Park Bo-gum

South Korean actor (born 1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Park Bo-gum

Park Bo-gum (Korean: 박보검; born June 16, 1993) is a South Korean actor. He first gained wide recognition for starring in the television series Reply 1988 (2015–2016) and further gained international prominence for the series Love in the Moonlight (2016), Encounter (2018–2019), and When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025).

Quick Facts Born, Alma mater ...
Park Bo-gum
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Park in 2024
Born (1993-06-16) June 16, 1993 (age 31)
Alma materMyongji University (B.A.)
Sangmyung University (M.A.)
OccupationActor
Years active2011–present
AgentThe Black Label
Korean name
Hangul
박보검
Hanja
朴寶劍
Revised RomanizationBak Bogeom
McCune–ReischauerPak Pogŏm
Signature
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Park is the youngest artist to be named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year. He is also the first actor to ever top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list.

Early life and education

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Perspective

Born in Mok-dong, Yangcheon District, Seoul, South Korea on June 16, 1993,[1] Park is the youngest of three siblings. "Bo-gum" (寶劍) means 'precious sword'.[2] His mother died when he was in fourth grade.[3] He started learning to play the piano when he was in kindergarten and was a pianist and choir member at church.[4] He was also on the varsity swimming team of Seoul Mokdong Middle School.[5]

During Park's sophomore year of high school he sent a video of himself singing and playing the piano to prominent talent management agencies which led to several offers.[6] Park, who initially wanted to be a singer-songwriter, later changed his career path after a suggestion that he would do well acting.[7][8] He graduated from Shinmok High School in 2012, and enrolled at Myongji University as a Musical Theater undergraduate in March 2014.[9][10] Despite his acting career, he maintained an active collegiate life and represented his university's cultural overseas exchange program in Europe.[11] Park has also directed a one-act play based on Anton Chekov's works,[12] and served as music director in his graduating class's production of Hairspray.[13] He received his baccalaureate in February 2018.[14] As of 2023, he is pursuing a master's degree in New Media Music at the Graduate School of Sangmyung University.[15][16]

Career

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Perspective

2011–2013: Beginnings

Park debuted as an actor under Sidus HQ, playing a supporting role in the thriller film Blind (2011).[17] He then joined Blossom Entertainment and featured in the action-comedy film Runway Cop (2012), one-off KBS drama special Still Picture (2012) and the period drama Bridal Mask (2012).[18] In 2013, he landed his first major role in the weekend drama Wonderful Mama playing the playboy son of Bae Jong-ok's character.[19]

2014–2015: Rising popularity and breakthrough

In 2014, Park played the teenage version of Lee Seo-jin's character in the melodrama Wonderful Days and played a prodigy cellist in the KBS2'S Naeil's Cantabile, an adaptation of the Japanese manga Nodame Cantabile.[20][21] The roles earned Park Best New Actor nominations in both the KBS Drama Awards and APAN Star Awards.[22][23]

He next featured in box-office hits A Hard Day (2014) which also screened at Cannes Film Festival and The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) which became the highest grossing Korean film at the time.[24][25]

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Park at Incheon Airport, December 2016

In May 2015, Park joined Music Bank as a co-host alongside Red Velvet's Irene. They both gained attention for their chemistry as well as singing and hosting skills.[26] The press called them one of the best partnerships in the show's history, and Park was awarded the Best Newcomer Award at the KBS Entertainment Awards.[27][28]

A departure from his previous roles and public image, Park gained rave reviews from audience and critics with his scene-stealing role in crime drama Hello Monster (2015).[29] The portrayal won him the Popularity and Best Supporting Actor awards at the year-end KBS Drama Awards.[30] The same year, he featured in Coin Locker Girl which screened at Cannes Film Festival.[31] The role earned him a nomination for Best New Actor in Film at the Baeksang Arts Awards and won him a Rising Star Award at the 11th MaxMovie Awards.[32][33]

He then starred as one of the leads in the third installment of the Reply series where he played the genius Go-player Choi Taek in Reply 1988 (2015).[34] The show was a hit with audience ratings peaking at 18.8% making it the highest rated Korean drama in cable television history that year, and earned Park the nickname "Nation's Little Brother".[35] The role catapulted him to fame in Korea and made him known as an emerging Korean Wave star, with the Top Chinese Music Awards presenting him with Best International Artist Award, the American-based DramaFever Awards giving him the Best Rising Star Award and tvN10 awarding him Asia Star Award.[36][37][38][39]

2016–2021: Mainstream success

In February 2016, Park featured in tvN's travel program Youth Over Flowers: Africa.[40][41] After more than a year as Music Bank host, he left the show in June 2016.[42]

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Park at an autograph event for Love in the Moonlight, October 2016[43]

