Hani Returns to Acting After Three-Year Hiatus With KBS Drama 'Love Is Coming'

Hani returns to acting after three years with KBS drama "Love Is Coming," opening up about her hiatus, pressure, and hopes for a fresh start.

Ruolan
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Hani Returns to Acting After Three-Year Hiatus With KBS Drama 'Love Is Coming'
© courtesy of HANI X

Hani is stepping back into the spotlight where many first came to know her, this time as actress Ahn Hee-yeon. After three years away from Korean drama screens, the singer and actress is returning with KBS 2TV's weekend series "Love Is Coming," premiering on July 25. The comeback marks her first acting project since the Disney+ drama "Say It's Love," released in 2023.

It has been a long road back.

Over the past three years, Hani's career was overshadowed by events that unfolded outside her professional life. After a patient died at the clinic of psychiatrist Yang Jae-woong, with whom she was publicly in a relationship, public criticism surrounding the incident quickly spread to Hani despite her having no direct connection to the case. She became the target of malicious comments and widespread online criticism driven by guilt by association.

The aftermath changed the course of her public life.

Hani indefinitely postponed her planned marriage to Yang Jae-woong and sharply reduced her entertainment activities. While she occasionally shared updates from overseas performances, appearances in Korea became increasingly rare. She also withdrew from a variety show shortly after the hospital controversy, effectively disappearing from domestic television for an extended period.

Last July, Hani appeared on MBN's "Oh Eun-young Stay," where she opened up about life during her hiatus. Speaking candidly about the emotional weight she had carried, she shared a mindset that helped her move forward.

"I want to have the courage to be disliked," she said. "I decided to live this way, and it gave me strength that Dr. Oh Eun-young also told me to live that way."


The words reflected someone trying to rebuild on her own terms. Sometimes putting one foot in front of the other is the hardest part.

Now, that next step arrives through "Love Is Coming." Hani returns under her acting name, Ahn Hee-yeon, portraying Han Kyu-rim, one of the drama's female leads. The character carries hidden emotional scars while balancing responsibility, yet continues searching for reasons to smile again. It is a role that naturally invites comparisons with Hani's own journey over the past several years.

Speaking during the drama's press conference on July 22, Ahn Hee-yeon expressed both hope and humility as she prepared for her return.

"I hope many people feel laughter and warmth through Kyu-rim," she said. "I think I have caused concern to many people due to personal matters. I feel apologetic for sharing personal stories here."

She also acknowledged the pressure surrounding her comeback.

"Many people are working hard to film this project, and I have a strong desire not to let them down," she said. "Naturally, I felt a lot of pressure, but since that is my responsibility to bear, I am working hard to stay strong."

Her focus, she explained, remains on the work itself.

"I feel fortunate to be able to meet many different characters through this weekend drama. I want to offer comfort and love to many people."

The role represents more than another acting credit. It is an opportunity to reconnect with viewers after years marked by personal challenges, public scrutiny, and an extended absence from Korean television. Whether audiences embrace her return will become clear once "Love Is Coming" premieres.

For now, Hani has chosen to face the cameras again. After years spent largely away from the spotlight, she is giving herself another chance, one scene at a time.

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