Edited by Hwang Hong Sun
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Park Bo Gum was originally an aspiring singer. However, his agency recommended acting after seeing his dazzling appearance. After making his debut as Dong Hyun in the movie Blind in 2011, he has played big and small roles in various projects, including movie Roaring Currents, drama Wonderful Days, Hello Monster, and Naeil’s Cantabile.
Park Bo Gum marked a turning point in his acting career when he starred in the movie Coin Locker Girl in 2015. Coin Locker Girl takes place when Il Yeong (Kim Go Eun), raised harshly by her mother, Wu Hee (Kim Hye Soo), the ruler of Chinatown, meets Suk Hyun, the son of a delinquent debtor. Park Bo Gum plays the role of Suk Hyun, who warmly treats Il Yeong even when she came to collect the debt and shakes her heart, perfectly melting his usual bright personality and exceptional manners, which is already well-known in the entertainment industry, in the film.
However, Coin Locker Girl was also a project that gave him a hard time. He said in several interviews that Coin Locker Girl was the work that brought growing pains to his acting career. He added that since he had to play the only bright character in a project with an overall dark tone, he felt the burden of playing a role who needs to shake Il Yeong’s frozen heart. Although the movie tossed him in the world of concerns, Park Bo Gum showed flawless performances that presented a drastic change in the movie.
After showing a more mature performance through Coin Locker Girl, he rose to stardom by playing Choi Taek, a pure and kind Go prodigy, in Reply 1988. Since then, he established himself as a new Hallyu star after starring in Love in the Moonlight and Encounter.
Unfortunately, he will join the Navy on August 31 and will not be able to meet for the time being. But his films Seobok (literal translation), and Wonderland (literal translation), and drama Record of Youth, which he diligently prepared before joining the Navy, will soothe fans’ disappointment.
