Park Bo Young (Korean: 박보영; Hanja: 朴寶英, born February 12, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading roles in the hit films Scandal Makers (2008), A Werewolf Boy (2012) and On Your Wedding Day (2018), and the television series Oh My Ghost (2015), Strong Girl Bong Soon (2017), Abyss (2019) and Doom at Your Service (2021).
Career[]
Early career beginnings[]
Before her official acting debut in 2006, Park appeared in a short film titled Equal in 2005 when she was in middle school. The short film won Challenging Reality Award (현실도전상) at the 7th Seoul International Youth Film Festival (SIYFF 2005). She first appeared on television with a public advertisement for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power when she was in high school.
2006–2010: Debut, breakthrough and hiatus[]
Park made her official acting debut in the 2006 high school television series Secret Campus alongside fellow newcomer Lee Min-ho. Among the notable projects during the early stage in her career are the historical epic The King and I and Peabody Award-winning teen drama Jungle Fish with Kim Soo-hyun, based on a true story that depicts the pressures placed on students to achieve and gain admission to prestigious colleges and universities.
Park rose to fame after starring opposite Cha Tae-hyun in comedy Scandal Makers, which drew 8.3 million viewers to become the number one top grosser of 2008 and one of Korean cinema's biggest hits. Described by Variety as "excellent" in her role as a spunky teenage mom, Park's much-praised performance swept Best New Actress awards in 2009. She was also dubbed as "Nation's Little Sister" because of its success. She then starred in a short film directed by Lee Hyun-seung, human rights-themed omnibus If You Were Me 4 in 2009.
However, in 2010 she became involved in a series of legal disputes with her then-management agency and a film production company, causing the actress to be tied up in lawsuits and unable to work for the next few years.
2011–2014: Return to big screen and mainstream success[]
In December 2012, After she was designated the promotional ambassador (called "PiFan Lady") for the 2011 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival,[16][17] Park finally ended her four-year absence from the limelight by headlining the 2012 horror thriller Don't Click. Later that year, she starred alongside Song Joong-ki in fantasy romance film A Werewolf Boy, which surpassed 7 million admissions to become one of the most successful Korean melodramas of all time. The song her character sings in the film, "My Prince", was released as a digital single and included in the movie soundtrack.
In 2013, Park joined the cast of Law of the Jungle, a reality-documentary program featuring comedian Kim Byung-man and several celebrities as they explore and survive the New Zealand wilderness.
In a departure from her previous sweet, innocent characters, Park played the tough, potty-mouthed leader of her high school gang in Hot Young Bloods (2014), a teen romantic comedy set in the 1980s. Park, who was born in North Chungcheong Province, said she had fun swearing in southern dialect, though she found it difficult to master, being a mixture of Jeolla and Chungcheong dialects.
2015–2019: Television comeback and continued success[]
In 2015, she headlined the mystery thriller The Silenced, set in a girls' boarding school during the Japanese occupation. This was followed by dual roles in romantic comedy Oh My Ghost, Park's first television series in seven years. Her salary of ₩30 million (US$27,000) per episode made her the highest-paid actress to appear on cable channel tvN. The series was a commercial and critical hit, and garnered the Best Actress award for Park at the 4th APAN Star Awards. She was also dubbed as the "romantic comedy queen" by the Korean press. Park Bo Young in an outdoor greeting event during the BIFF on October 3, 2015 Park next played the selfish love interest of a mutant in the black comedy Collective Invention, and an entertainment news cub reporter in the workplace comedy You Call It Passion.[41][42]
In June 2016, Park was cast as the title role in JTBC's series Strong Girl Bong-soon, premiered in February 2017, where she played a character with superhuman strength.[43][44][45] The series became one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history. Due to its popularity, it earned her Korea Reputation Center's highest brand value among Korean TV actors and the highest consumer participation rate in February and March 2017.
In September 2017, Park began filming the romance film On Your Wedding Day which premiered in August 2018. She was reunited with Kim Young-kwang, whom she previously acted with in the 2014 film Hot Young Bloods. The film was a box office hit and received positive reviews.
Park then starred in tvN's series Abyss premiered in May 2019, where she played a beautiful prosecutor who transforms into a plain-looking girl after being revived by a mysterious orb.
She parted ways with her ten-year agency Fides Spatium in December 2019. Two months later, she signed an exclusive contract with BH Entertainment.