In August 2016, he starred in KBS2's historical drama Love in the Moonlight alongside Kim Yoo-jung.[44][45][46] A domestic and overseas hit, Moonlight achieved peak audience rating of 23.3%.[47][48][49] Its popularity was called "Moonlight Syndrome", and solidified Park's status as a versatile leading actor.[50][51][52][53] He received several accolades for the role including a Best Actor nomination and Popularity Award at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards, as well as the Top Excellence Award at the 30th KBS Drama Awards.[54] Park also released his first soundtrack for Moonlight's OST entitled "My Person" which topped Melon, Mnet, Bugs, olleh, Soribada, Genie, Naver and Monkey3 charts upon its release and debuted at #3 on Gaon Music Chart.[55][56][57]

He embarked on his first Asia-wide fan meeting tour in the tail-end of 2016, visiting eight cities and meeting more than 30,000 fans in the continent's East and Southeast regions until March 2017.[58][59][60]

After a two-year hiatus, he returned in the small screen with romantic-melodrama Encounter (2018) alongside Song Hye-kyo. He plays a freewheeling, ordinary young man who finds joy in the simplest things.[61][62][63][64][65]

In 2019, Park released his first Japanese single, "Bloomin".[66]

On March 14, 2020, Park Bo-gum released official MV for the title track "Dear My Friend", from his first Japanese album, Blue Bird. On March 18, 2020, Park released his first Japanese album, Blue Bird,[67] with 11 tracks including the single "Bloomin" from 2019.[68] The same year, he was cast in the youth drama Record of Youth as a model who is shifting to an acting career.[69] On June 16, 2020, Park Bo-gum's agency Blossom Entertainment revealed through Instagram that the actor will be releasing a new song produced by Sam Kim. Park Bo-gum prepared the song "All My Love" as a gift filled with his feelings for his fans. Singer-songwriter Sam Kim wrote the lyrics, composed, and produced "All My Love", and it is a song with a sentimental melody in which actor Park Bo-gum's uniquely sweet voice shines through. Aligning with his debut anniversary, the song was released through music services all over the world on August 10, and the single album was released on August 12 in Korea and Japan simultaneously.[citation needed] On August 10, 2020, Park released his new single All My Love to celebrate the 9th anniversary of his debut. His single album for All My Love was released on August 12, 2020.[70]

In 2021, Park starred in the science fiction thriller film Seo Bok in the title role, his return to the big screen in six years.[71][72]

2022–present: Comeback from military

Park reunited with the director and cast members of Love in the Moonlight in the travel entertainment program Young Actors' Retreat, which was released in September 2022 on TVING.[73] In December 2022, Park ended his contract with Blossom Entertainment after being with the company for a decade.[74] In January 2023, Park signed with new agency, The Black Label.[75] He will star in the upcoming Netflix television series When Life Gives You Tangerines written by Lim Sang-choon and JTBC’s Good Boy in 2025.[76][77]

On February 15, 2025, it was announced that Park will be the new host for the seventh season of KBS' late-night music talk show The Seasons.[78]

Public image

In 2016, at the age of 23, Park became the youngest artist to be named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year.[79][80] In 2017, he topped Forbes magazine's Korea Power Celebrity list, making him the first ever actor to do so.[81][82]

Endorsements

Park Bo-gum is an endorser of a wide range of brands in and outside South Korea.[83][84] The "Park Bo-gum Effect", coined by the Korean Business Research Institute, refers to his consistent high brand reputation ranking indicating his effectiveness as an endorser across different demographics.[85] He was voted by marketing executives as Top Celebrity Endorser of 2017.[86] Park was torchbearer of the 2018 Winter Olympics as "Korea's Representative Actor" and endorser of Coca-Cola.[87][88]

Personal life

Military service

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Park during his military service hosting a Navy Concert in November 2021

On August 31, 2020, Park enlisted in the navy military band as a cultural promotion soldier as part of his compulsory military service. He was promoted to a sergeant in November 2021. Park was scheduled to be discharged from military service on April 30, 2022.[89] After applying to the unit to use up his remaining personal and pre-discharge leave, he was discharged early on February 21, 2022, without returning to the unit after his last vacation in accordance with the Ministry of Defense guidelines for prevention of the spread of COVID-19.[90][91][92] During his military service, Park obtained a barber’s license.[93][94]

Filmography

Discography

Studio albums

More information Title, Album details ...
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN
[95]
blue bird 8
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Singles

More information Title, Year ...
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
[97]
JPN
[98]
Singles
"My Person" (내 사람) 2016 3
  • KOR: 335,921 (dig.)[99]
Love in the Moonlight OST
"Bloomin" 2019 3 blue bird
"Dear My Friend" 2020
"All My Love" [a] 11 Non-album single
Promotional singles
"Let's Go See The Stars" (별 보러 가자)[104] 2018 [b] EIDER 18 F/W CF
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.
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Awards and nominations

