been while she was still in high school. She just sent me a thank you for this feature, so I’ll ask her with my reply.

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