Hajiwon’s Stunning Transformation in ENA’s ‘Climax’: What Makes Her Role So Captivating?

Ha Ji-won in ‘Climax’ / Photo=ENA

[Sports Today Reporter Im Si-ryeong] Actress Ha Ji-won instantly captivated viewers with a performance in ENA’s new Monday-Tuesday drama Climax, skillfully blurring the line between good and evil.

On the March 17 episode of ENA’s Climax, Ha Ji-won portrays Choo Sang-ah, a fallen \”nation’s first love\” actress. She pushed beyond the desperate comeback urgency shown in the premiere, revealing a more layered and morally ambiguous character while guiding the story with seasoned control.

In the episode, Choo Sang-ah (Ha Ji-won) pours herself into filming the low-budget project Seed of Tears to stage her return. Even after suffering a knee injury on set, she shields the crew instead of protesting loudly. She then endures the humiliation of being pelted with eggs by Lee Yang-mi (Cha Joo-young)—an influential figure in the entertainment world and the daughter-in-law of WR Group, the country’s third-largest conglomerate—and is left alone in the hallway, a sight that drew viewers’ sympathy.

The story takes a sharp turn when another side of Choo Sang-ah emerges. Immediately after the Seed of Tears shoot, she receives a call from Park Jae-sang, a mysterious man serving time in prison. Though she answers in an affectionate tone—\”How have you been? I’ve been waiting\”—her expression turns chillingly blank, ratcheting up the tension.

Following the egg attack, Choo Sang-ah seeks out Kwon Se-myeong, the WR Group chairman and Lee Yang-mi’s husband, greeting him with, \”Long time no see, Chairman.\” Her words freeze Bang Tae-seop (Joo Ji-hoon), her husband, who had been monitoring her in real time. The episode closes on Kwon Se-myeong’s piercing stare and Choo Sang-ah’s loaded look in response, leaving viewers desperate to know what comes next.

The drama tightens its grip by layering in enigmatic threads around Choo Sang-ah: a strange connection with background actress Han Jung-won (Nana), Park Jae-sang’s request to meet her alone while referencing the Oh Gwang-jae murder case from prison, and clandestine encounters between Kwon Se-myeong and Choo Sang-ah. Those developments kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

As questions about Choo Sang-ah’s true identity deepen, ENA’s Climax—driven by Ha Ji-won’s daring transformation, which continues to deliver standout performances each episode—airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

[Sports Today Reporter Im Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
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