Park Bo-gum
Park Bo-gum is a South Korean actor and singer. He gained recognition for his work in film and television and is the youngest actor to be named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year twice. He is also the first actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list. Park has received major industry honors, including two Baeksang Arts Awards and a Blue Dragon Series Award. He is regarded as a prominent figure of the Korean Wave and media outlets have referred to him with various sobriquets, including "Prince of Asia" and "Nation's Boyfriend".
Park began his career in 2011 and became known for his roles in the television series Hello Monster and Reply 1988. He later gained wider attention through leading roles in Love in the Moonlight, Encounter, Record of Youth, as well as more recent works such as When Life Gives You Tangerines and Good Boy. In addition to acting, Park has released the studio album Blue Bird in Japan and made his stage debut in the musical Let Me Fly.
Early life and education
Park was born in Mok-dong, Seoul, South Korea on June 16, 1993, the youngest of three siblings. His given name, "Bo-gum", means "precious sword". He started learning to play the piano when he was in kindergarten and was a choir member. He was also a member of the varsity swimming team of Seoul Mokdong Middle School. His mother died when he was in fourth grade.Park graduated from Shinmok High School in 2012, and enrolled at Myongji University as a musical theatre undergraduate in March 2014. He represented his university's cultural overseas exchange program in Europe. Park also directed a one-act play based on Anton Chekov's works, and served as music director in his graduating class's production of Hairspray. He received his baccalaureate in February 2018, and earned a master's degree in New Media Music at the Graduate School of Sangmyung University.
Career
2011–2013: Beginnings
During his sophomore year of high school, Park sent a video of himself singing and playing the piano to major entertainment agencies and received callbacks from SM, YG, and JYP among others. Although he initially intended to become a singer-songwriter, a talent agent recommended that he pursue acting, and Park subsequently signed with an agency representing actors. Park made his acting debut under SidusHQ during his junior year of high school, appearing in a supporting role in the thriller film Blind. He later joined Blossom Entertainment and appeared in the action-comedy film Runway Cop, the KBS drama special Still Picture, and the period drama Bridal Mask. In 2013, Park received his first major role in the weekend drama Wonderful Mama.2014–2015: Rise to prominence and breakthrough
In 2014, Park portrayed the teenage version of the main 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. These roles earned him the Best New Actor nominations at both the 2014 KBS Drama Awards and APAN Star Awards. He subsequently appeared in the films A Hard Day, directed by Kim Seong-hun and screened at Cannes Film Festival, and The Admiral: Roaring Currents, directed by Kim Han-min. In May 2015, Park joined Music Bank as a co-host, where he attracted attention for both his singing and hosting abilities. He received the Best Newcomer Award at the 14th KBS Entertainment Awards.In a departure from his previous roles, Park drew positive reviews from both audiences and critics for his performance in the crime drama Hello Monster. His portrayal earned him the Popularity Award and Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2015 KBS Drama Awards. The same year, he appeared in Han Jun-hee's neo-noir film Coin Locker Girl. The role earned him a nomination for the Best New Actor in Film at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards and won him the Rising Star Award at the 11th MaxMovie Awards.
Park next starred in Reply 1988, the third installment of the Reply anthology series, portraying the Go-player Choi Taek. The series, written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho, was a major ratings success. Its popularity led media outlets to refer to Park as "Nation's Little Brother". The role significantly increased his popularity in South Korea and contributed to his recognition as an emerging Korean Wave star. He received the Best International Artist Award at the Top Chinese Music Awards, the Best Rising Star Award at the DramaFever Awards, and the Asia Star Award at the tvN10 Awards.
