Actress Ha Ji-won showcased a new side of herself by playing the role of Choo Sang-ah in the ENA drama "Climax." In an interview held at the ENA headquarters in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Ha Ji-won revealed the difficulties and emotional exhaustion she experienced during the filming process.

The character Choo Sang-ah is portrayed as someone who endures any humiliation to maintain her past glory and stardom, gradually changing for power and survival. Ha Ji-won made significant physical changes for this role, including losing weight down to 45 kg. She said, "I exercised to make my muscles so thin that even when wearing a slip, the clothes would hang loosely," and shared that she went through emotionally tough times.

Ha Ji-won said, "Pouring my emotions into every scene caused great emotional exhaustion, just like the title 'Climax.' Living as Sang-ah, I even suffered pain close to anorexia. I once confessed to the director that it was hard." She also expressed her thoughts on the role, saying, "Choo Sang-ah is a very unstable being whose identity changes depending on her environment and relationships."

Meanwhile, Ha Ji-won took a break after the delay of the film "Bikwang" and used this time to gain various experiences by venturing into the cosmetics business. She revealed, "Having lived only as an actress, I realized that I lacked self-exploration when I stepped out into the world," and admitted that she once considered quitting acting. However, she explained that meeting diverse people and experiencing the world through her business helped her acting.

Recently, she enrolled as a freshman in the Department of Culinary & Food Design at Kyung Hee University's College of Hotel and Tourism, communicating with the Gen Z generation as a college student. Ha Ji-won shared her experience in the new environment, saying, "During class, we had a time to speak informally, and even the professor used informal speech."

Ha Ji-won said, "Filming 'Climax' really felt like starting over as a rookie. I want to do all genres—thrillers, action, comedy, historical dramas. I will continue to shed blood and sweat to show my own colors."