Actress Shim Eun-ha to Marry Next Month

Shim Eun-ha, one of the nation's top actresses in the 1990s, announced on Tuesday that she would marry next month.

Her husband-to-be is 39-year-old Chi Sang-wook, the only son of Hansung Industrial and a research professor at the Graduate School of International Studies of Yonsei University, according to a news release.

"We started to get a good impression of each other through a meeting between friends late last year and we have been dating since this spring", the 33-year-old Shim said in a statement. "We confirmed the marriage in early July and families of both sides met late last month".

Shim said that she was attracted by Chi's "warm heart and kind attitude" while Chi pointed out Shim's "loveliness" and "beautiful mind" as her major attractions.

"Just as I have done as an actress, I want to have a successful family as the wife of one man", she said.

The wedding is set to take place on Oct. 18 at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel in eastern Seoul.

Debuting as a television actress in 1993, Shim became one of the most beloved actresses in Korea, especially through the film "Christmas in August" in 1998 and the SBS TV drama "Trap of Youth" in 1999.

However, at the peak of her popularity, Shim suddenly stopped acting after starring in the movie Interview in 2000. She avoided appearing in public except for a few TV commercials. Instead, she briefly went to Paris to study painting.

Despite her inactivity, Shim attracts media attention for every move she makes. Also, as Shim never officially mentioned her retirement from acting, rumors of a comeback continue to arise.