2020–present: Recent projects[]
In December 2020, Park was cast in fantasy romance series Doom at Your Service alongside Seo In-guk, which premiered on May 10, 2021, on tvN. In April 2021, she also began filming Um Tae-hwa's disaster thriller film Concrete Utopia alongside Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-joon.
Personal life[]
Park was born in Jeungpyeong, North Chungcheong Province. She is the second of three daughters. Her father served as a soldier in the Special Forces for 34 years.[60][61] She graduated from Jeungpyeong Elementary School, Jeungpyeong Girls' Middle School, Daeseong Girls' Commercial High School and Dankook University's Department of Performing Arts with a major in Theatre and Film.[62][63]
On April 26, 2021, she opened her first SNS account in 15 years since her debut. Her first Instagram post received 165,000 likes within 17 hours of its release.
Health[]
Park's ankle ligaments were torn during a workout before shooting began for TV series Strong Girl Bong-soon. In April 2017, the hospital advised her to wear a cast but she had to use ankle tape and started out with physical therapy instead, due to the ongoing filming. Two months after wrapping up the series, she underwent a twenty-minute minor surgery. On September 6, her agency stated that the actress was in the final stages of rehabilitation and would start filming On Your Wedding Day later that month.
In November 2019, Park announced temporary hiatus to recover from arm injury. She also received surgery to remove a scar on her arm.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Equal | Kim Da-mi | Short film | [1] |
| 2008 | Our School's E.T. | Han Song-yi | [2] | |
| The ESP Couple | Hyun-jin | [3] | ||
| Scandal Makers | Hwang Jung-nam / Hwang Jae-in | [4] | ||
| 2009 | If You Were Me 4 | Kim Hee-soo | Segment: Relay | [5] |
| 2011 | Rio | Jewel | Voice only, Korean dub | [6] |
| 2012 | Don't Click | Se-hee | [7] | |
| A Werewolf Boy | Sun-yi / Eun-joo | [8] | ||
| 2013 | Snow Queen | Gerda | Voice only, Korean dub | [9][10] |
| 2014 | Hot Young Bloods | Park Young-sook | [11] | |
| 2015 | The Silenced | Cha Ju-ran / Shizuko | [12] | |
| Collective Invention | Ju-jin | [13] | ||
| You Call It Passion | Do Ra-hee | [14] | ||
| 2018 | On Your Wedding Day | Hwan Seung-hee | [15] | |
| TBA | Concrete Utopia | Myung-hwa | [16] |
Television series[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Secret Campus | Cha Ah-rang | [17] | |
| 2007 | Witch Yoo Hee | young Ma Yoo-hee | Cameo | [18] |
| Mackerel Run | Shim Chung-ah | [19] | ||
| The King and I | young Yoon So-hwa | Cameo | [20] | |
| 2008 | Jungle Fish | Lee Eun-soo | [21] | |
| Strongest Chil Woo | Choi Woo-young | Cameo | [22] | |
| Star's Lover | young Lee Ma-ri | Cameo | [23] | |
| 2015 | Oh My Ghost | Na Bong-sun | [24] | |
| 2017 | Strong Girl Bong-soon | Do Bong-soon | [25] | |
| 2019 | Abyss | Go Se-yeon / Lee Mi-do | [26][27] | |
| 2021 | Doom at Your Service | Tak Dong-kyung | [28] | |
| TBA | Daily Dose of Sunshine | Jung Da-eun | [29] |
Reality/variety show[]
| Year | Title | Broadcaster | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | KOICA's Dream: Peru | MBC | Volunteer (special project) | [30] |
| 2012 | KOICA's Dream: El Salvador | [31] | ||
| Entertainment Relay | KBS | Guerilla Date section | [32] | |
| 2013 | Section TV | MBC | Rising Star section | [33] |
| Law of the Jungle in New Zealand | SBS | Cast member | [34] | |
| Get It Beauty: Self | OnStyle | Bright Peach Make-up (aired for one week) | [35] | |
| KOICA's Dream: Indonesia | MBC | Volunteer (special project) | [36][37] | |
| 2015 | Section TV | Star-ting section | [38] | |
| Entertainment Weekly | KBS | Guerilla Date section | [39] | |
| 2016 | We Kid | Mnet | Mentor | [40][41] |
| 2018 | Actor & Chatter | V Live | Featured actor | [42] |
Radio program[edit][]
| Year | Title | Broadcaster | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Cultwo Show | SBS Power FM | Guest DJ | [a] |
