[INTERVIEW] Actor Park Hyung-sik shakes off 'idol' tag (2024)

Actor Park Hyung-sik speaks on his first male lead role, young gaming company CEO, in the recentlyh ended JTBC's romantic comedy "Strong Woman Do Bong-soon," during an interview with The Korea Times, at a cafe in southern Seoul, Wednesday. /Courtesy of UAA

Singer-turned-actor becomes king of romantic comedy

By Park Jin-hai

The recently ended JTBC romantic comedy "Strong Woman Do Bong-soon," which depicts a girl with Wonder Woman-like superpowers, gave Park Hyung-sik a new beginning as an actor.

With the first male lead role of Ahn Min-hyuk, a young gaming software CEO, the former K-pop boy idol-turned-actor not only successfully has shaken off his "idol" tag, but also earned a nickname as the new "romantic comedy king."

Park, looking like a pretty-faced boy popped out of the cartoon world, says his first male lead role, a love interest to the female title role played by Park Bo-young, came as big pressure at first.

"The label that something becomes one's first sounded so big to me. I felt both excitement and pressure," the 25-year-old actor said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in southern Seoul, Wednesday.

Park said the pressure doubled when he heard actress Park took the title role. "In her previous projects she partnered with many veteran actors such as Song Jung-ki and Cha Tae-hyun. I wasn't sure and worried if I could be good enough to become her partner. But at the same time I had this feeling that even if I didn't accept the role, and thus missed the opportunity to work with her, that would be foolish."

Park gathered up his confidence and tried to believe in himself. "Small assurances at the shooting location built up and finally I had this confidence that I can put myself further down the road. It was me, growing up," he said.

Thanks to the chemistry between the Park-Park couple, the 16-part show broke the record for JTBC dramas with nearly 10 percent viewership.

Grinning and saying that it is his first time to earn the reward to travel with the other cast members, Park added that he enjoyed his role. "Meeting this girl, who overwhelms him with her strength and who talks straight to him, which might disturb most men, Ahn feels love at first sight and says she is sexy," he said. "He is smart and has a different way of thinking. He is childlike and holds his own family pains, but facing the betrayal of his own brother, he has the coolness to let bygones be bygones. He doesn't make any effort to look cool, but the coolness comes along with him. All of these characters make him one that anyone can tell what to expect from him."

Park, who debuted with the nine-member boy band ZE:A in 2010, began his acting career with a small role in the 2012 special drama "I Remember You" and has appeared in a number of dramas before taking lead roles, playing a chaebol owner family member in the 2015 drama "High Society" and the young king in the 2016 fantasy period drama "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth."

Taking his career step by step, Park has been never embroiled in controversy, where his acting talent has been made an issue. With "Strong Woman Do Bong-soon" Park has stamped out doubts about his acting in light of his previous career as a K-pop idol.

He says studying the character on his own helped a lot. "When I first started my acting career, I only knew what my acting teacher taught me. When a director gave me an impromptu direction, I didn't know what he wanted me to do and I wanted to escape from the place," he said.

Then during the 2013 drama "Sirius," in which he played dual roles as twin brothers, he decided to dive into his portrayal on his own. "Through the drama, I realized my decision was right. Afterwards, I faced some limitations as an actor and started taking lessons again, where I now study my character first and then discuss it with my teacher," he said. "I feel responsible as many other people's lives hang on the success of a drama in which I appear. But in essence, I think having various experiences and dialogues with different people helps me improve my acting more than taking lessons."

Park, as his contract with his former agent ended, found a new home at United Artists Agency, alongside actress Song Hye-kyo and actor Yoo Ah-in.

Recalling his seven years as a K-pop idol, Park said he spent every day working mechanically. "I worked like a machine: singing, riding in a van, eating, riding again and appearing in shows and sleeping. Since we were part of a big boy group, there was an army-like hierarchy and I had no personal time. At the time when a senior asked me what color or kind of car I love, I fumbled for words, because I didn't give a thought on such things, living the busy idol schedule," he said. "As an actor, I have more personal time to focus on myself and ponder what's best for me."

Regarding his plans, Park said he wishes his passion for acting will not die out. "In the future, if it is 10 or 20 years from now, I hope I could be eager to do what I do better and put all I have in it. With or without the idol tag, I believe I will be recognized for what I have done."