2016–2021: International popularity
In February 2016, Park appeared in the fourth season of tvN's travel-reality program Youth Over Flowers: Africa, produced by Na Yeong-seok. After more than a year as a Music Bank host, he left the program in June 2016. In August 2016, Park took on his first leading role as Crown Prince Lee Young in KBS2's historical drama Love in the Moonlight, directed by Kim Seong-yoon and based on the webtoon Moonlight Drawn By Clouds. A teaser video featuring Park in character wearing a dragon robe and dancing along to "Bomba" was widely shared online and became the subject of several parodies. Media outlets subsequently referred to Park as "Nation's Crown Prince" and "Prince of Asia". For his performance, Park received the Top Excellence Award at the 2016 KBS Drama Awards and the Most Popular Actor Award at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards, and earned his first nomination for Best Actor – Television at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards. He also released his first OST single, "My Person", for Love in the Moonlight, which debuted at number three on the Gaon Music Chart. Park was named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year in 2016 and became the first actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list in 2017.Park then took a two-year hiatus from acting to focus on his studies. After graduating in 2018, he returned to television with his first contemporary leading role in the romantic melodrama Encounter. Park's performance drew positive notice, and he ranked first in actor topicality indices before the drama's premiere and throughout its run. Media outlets referred to him as "Nation's Boyfriend". He ranked fourth in Gallup Korea's annual Television Actor of the Year survey in 2018.
In 2019, Park released his first Japanese single, "Bloomin'". In March 2020, Park released his debut Japanese album Blue Bird under Pony Canyon. The album contains 11 tracks, including the 2019 single "Bloomin'" and "Dear My Friend". In August 2020, Park released the single "All My Love" to mark his ninth debut anniversary.
In 2020, Park starred in the coming-of-age drama Record of Youth, which completed filming a week before his military enlistment. His performance received positive reviews, with some media outlets referring to him as a "'National Treasure'-level actor". He ranked second in Gallup Korea's annual Television Actor of the Year survey in 2020.
In 2021, while Park was serving in the military, the science fiction film Seo Bok was released. Directed by Lee Yong-ju, it marked Park's first leading role in a feature film. His portrayal of a human clone was noted positively by critics. For his performance, he won the Best New Actor at the 41st Golden Cinematography Awards.
2022–present: Continued success and diversification
After his discharge from the military in 2022, Park reunited with cast members from Love in the Moonlight for TVING's travel-reality program Young Actors' Retreat. In December 2022, Park ended his contract with Blossom Entertainment after a decade with the agency. In January 2023, he signed with The Black Label. In 2023, Park made his stage debut in the musical Let Me Fly, playing a leading role. Tickets reportedly sold out within two minutes. His performance received positive reviews, and he was nominated for Best New Actor at the Korea Musical Awards. He hosted the 2024 MAMA Awards in Los Angeles, California. He also appeared in JTBC and Disney+'s reality program My Name is Gabriel, directed by Kim Tae-ho, in which participants spend 72 hours living the daily life of an assigned individual; Park was assigned the life of an Irish resident. Additionally, he appeared in Kim Tae-yong's science fiction film Wonderland, which was released in theaters and on Netflix.In March 2025, Park starred in the Netflix television series When Life Gives You Tangerines, directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Lim Sang-choon. Park's portrayal as Yang Gwan-sik, a devoted husband, inspired the "Gwan-sik-byeong" meme and the trended phrase "my own Gwan-sik", used by online commenters to describe fathers or husbands resembling the character. Media outlets referred to Gwan-sik as an idealized representation of fatherhood and used the nickname "Nation's Father". His performance received positive reviews from both audiences and critics and earned him a second nomination for Best Actor – Television at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards. He was also nominated for the Best Actor Award and won the Popularity Award at the 2025 Blue Dragon Series Awards. In addition, the role earned him two Grand Prizes : Best Actor of the Year – OTT at the 10th Asia Artist Awards and Performer of the Year at the Fundex Awards. Park starred in the JTBC and Amazon Prime Video television series Good Boy in May 2025 which was directed by Shim Na-yeon. Critics noted his shift to an action-oriented role, and commented on his versatility in portraying action, comedy, and romance. His performance earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the 2025 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards. He also released an original soundtrack song for the series's titled "Waterfall", produced by Heo Sung-ji, Andreas Öhrn, and others.