| 2019 | Park So-hyun's Love Game | Special DJ | [b] |
Documentary[]
| Year | Title | Network | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 선생님과 함께하는 5월 이야기 | — | Co-host | [47] |
| 2013 | Violence-Free School: Now It's Your Turn to Speak | KBS | [48] |
Hosting[]
| Year | Title | Broadcaster | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Arirang Our Great Heritage | MBC | MC | [49] |
| 2016 | KCON 2016 New York | Mnet | Special host (with Im Si-wan) | [50] |
Narration[]
| Year | Title | Broadcaster | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | KOICA's Dream: Peru | MBC | Episode 2 | [51] |
| 2012 | Human Documentary Love | [52] | ||
| 2013 | Violence-Free School: Now It's Your Turn to Speak | KBS | Documentary | [48] |
| Sunday Cinema | Channel CGV | [53] | ||
| KOICA's Dream: Indonesia | MBC | [36][37] |
Music video appearance[]
| Year | Song title | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Couldn't Help It" (오죽했으면)[c] | Goo Jung-hyun [ko] | YouTube |
| "Still Pretty Today" (오늘도 이쁜걸) | Fly to the Sky | YouTube | |
| 2008 | "가슴아 제발" | Yuri | YouTube |
| "Between Love and Friendship" (사랑과 우정사이) | Park Hye-kyung [ko] | YouTube | |
| 2011 | "Only I Didn't Know" (나만 몰랐던 이야기) | IU | YouTube |
| "Fiction" | Beast | YouTube | |
| 2013[d] | "That's My Fault" (슬픈 약속) (Drama ver.) | Speed feat. Kang Min-kyung | YouTube |
| "It's Over" (Drama ver.) | Speed | YouTube | |
| "It's Over" (Dance ver.) | Speed feat. Park Bo-young | YouTube |
Advertising[edit][]
| Year | Company | Brand/business | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power | — | Public advertisement | [58] |
| Lotte Confectionery | Xylitol | Chewing gum | [59] | |
| SK Chemicals | 트라스트 | Medicine | [60] | |
| Lee Hyun Apparel | Blue Tail | Clothing | [61] | |
| Ottogi | Ottogi Cooked Rice | Retort food | [62] | |
| Jin Ramen Cup | Instant noodle | |||
| Woori Financial Group | Woori Bank | [63] | ||
| 2007 | Coway | Looloo | Bidet | [64] |
| Hanshin Engineering & Construction Group [ko] | 세븐밸리 | Outlet | [65] | |
| SK Telecom | Ting | Mobile communication | [66] | |
| 예신퍼슨스 | Marui | Clothing | [67] | |
| 2008 | Johnson & Johnson | Clean & Clear | Cosmetics | [68] |
| 2009 | Nongshim | Ansungtangmyun | Instant noodle | [69] |
| Ministry of Economy and Finance | Korea Lottery Commission [ko] | Public advertisement | [70] | |
| Binggrae | Cledor | Ice cream | [71] | |
| Nonghyup Moguchon | 또래오래 | Chicken | [72] | |
| Samsung | Hahaha Campaign | Corporate PR | [73][74] | |
| MPK Group [ko] | Mr. Pizza | [75] | ||
| 2009–10 | Lotte Hi-Mart | — | [76][77] | |
| 2011 | ESTsoft | Zum | Web portal | [78] |
| 2013 | Nintendo of Korea | Animal Crossing: New Leaf | Console game | [79] |
| Starluxe | LeSportsac | Bag | [80][81] | |
| Estée Lauder Companies | Clinique | Cosmetics | [82][83] | |
| Korea Paprika Growers Association Group [ko] | Paprika | Vegetable | [84] | |
| 2013–16 | Nexon Korea Corporation | Sudden Attack | Online game | [85] |
| 2015 | YD Online [ko] | The God of High School | Mobile game | [86] |
| LG Uplus | IoT@home | Internet service | [87] | |
| Dongsuh Foods [ko] | Post Granola | Cereal | [88] | |
| 2015–16 | Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance | Anycar Direct | Car insurance | [89][90][91] |
| 2015–17 | Muhak Co. [ko] | Good Day | Soju | [92][93][94] |
| 2015–18 | Claire's Korea | Guerisson | Cosmetics | [95][96][97] |
| Cloud 9 | ||||
| 2015–19 | LG Unicharm | Sofy Bodyfit | Sanitary pad | [98] |
| 2016–17 | 나눔씨엔씨 | Think Nature | Shampoo and body wash | [99][100] |
| Dongwon F&B [ko] | Dongwon Mall | Online food shopping website | [101][102][103] | |
| 2016–21 | Coca-Cola Korea | Toreta by Aquarius | Beverage | [104] |
| 2017 | Lotte Hi-Mart | — | [105] | |
| Korea Paprika Growers Association Group | Paprika | Vegetable | [106] | |
| 2017–21 | Dong-A Pharmaceutical [ko] | Garglin | Mouthwash | [107][108] |
| 2018 | Panpyrin | Medicine | [109] | |
