Following in the glamorous, regency-era footsteps of Phoebe Dynevor, Simone Ashley and Nicola Coughlan, Yerin Ha has been revealed as the latest actress to transform into a Bridgerton leading lady. Yerin will be starring opposite Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict, the second Bridgerton son, in season four of the Netflix series.
The streamer's official cast announcement for the upcoming season revealed that Yerin will play Sophie Baek - a resourceful and persevering maid, also referred to as the Lady in Silver, working for 'the most demanding employer in the ton'. But Sophie's circumstances quickly change when she disguises herself to attend Violet Bridgerton's masquerade ball and meets Benedict Bridgerton. Yerin said of her role, 'What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome. Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.'
As Yerin becomes acclimatised to regal ballgowns and the Ton's esteemed enclaves, Grazia has delved into the woman behind the Lady in Silver, Sophie Baek.
Who is Yerin Ha?
Yerin Ha is an actress. In line with her family tradition, she set out on that career path in South Korea when she was 15, and trained at Kaywon High School of Arts in Seoul for three years.
In 2018, Yerin graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting, majoring in Musical Theatre at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. 'My grandma’s an actor and my parents met each other in acting school, so I’ve always grown up with this knowledge of what theatre and screen are, so that’s something I was always interested in,' Yerin told Australian Vogue.
According to her NIDA alumni profile, Yerin also has a talent for dance, boasting more than a decade of experience in various styles.
How old is Yerin Ha?
Born on 26 June 1995, Yerin is 29 years old.
Where is Yerin Ha from?
Yerin was born and raised in Sydney to Korean parents. As previously mentioned, acting is in her blood, and her grandmother, Son Sook, is an acclaimed stage actor in Korea.
Yerin was one of the few Asian students in her school, previously admitting that acting was a 'means of escape' from her timidness. Witnessing a lack of Asian representation on Australian TV spurred Yerin on to move to South Korea to pursue her acting career.
Meanwhile, her character's name in Bridgerton has been changed from Sophie Beckett (as written in Julia Quinn's third Bridgerton book, An Offer From a Gentleman) to Sophie Baek, in a nod to her ethnicity.
'A name is the first bit of identity that you share with the world, and that’s why changing a name can be so powerful. To make Sophie’s name fit someone who looks like me is really empowering. All credit to Jess Brownell, our showrunner,' Yerin told Tudum.
Yerin explained that Jess asked her about Korean surnames that begin with B, which meant a lot to the actress. She said, 'It’s a really nice way for me to feel like the role is fit for me, rather than me having to fit a certain mould. It’s amazing what it can do just in a psychological sense.'
Yerin Ha's films and TV shows
Yerin made her onscreen debut in 2019, securing a recurring role in crime drama Reef Break. But before earning her first credential, Yerin had already banked a project, playing Kwan Ha in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi series, Halo. A friend is understood to have made her aware of a TV casting call for a Southeast Asian or East Asian girl who spoke English, with no acting experience required. Several rounds of Zoom auditions later, Yerin got the job on Halo.
'I was honoured and thrilled to be part of an amazing project, surrounded by many talented actors. Though I was able to play one of the lead roles in Halo, I am well aware of how much work I have to do and learn to become a better actor,' she told The Korea Herald.
Additional TV titles under Yerin's belt are Troppo and Bad Behaviour, and viewers will also see her taking on the role of Young Kasha in Dune's prequel series, Dune: Prophecy in November.
In 2022, Yerin made her film debut in acclaimed horror movie Sissy.
Does Yerin Ha have Instagram?
Join the 73.4k who already follow the actress here, @yerinha_.
Is Yerin Ha dating anyone?
Yerin appears to keep her romantic life private.
What is Yerin Ha's net worth?
Reports surrounding her financial status vary, with suggested figures between $2 million and $3 million.
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.