Cover Park Bo-young once again proves her range in her latest K-drama, ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’. (Photo: tvN)
Park Bo-young once again proves her range in her latest K-drama, ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’. (Photo: tvN)
1 / 1
Healing dramas, slice-of-life romances and a post-apocalyptic thriller—Park Bo-young’s latest projects highlight her unmatched range
International fans first fell for Park Bo-young’s charms in the fantasy romcom Strong Girl Bong-soon. Her effervescent portrayal of the superpowered Bong-soon, coupled with her undeniable chemistry with leading man Park Hyung-sik, made her a household name across Asia. Known for her warmth and versatility, Park has since continued to captivate audiences with a string of memorable performances. In recent years, she has starred in back-to-back K-dramas that showcase her range in healing and slice-of-life stories, as well as the critically acclaimed disaster film Concrete Utopia, proving she remains one of Korea’s most compelling leading actresses.
Don’t miss: 10 fan-favourite siblings in K-drama: from ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’ to ‘Reply 1988’
‘Our Unwritten Seoul’
In this healing K-drama, Park Bo-young proves her range by playing Mi-ji and Mi-rae, identical twins who are polar opposites. Mi-ji is cheerful and athletic, but an accident ends her dream of becoming a track star before it even starts. Mi-rae is reserved and academic, an overachiever who is always top of her class, but her high-paying corporate job has made her unhappy and dissatisfied with life.
When Mi-rae suffers a breakdown, Mi-ji proposes they employ an old trick of theirs—switch places until Mi-rae feels like herself again. Park Bo-young doesn’t just tackle the dual roles of Mi-ji and Mi-rae; she also has to play Mi-ji as Mi-rae and Mi-rae as Mi-ji—a feat a lesser actress than Park Bo-young would have had difficulty pulling off.
See also: 9 K-drama actors who’ve nailed both red flag and green flag roles
‘Melo Movie’
In this slice-of-life healing melo K-drama, Park Bo-young plays Kim Moo-bi opposite Choi Woo-shik’s Ko Gyeom. The appropriately named Moo-bi (i.e. movie) is a film director whose career is built on her resentment toward an absentee father whose life revolved around the industry. Gyeom, a film buff since childhood and a one-time aspiring actor, is now a famous film critic, a job he took on to give him time to take care of his older brother.
The two had a short-lived romance that ended when Gyeom unceremoniously ghosted Moo-bi. Five years later, they are back in each other’s orbits, but before they can rekindle the romance, they must each first confront past personal traumas and unresolved emotional baggage that could prevent them from building a genuine and lasting connection.
‘Light Shop’
In Light Shop, Park Bo-young joins an impressive ensemble cast including Ju Ji-hoon, Seol Hyun, Um Tae-goo, Lee Jung-eun, Kim Min-ha and Shin Eun-soo. She portrays Kwon Young-ji, a caring and attentive nurse in the ICU whose unique ability makes her especially suited for the job. Young-ji possesses a rare gift, unlocked after her own traumatic near-death experience: the power to see souls stuck in the space between life and death. Now, she uses this insight to guide these lost individuals toward finding their light, whether that means returning to the world of the living or moving on to the next.
Don’t miss: 9 K-dramas with shocking plot twists fans never saw coming
‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’
In the Netflix healing K-drama, Park Bo-young plays Jung Da-eun, a nurse who requests to be transferred from the internal medicine department to the psychiatry department. The move exposes Da-eun to the different patients in the ward and a range of mental health conditions, from schizophrenia to depression.
Deeply nurturing and empathetic, she cannot help but internalise her patients’s struggles and triumphs, feeling personally responsible and accountable for their mental health. This eventually leads to her own struggle with burnout, anxiety and depression, powerfully highlighting the importance of self-care and support for our caregivers.
The drama was praised for its sensitive take on mental health and earned Park Bo-young Best Actress and the series Best Drama at the Blue Dragon Awards.
‘Concrete Utopia’
Playing yet another nurse and co-starring with another member of the Wooga Squad, Park Bo-young and Park Seo-joon play husband and wife in this South Korean disaster movie that highlights the brutal realities of a post-apocalyptic world.
After a massive earthquake levels Seoul, only Hwanggoong Apartment is left standing. Inside, the residents—led by the charismatic yet dangerous Young-tak (Lee Byung-hun)—enforce harsh rules and a strict no-outsiders policy. In this increasingly violent environment, Myeong-hwa (Park Bo-young) and Min-sung (Park Seo-joon) must find a way to not only survive but keep their humanity intact.