| GN Food [ko] | 굽네치킨 | Chicken | [110] | |
| HiHo Game | 삼국지대전M | Mobile game | [111] | |
| 2021 | Aurora World | Dr. Smile K | Face mask | [112] |
| Binggrae | Cledor | Ice cream | [113] | |
| Ami Cosmetic | BRTC | Cosmetics | [114] |
Discography[]
Soundtrack[]
| Year | Title | Peak | Sales
(Music download) |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR
[68] | ||||
| 2008 | "자유시대" | — | Scandal Makers OST | |
| 2012 | "My Prince" (나의 왕자님) | 7 |
|
A Werewolf Boy OST |
| 2014 | "피끓는 청춘" | — | Hot Young Bloods OST | |
| 2015 | "Leave" (떠난다) | 55 |
|
Oh My Ghost OST |
| 2018 | "Listen to Me" (내 얘기 좀 들어봐) | — | On Your Wedding Day OST Part 1 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | ||||
As featured artist[edit][]
| Year | Title | Peak | Sales
(Music download) |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR
[71] | ||||
| 2013 | "It's Over"
(Speed feat. Park Bo-young) |
43 |
|
Superior Speed |
Other ventures[]
Philanthropy[]
Park at autograph signing event for Sofy Bodyfit's Share Pad Campaign in April 2019. Park Bo-young has participated in several charitable causes; such as talent donations for ChildFund Korea—Green Umbrella Children's Foundation's "Love, One More" campaign in 2014 and Sandol Green Umbrella Handwriting project in 2017.[73][74][75] Since 2013, she has sponsored two children through the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation.[76]
Park participated in the Share Pad Campaign by LG Unicharm's sanitary pad brand Sofy Bodyfit and provided pads to girls from low-income single parents from 2016 until 2019.[77] In May 2017 and April 2019, she held autograph signing events to donate a total of 1.1 million pieces of sanitary pads to Korean Women's Welfare Association as part of the campaign.[78][79]
On April 15, 2017, Park held an autograph session in Seoul to support an orphanage in Cambodia. It was hosted by Think Nature, a cosmetic brand that she endorsed at that time. All proceeds from the event were donated to support children in Cambodia.[80]
In February 2020, she donated 50 million won to help the fight against COVID-19 during the mass outbreak. In August, she donated 20 million won to support the aid for flood victims through the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association.[81][82] She was also one of the celebrities who participated in 2020 WeAja Flea Market charity auction.[83]
In February 2021, she donated 30 million won to non-profit organization Good Neighbors in celebration of her birthday to provide young girls from low-income families with sanitary items.[81] In July, she donated 100,000 face masks to the North Gyeongsang Province Fire Department through the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association.[84]
In February 2022, international development cooperation NGO G-Foundation announced that Park donated 50 million won on her birthday to fund kits with sanitary products for young girls from low-income households.[85] In March, she donated 50 million won to Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help residents affected by the wildfires in Uljin, Gyeongbuk, Samcheok, Gangneung, Donghae, and Yeongwol.[86] Because of her donations, Park became a member of Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association's major donor club called "Hope Bridge Honors Club" in April 2022.[87]
Ambassadorship[]
| Year | Organization/event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Lottery Commission | Promotional ambassador | [88][89] |
| Good Downloader | Star supporter | [90] | |
| 2010 | Seoul G20 Summit | [91] | |
| 2011 | 15th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) | Promotional ambassador | [16][92] |
| 2012 | Internet Newspaper "Campus Today" | Honorary reporter | [93] |
| 2013 | EcoMobility World Festival: Suwon City | International ambassador | [94] |
| Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) | Ambassador | [95] | |
