MBC producer Han Seung Hoon, who currently directs Show! Music Core, shared the behind-the-scenes story of actress Ha Ji Won’s special appearance, which has become one of the most talked about moments in Korean entertainment this week.
Speaking to OSEN on May 31, Han revealed that the request actually came from Ha Ji Won first. “When we were contacted by Ha Ji Won’s team about our appearance on Music Core, our staff members were genuinely shocked. At first we couldn’t believe it. We were like, ‘What? Who did you say? Ha Ji Won? Are you serious?’ Honestly that was our reaction,” he recalled.
On the May 30th broadcast of Show! Music Core, Ha Ji Won performed “Home Run”, the song originally released in 2003. The performance was part of a promise made on the web variety show Class of ’26 Ji Won, where she promised to recreate the stage if the content surpassed 1.2 million views. Thanks to overwhelming fan support, he finally delivered on that promise.
However, performance has become much more than simply fulfilling a promise. It marked Ha Ji Won’s return to the music show stage after 23 years and attracted widespread attention for her seemingly ageless visuals and commanding stage presence.
Han Seung Hoon explained that the production team first learned about the opportunity during one of their regular training meetings. “We got the call during our weekly artist lineup discussion. At that point, we didn’t know much about the promise she’d made. Everyone was looking at each other wondering what was going on. Then we asked her what song she was going to perform, and when we learned it would be “Home Run,” we were even more surprised.”
The producer admitted that he immediately realized that the stage would become something special. “As soon as I heard about it, I thought it would be an incredibly sensational performance. I felt happy, excited and genuinely amazed. May is always full of comeback promotions, but Ha Ji Won recreating ‘Home Run’ after more than 20 years seemed like a legendary stage that could become part of television history. Our entire staff was excited to prepare.”
Han also highlighted the emotional atmosphere created by Ha Ji Won’s longtime fans during the recording. “Since she is not primarily a singer, we set the stage as a pre-recorded performance rather than a live broadcast appearance. During Music Core recordings, fans usually fill the audience seats for rehearsals and the actual recording. Ha Ji Won’s fans were also there, but their energy seemed different than that of a typical idol fandom.”
He continued, “It felt like they were transported back in time. Because opportunities like this are so rare, they weren’t just cheering. It felt like they were pouring decades of memories into every shout and every chant.”
Another moment that struck the producer was how fans supported the actress. “As shown during the broadcast, most audiences today enjoy the shows while holding the official light sticks. But Ha Ji Won’s fans arrived with handmade banners, just like they did 20 years ago. They carefully wrote the messages by hand and held them for her. It was incredibly memorable.”
Above all, Han couldn’t hide his admiration for Ha Ji Won herself. “Honestly, it felt like time had completely passed. You just couldn’t believe that more than two decades had passed. She was still Gil Ra Im from Secret Garden, still the actress Ha Ji Won. In fact, I even felt that her performance on stage was better than it was 20 years ago.”
She added that she became more relaxed during rehearsals and by the end seemed completely comfortable on stage. “During rehearsals, you could see her gradually becoming more comfortable. By the final recording, she was really enjoying herself. There wasn’t the slightest hint of tiredness. She got on that stage and hit a grand slam. She literally owned the performance.”
The producer concluded by expressing gratitude to both Ha Ji Won and his fans for creating such a memorable moment. “Ha Ji Won looked exactly the same as people remembered her. Everyone in the control room, including the directors, felt emotional during filming. Both Ha Ji Won and the fans in attendance really enjoyed the experience, which made our staff proud and happy too.”
Han also took the opportunity to tease Music Core’s next special event. “We are currently preparing our first half of the year special in Ulsan this June. We are working hard on it, so please continue to show us lots of support and interest.”
Sources: Nate