More information Award ceremony, Year ...
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
APAN Star Awards 2015 Best New Actor Naeil's Cantabile, Hello Monster Nominated
2016 Reply 1988 Won [106]
2021 Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Record of Youth Nominated [107]
Popular Star Award, Actor Nominated [108]
Asia Artist Awards 2016 Popularity Award, Actor Park Bo-gum Nominated
Asia Star Award, Actor Won [109]
Best Star Award, Actor Reply 1988, Love in the Moonlight Won [110]
2017 Popularity Award, Actor Park Bo-gum Nominated
Baeksang Arts Awards 2016 Best New Actor – Film Coin Locker Girl Nominated [111]
Most Popular Actor – Film Nominated
Most Popular Actor – Television Reply 1988 Nominated
iQiyi Global Star Award Park Bo-gum Nominated
InStyle Fashion Award Won [112]
2017 Best Actor – Television Love in the Moonlight Nominated [113]
Most Popular Actor – Television Won [114]
DramaFever Awards 2016 Best Rising Star Reply 1988 Won [115]
Best Kiss Park Bo-gum (with Lee Hye-ri)
Reply 1988
Won
Fashionista Awards 2016 Best Dresser of the Year Park Bo-gum Won [116]
2017 Best Fashionista (Red Carpet Category) Won [117]
Golden Cinematography Awards 2021 Best New Actor Seo Bok Won [118]
InStyle Icons: Next Generation 2016 New Generation Actor Award Park Bo-gum Won [119]
KBS Drama Awards 2014 Best New Actor Naeil's Cantabile, Wonderful Days Nominated
2015 Best Supporting Actor Hello Monster Won [120]
Popularity Award, Actor Won
2016 Grand Prize Love in the Moonlight Nominated [121][122][123]
Top Excellence, Actor Won
Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama Nominated
Netizen Award Won
Best Couple Park Bo-gum (with Kim Yoo-jung)
Love in the Moonlight
Won
KBS Entertainment Awards 2015 Best Newcomer Award Music Bank Won [124]
Korea Assembly Grand Award 2017 Acting Award Park Bo-gum Won [125]
Korea Brand Awards 2017 Special Award Won [126]
Korea Drama Awards 2016 Excellence Award, Actor Reply 1988 Nominated
2017 Top Excellence Award, Actor Love in the Moonlight Nominated [127]
Korea Musical Awards 2024 New Actor Award Let Me Fly Nominated [128]
Max Movie Awards 2016 Rising Star Award Coin Locker Girl Won [129]
Melodi Awards Most Influential Korean Drama Personality Park Bo-gum Won [130]
OSEN Awards Star of the Year Won [131]
SBS Cult Two Show Awards Most Mentioned Won [132]
Seoul International Drama Awards 2017 Outstanding Korean Actor Love in the Moonlight Won [133]
Soompi Awards 2019 Best Couple Award Park Bo-gum (with Song Hye-kyo)
Encounter
Nominated
Style Icon Asia 2016 Style Icon Park Bo-gum Won [134]
Top Chinese Music Awards Best International Artist Won [135]
tvN10 Awards Made in tvN Actor, Drama Reply 1988 Nominated [136]
Best Kiss Park Bo-gum (with Lee Hye-ri)
Reply 1988
Nominated
Asia Star Award Reply 1988 Won
Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards Asia Popular Artist Award Park Bo-gum Nominated [137]
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State honors

More information Country, Organization ...
Name of the organization, year presented, and the award given
Country Organization Year Award Ref.
South Korea Financial Services Commission[c] 2022 Prime Minister's Commendation [139]
Korea Tourism Organization 2017 Special Achievement Award [140]
Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards[d] 2017 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation [144]
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Listicles

More information Publisher, Year ...
Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Cine21 2024 "Korean Film NEXT 50" – Actors Placed [145]
Forbes 2017 Korea Power Celebrity 40 1st [146]
2018 8th [147]
2019 18th [148]
2020 37th [149]
2022 40th [150]
Gallup Korea 2019 Koreans' Favorite Talent 3rd [151]
2016 Gallup Korea's Actor of the Year 1st [152]
2017 4th [153]
2018 4th [154]
2019 4th [155]
2020 2nd [156]
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Notes

  1. "All My Love" did not enter the Circle Digital Chart, but the physical version of the single peaked at number 11 on the Circle Album Chart.[101]
  2. "Let's Go See The Stars" did not enter the Circle Digital Chart, but it peaked at number 85 on the component Download Chart.[105]
  3. Honors are given at the Financial Day ceremony.[138]
  4. Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[141][142] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[143]

References

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