Park Hoon
Park Won-hee, better known by his stage name Park Hoon, is a South Korean actor. He won Best Supporting Actor at the 17th Asian Film Awards for his role in Kim Sung-su's film 12.12: The Day. He was included into the "Chungmuro 10 Million Viewers Club," a recognition given to actors whose films have sold more than 10 million tickets in South Korea.
Park began his career in 2007 as a musical actor in Daehangno. After performing in musicals and plays for some time, he made his film debut in a minor role in 2008 and his television debut in 2015. He first gained recognition for his role in the drama Descendants of the Sun and further expanded his recognition as a second lead in Memories of the Alhambra, for which he earned a nomination for Best New Actor Television at the Baeksang Arts Awards.
Career
Beginning onstage
Park Hoon debuted in 2007 in Jang Yu-jeong's musical Oh! While You Were Sleeping. Afterwards, he also performed in musicals like Brothers Were Brave, Hello, Francesca, and Temptation of Wolves. He also appeared in stage productions such as the play ''Model Students.''Television debut
He made his television debut in the 2015 tvN drama Oh My Ghost with small role. His breakthrough came in the following year with drama Descendants of the Sun, portraying Sergeant First Class Choi Woo-geun, a special forces sniper. His performance as a loyal and strong soldier earned him positive reviews and successfully introduced him to a wider audience.In the 2018 drama Memories of the Alhambra, Park played dual roles of Cha Hyung-seok, a sharp-looking IT company CEO who also appears as a character within a video game. Though his character had minimal dialogue, Park Hoon earned the nickname "Cha Zombie" for his ability to convey intensity and tension through his eyes and expressions. He earned a nomination for Best New Actor Television in Baeksang Arts Awards for this role.
He received praise for his transformative performance in the 2020 drama Nobody Knows, where he played the villainous Baek Sang-ho. His chilling portrayal was described as an "unprecedented character," with his intense acting creating numerous "breathtaking" scenes.
In his first leading film role, Park starred in the 2021 movie Midnight as Jong-tak, a former Marine and security team leader. He gained weight to fully embody the character's solid build. His realistic and vivid portrayal was praised for enhancing the film's quality. This was followed by the 2022 film The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure, in which he played the ruthless character Mangcho. His cold gaze and intense performance in the action scenes were noted for their powerful charisma.
International recognition
In 2023, Park joined the supporting cast of the Kim Sung-su's historical drama film 12.12: The Day. The film is set against the backdrop of 1979 South Korean coup d'état. Park played the role of Moon Il-pyeong, the chief secretary to the film's antagonist, Jeon Du-gwang, and a key figure in the coup. For his powerful performance, Park won Best Supporting Actor at the 17th Asian Film Awards, held in Hong Kong on March 10, 2024. Released theatrically on November 22, 2023, the film was the highest-grossing film of 2023, drawing over 13.12 million viewers in South Korea.In the film Harbin, Park plays Tatsuo Mori, a japanese soldier. Director Woo Min-ho specifically offered him the role, and after reading the script, Park interpreted his character as a force that embodies the imperialistic spirit of Itō Hirobumi. Park stated that shaving his head for the role was not a special effort but a visual tool to demonstrate his character's obsession with imperialism.
In 2025, Park was cast in the Korean premiere of the British play The Effect, written by Lucy Prebble. Kim was triple cast as the character Dr. Toby, starring alongside Yang So-min, and Min Jin-woong. The play explores themes of love and sorrow through the story of two clinical trial participants and their supervising doctors. The production was directed by Min Sae-rom, with Park Ji-sun as the screenwriter and Bae Yu-ri as the motion director. The show ran from June 10 to August 31 at the Nol Seo-kyung Square Scone Theater 2.
Personal life
Park Hoon's birth name is Park Won-hee. He adopted his late brother's nickname, "Park Hoon", as his stage name to honor his memory. He chose the name to give himself a sense of responsibility and ensure he would not bring shame to his brother's name. His brother, Park Hoon-hee, died by suicide when Park was 14, a tragedy that led to his parents' separation.Park met actress Park Min-jung while doing theater together. They held their wedding ceremony on September 22, 2017 at a location in Seoul.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Death Bell | Creditor | |
| 2010 | Finding Mr. Destiny | Detective | |
| 2014 | Thuy | Welfare center husband | |
| 2016 | A Violent Prosecutor | Chul-goo's subordinate | |
| 2018 | Golden Slumber | Team Leader Sun | |
| 2021 | Midnight | Jong-tak | TVING Film |
| 2022 | The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure | Mangcho | Netflix film |
| 2022 | Hansan: Rising Dragon | Yi Un-ryong | |
| 2022 | Confidential Assignment 2: International | Park Sang-wi | |
| 2023 | 12.12: The Day | Moon Il-pyeong | |
| 2023 | Noryang: Deadly Sea | Lee Woon-ryong | |
| 2024 | Land of Happiness | Kim Oh-ryong | |
| 2024 | Harbin | Tatsuo Mori |