| 2014 | CJ CGV Toto's Workshop in Vietnam | Honorary ambassador | [96] |
| Korea National Police Hospital | [97] | ||
| 2015 | CJ CGV Toto's Workshop in Indonesia | [98] | |
| Korea Customs Service's Integrated Travel Guide "Tour Pass" | Ambassador | [99] | |
| 2020 | 16th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival | Honorary Ambassador | [100] |
Awards and nominations[]
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Kim Best Star Awards | 2009 | Female Star Award | Park Bo-young | Won | [101] |
| APAN Star Awards | 2015 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Oh My Ghost | Won | [102] |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2009 | Best New Actress – Film | Scandal Makers | Won | [103] |
| Most Popular Actress (Film) | Won | ||||
| 2017 | Best Actress – Television | Strong Girl Bong-soon | Nominated | [104] | |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2009 | Best New Actress | Scandal Makers | Won | [105] |
| 2015 | Popular Star Award | The Silenced | Won | [106] | |
| 2018 | Best Actress | On Your Wedding Day | Nominated | [107] | |
| Buil Film Awards | 2009 | Best New Actress | Scandal Makers | Nominated | |
| Cine 21 Awards | 2008 | Won | [108] | ||
| Chunsa Film Art Awards | 2009 | Nominated | [109] | ||
| Director's Cut Awards | Won | [110] | |||
| Golden Cinematography Awards | Won | [111] | |||
| Grand Bell Awards | 2009 | Nominated | |||
| Popularity Award | Won | [112] | |||
| InStyle Star Icon | 2016 | Best Actress | Park Bo-young | Won | [113] |
| KCA Consumer Day Awards | 2018 | Best Actress | On Your Wedding Day | Won | [114] |
| Korea Advertisers Association Awards | 2017 | Best Model Award | Park Bo-young | Won | [115] |
| Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | 2009 | Best New Actress | Scandal Makers | Won | [116] |
| Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | Won | [117] | |||
| 2014 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Film | Hot Young Bloods | Won | [118] | |
| Korea Jewelry Awards | 2013 | Best Jewelry Lady | Park Bo-young | Won | [119] |
| Korea Junior Star Awards | 2009 | Grand Prize (Film category) | Scandal Makers | Won | [120] |
| KOPA[a] & Nikon Press Photo Awards | 2016 | Most Photogenic Actress | Park Bo-young | Won | [121] |
| Korea World Youth Film Festival | 2015 | Most Favorite Actress | The Silenced | Won | [122] |
| Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | 2017 | Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation | Park Bo-young | Won | [123] |
| Max Movie Awards | 2009 | Best New Actress | Scandal Makers | Won | [124] |
| Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 2013 | 20's Movie Star - Female | A Werewolf Boy | Won | [125] |
| Pierson Movie Festival | 2012 | Best Actress | Won | [126] | |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2007 | Best Young Actress | The King and I | Won | [127] |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2018 | Best Actress | Strong Girl Bong-soon | Nominated | [128] |
| Outstanding Korean Actress | Won | [129][130] | |||
| Style Icon Asia | 2016 | Style Icon | Park Bo-young | Won | [131] |
| The Seoul Awards | 2017 | Best Actress (Drama) | Strong Girl Bong-soon | Won | [132] |
| 2018 | Best Actress (Film) | On Your Wedding Day | Nominated | [133] | |
| tvN10 Awards | 2016 | Best Chemistry | Park Bo-young with Kim Seul-gi
Oh My Ghost |
Won | [134] |
| Best Kiss Award | Park Bo-young with Jo Jung-suk
Oh My Ghost |
Nominated | |||
| Romantic Comedy Queen | Oh My Ghost | Nominated | |||
| University Film Festival of Korea | 2009 | Best New Actress | Scandal Makers | Won | [135] |
| V Live Awards | 2017 | Special V Live – V Live Special Thanks | Park Bo-young | Won | [136] |
| World Savings Day | 2012 | Commendation from the Chairman of Finance | Won | [137] |
Listicles[]
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forbes | 2010 | Korea Power Celebrity | 30th | [138] |
Notes[]
- ^ Korea Online Press Photographers Association