In addition to his acting roles, Park hosted KBS2's late-night music talk show The Seasons: Park Bo-gum's Cantabile from March until August 2025, for which he received the Best Entertainer Award at the 52nd Korea Broadcasting Prizes. He was also nominated for the Grand Prize at the 23rd KBS Entertainment Awards and won the Entertainer of the Year award. Park appeared in the three-episode 10th Anniversary special of Reply 1988, and provided the vocals and piano accompaniment for the show's soundtrack "Everyday With You", released on December 19, 2025. With a series of well-received projects, Moon Ji-yeon from Sport Chosun referred to 2025 as the "Year of Park Bo-gum". In December 2025, Park was named the 2025 Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year, his second time being selected.
In January 2026, he top-billed the television show The Village Barber for TvN where he opened a pop-up hair salon in the Korean countryside. In addition to the barber's license he obtained while serving his mandatory military service in 2022, he also earned a cosmetology license in 2025 to cater to female clients.
Public image
Park became widely known in South Korea in his early twenties. Regarded as a prominent figure of the Korean Wave, the official web portal of the South Korean government has described him as a "hallyu superstar". Yonhap News has characterized him as "widely beloved for his wholesome and upright image", while the Korean Film Council has described him as an "actor with innocent masculinity that has been rarely seen in Korean cinema". South China Morning Post wrote that although his "soft looks and easy smile" contributed to his early popularity, it was his "expressive performances and acting talent" that established his status in the industry. Media outlets across Asia have also noted his versatility and acting range.In 2016, Park became the youngest actor to be named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year at age 23, and later became the first actor to top the poll for a streaming project in 2025. In 2017, he topped Forbes magazine's Korea Power Celebrity list, making him the first actor to do so, and has been included in the list regularly since. He was one of the torchbearers of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Through his screen roles and public persona, he has been attributed several nicknames by media outlets, including "Nation's Little Brother", "Nation's Crown Prince", "Nation's Boyfriend", "Nation's Son-in-Law", and "Prince of Asia".
Ambassadorships and endorsements
Park has served as an ambassador and endorser for a wide range of dometic and international brands. The Korean Business Research Institute has referred to his strong consumer influence as the "Park Bo-gum Effect", noting his consistently high brand reputation rankings. He was voted the Top Celebrity Endorser of 2017 by South Korean marketing executives, and has ranked highly in Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation's Advertising Model of the Year surveys.Considered a "blue chip" in the advertising world, Park has worked for Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Financial Group as well Coca-Cola for four consecutive years among others. He was the first male endorser of the chocolate brand Ghana, and became the first actor appointed as the global ambassador of the French luxury brand Celine. He is also an ambassador for The North Face. In December 2025, Park was named global ambassador of the Swiss luxury watchmaker Omega.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea appointed Park in 2025 as the first male "Hallyu Cultural Artist" to promote traditional costume and hanbok-related cultural initiatives globally. He was also named honorary ambassador for 2025 Korea Tourism by the ministry, and appointed as honorary ambassador by Incheon International Airport Corporation for a three-year term.
Personal life
Park does not publicly disclose most of his donations or philanthropic activities; several instances have become known through media reporting or National Tax Service disclosures. In 2020, it was reported that he had been volunteering at Myeongjin Flower Love Village, an orphanage where he had participated in activities since 2013.On August 31, 2020, Park enlisted as an active-duty soldier with the Republic of Korea Navy's Military Band and Honor Guard Cultural Promotion Corps as part of his compulsory military service. He was promoted to a sergeant in November 2021. Park was originally scheduled for discharge on April 30, 2022, but was released on February 21, 2022, after using his remaining leave in accordance with the Ministry of Defense COVID-19 guidelines. During his service, Park obtained a barber's license.