After her acting debut in 1994, Hwang became famous for her role as the quiet and classic beauty Lady Ye-jin in the tremendously popular period drama series Hur Jun in 1999, which reached average ratings of 54%, and a peak rating of 63.7%.
[2] However, in 2001, she was arrested on charges of taking methamphetamine (a stimulant also known as "philopon" or "ice"), with her live-in lover, a married man.
She was sentenced to one year and six months in jail, but was released on bail after serving 78 days in 2002.
[2] In 2006, Hwang made her comeback by appearing in the music video "Because Love is Always Like That" by WAX,[5][6][7] then resumed her acting career with a leading role in the 2007 TV drama Salt Doll.
[2][8] Though she never recovered the popularity she had once enjoyed, Hwang has since starred in the Hong Sang-soo film Night and Day (2008),[9][10] the four-episode Drama Special For My Son (2011),[1][3] and the omnibus movie In Between (2012).