The Park Jinyoung watchlist: K-dramas that showcase the Baeksang Best Actor nominee’s acting range

In the tvN healing K-drama Our Unwritten Seoul, Park Bo-young plays identical twins Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae. Meanwhile, Park Jinyoung stars as Lee Ho-soo, an old schoolmate who has lost hearing in one ear due to a car accident. He’s also Mi-ji’s childhood crush. Written by Youth of May’s Lee Kang and directed by It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’s Park Shin-woo, the life drama follows the twins’ journey to self-discovery and self-love.

When Mi-ji and Mi-rae’s lives are on the verge of collapsing, the 30-year-old twins pull an old trick and swap identities. Mi-ji takes on Mi-rae’s corporate job in the city and Mi-rae heads back home to become a farmhand and take care of their ailing grandmother. Ho-soo, who, as it turns out, has always had a crush on Mi-ji too, quickly discovers her true identity. But ever supportive and understanding, he pretends to stay in the dark until she’s ready to open up.

Outside of his budding romance with Mi-ji, Ho-soo’s tender relationship with his stepmother also touched audiences. Park Jinyoung explored his role with an earnestness that established him as a sensitive male lead and earned him a Baeksang Best Actor nomination. The series also earned Baeksang nominations for Best Drama, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

See more:  From ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’ to ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’: 5 recent Park Bo-young titles you need to binge-watch

Based on the webtoon by Kang Full, the same writer that brought audiences two of Disney+’s most successful K-dramas, Moving and Light Shop, The Witch is a mystery romance K-drama that stars Park Jinyoung as the lovesick Lee Dong-jin.

Ever since high school, Dong-jin has had a crush on the mysterious Park Mi-jeong, played by Roh Jeong-eui, who has been ostracised and labeled a “witch” due to the string of tragic accidents that befall those who fall in love with her. His devotion to Mi-jeong leads him to later pursue a career as a data miner. He uses statistics and scientific analysis to prove she isn’t cursed in his “Denial of the Witch” report.

Streaming on Viu and Viki, this Park Jinyoung K-drama is a unique cross between a supernatural mystery and a slow-burn romance. His performance showcased his range, commitment to bringing unconventional stories to life and talent for making high-concept roles feel deeply human.

Although Park Jinyoung’s character Yoo Ba-bi (Bobby) was introduced in the first season of Yumi’s Cells, which streams on Viki and iQIYI, it wasn’t until the second season that he took over as the rom-com K-drama’s male romantic lead. For fans of the series, Yoo Ba-bi is the polar opposite of season 1’s Goo Woong, played by Ahn Bo-hyun.

Unlike Woong, Ba-bi is emotionally intelligent and secure. What’s more, his support is instrumental in inspiring Yumi to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer. But after Ba-bi is assigned to Jeju for work, the two struggle to navigate their long-distance relationship. When a pretty new intern enters the picture, she triggers an earthquake that rattles his “cells” and his feelings for Yumi waver.

Viewers praised Park Jinyoung’s chemistry with female lead Kim Go-eun. At the same time, his layered portrayal of a green-flag boyfriend who is far from perfect inspired a Team Ba-bi Vs Team Woong battle among fans of the K-drama.

In The Devil Judge, the tvN legal K-drama set in a dystopian future, Park Jinyoung takes a break from romantic lead roles to play Kim Ga-on, a young associate judge who serves as the show’s moral compass. Ga-on is assigned to work for—and secretly keep an eye on—Chief Judge Kang Yo-han (Ji Sung), the “devil judge” who ruthlessly pursues justice by any means.

In the beginning, Ga-on is naive and idealistic. He believes in the rule of law and often clashes with Yo-han and his methods. Despite this, he can’t help but admire the Chief Judge for his ability to get things done.

The K-drama’s compelling premise hooked audiences early on, but it’s Park Jinyoung and veteran actor Ji Sung’s chemistry that kept them coming back for more. Fans enjoyed the bromance between the two characters, and the slow evolution of Ga-on’s perspective—from wide-eyed idealist to someone forced to confront the murky realities of justice—anchors the series’ emotional core.

When My Love Blooms, available on Netflix and Viki, stars veteran actors Yoo Ji-tae and Lee Bo-young as a couple who fell in love in their youth and meet again later in life. Park Jinyoung and Jeon So-nee play their younger counterparts. The K-drama, which follows the couple both in the 1990s and the present, beautifully blends nostalgia with storytelling.

Park Jinyoung plays the young, idealistic Han Jae-hyun opposite Jeon So-nee as the young Yoon Ji-soo. As a student activist in the '90s, Jinyoung captures the raw intensity of first love against a backdrop of political unrest. His performance captures the stark difference between 20-year-old and 40-year-old Jae-hyun even as it masterfully echoes Yoo Ji-tae’s performance.

Another reason fans of the actor shouldn’t miss this underrated Park Jinyoung K-drama is his chemistry with Jeon So-nee. Viewers and critics agree that the 1990s love story is one of the more compelling arcs of the drama, establishing an emotional throughline that ties the romance together.

Despite having starred in several K-dramas before, He Is Psychometric marks Park Jinyoung’s transition from GOT7 K-pop idol to K-drama leading man. In the supernatural romance, he plays Lee Ahn, a young man who develops psychometric powers—the ability to access a person’s past through touch—after a traumatic childhood incident. He connects with Yoon Jae-in (Shin Ye-eun), a girl who conceals a painful and mysterious past.

Later, Lee Ahn uses his powers to help the police solve cases, hoping to eventually uncover the truth about his parents’ death. Never mind that his powers are a bit unpredictable and chaotic or that using them leaves him drained, he remains committed to fighting for justice.

The K-drama highlighted Park Jinyoung’s ability to balance lighthearted romance with thrilling action and more serious emotional weight. He Is Psychometric remains a defining Park Jinyoung K-drama and a must-watch for fans of the actor.

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