Actress Ji An Announces Marriage to Former Baseball Pitcher Um Jeong-wook
Actress Ji An announces her marriage to former baseball pitcher Um Jeong-wook after a short but deep relationship that changed her view on marriage.
Ji An is preparing for a major new chapter in her life. The 42-year-old actress has announced that she is getting married to former professional baseball player Um Jeong-wook, 45, sharing the news with fans through social media on August 8.
"I have some surprising news to share," Ji An wrote, revealing that marriage had never been part of her plans. "I am a free spirit who never thought about marriage, but I am getting married to Um Jeong-wook, who threw the fastest ball in Korea during his active career." The announcement paired a deeply personal decision with a playful nod to the baseball record that once made her future husband a major name on the mound.
Ji An kept that baseball connection running as she described how quickly their relationship became serious. "Just like someone who threw the fastest ball, he captured my heart very quickly," she wrote. "After a short but deep relationship, I became convinced that 'I want to spend my life with this person.'" It is a direct confession from someone who says she once never considered marriage, which makes the decision hit differently.
Her message also focused on the qualities she sees in Um Jeong-wook away from professional sports. Ji An described him as "a truly warm-hearted person who always thinks of others first and knows how to be considerate," saying she believes that outlook comes from growing up with abundant love from his parents. She added, "Now, we will become each other's best friends and reliable partners to build a family filled with laughter," before asking fans for warm support and encouragement.
The actress gave followers a glimpse of the wedding mood through accompanying photos. Ji An appeared smiling while holding a wedding dress and bouquet, while another image showed Um Jeong-wook dressed in a tuxedo. The images put a visual stamp on an announcement that caught attention precisely because Ji An openly described herself as someone who had never expected to marry.
Born in 1983, Ji An built her career across pageants, film and television. She won the 73rd National Chunhyang Selection Contest and later appeared in films including Serve the People and The Trap. Her television credits include the drama Secret Mother.
Um Jeong-wook, born in 1981, followed a very different professional path. He entered professional baseball in 2000 after joining the Ssangbangwool Raiders and later pitched for the SK Wyverns. His defining moment arrived in 2003, when he recorded a 158 km/h fastball, the highest speed in the country at the time, earning him the nickname "Lightning Fastball Pitcher."
More than two decades after that 158 km/h pitch put Um Jeong-wook in the spotlight, baseball history has found an unexpected place in the couple's wedding announcement. Ji An turned his best-known sporting achievement into a personal punchline about how quickly their relationship moved from a short romance to a lifelong commitment. Now, the actress and former pitcher are preparing to become what Ji An described simply as best friends and reliable partners, building their future together.
