appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

The Korea Times

Korean actress Park Bo-young, 35, appeared with a serious expression in the recently released Netflix drama Melo Movie.
Playing Kim Mu-bee, a film crew member, Park portrays a character who is cynical and emotionally guarded, speaking only when necessary and in a low, restrained voice.
When Go Gyeom, played by Choi Woo-shik, a cheerful and outgoing character, shows interest in her, she asks him earnestly: “Isn’t it exhausting to always pretend to be so cheerful?”
Park sat down for an interview recently to discuss her transformation for this unfamiliar yet compelling role.


When she received the offer to star in Melo Movie, she initially questioned whether the role was right for her. Her character, Mu-bee, has closed herself off from the world, hardened by a complicated relationship with her father – vastly different from the bright, lovable roles that have defined Park’s career.
Still, the opportunity to explore this contrasting side of herself was too compelling to pass up.
Through playing Mu-bee, I learned that it’s OK not to be bright all the time. It helped me accept that side of myself.
Park Bo-young
“This was one of the sides of me I’ve always wanted to show,” Park said, explaining how she consciously lowered her naturally high-pitched voice to match Melo Movie’s sombre tone.
“Since my voice is quite high, I focused on keeping my tone lower. Every time my natural pitch slipped out, the director helped me adjust,” she added with a laugh.
While portraying Mu-bee’s cold and guarded personality might seem emotionally taxing, the role brought Park a sense of relief. Known for her warm and charming image, she said that maintaining this perception sometimes felt like a burden.

“I used to feel trapped, thinking I had to be cheerful every time I interacted with people,” she said. “But through playing Mu-bee, I learned that it’s OK not to be bright all the time. It helped me accept that side of myself.”
The experience also strengthened her emotional resilience. In her twenties, Park often appeared cheerful to others but struggled to feel the same towards herself.
“Over the years, I’ve tried different ways to improve my mindset – writing gratitude journals and setting yearly goals like ‘love myself more than I did last year’,” she said. “Now, I’ve learned to tell myself, ‘You’re doing fine just the way you are’, and that has helped me feel much healthier inside.”
Having a label like ‘romcom queen’ isn’t a bad thing. But when I received the script, I found the story captivating.
Park Bo-young on Melo Movie
Park sees Melo Movie as a turning point in her career, describing it as a timely opportunity. “It feels like a stroke of luck to have encountered Melo Movie at this stage of my life,” she said.
Her character’s name, “Mu-bee”, is a homophone of the English word “movie” in Korean. This linguistic play on words reflects the central theme of the drama – a movie-like story woven from the protagonist’s journey through love and filmmaking.
Directed by Oh Choong-hwan of Start-Up and Hotel Del Luna fame, and written by Lee Na-eun, known for Our Beloved Summer, the series depicts the emotional growth of 30-somethings who reconnect, support each other and confront their past wounds.

Park has long been recognised as a romcom queen thanks to her roles in hits like Oh My Ghost and Strong Girl Bong-soon. In those productions, she often raised her vocal pitch and energy to match the genre’s lively tone.
With Melo Movie, she decided to keep her natural voice and energy level to deliver a more authentic performance.
“Having a label like ‘romcom queen’ isn’t a bad thing,” she said. “But when I received the script, I found the story captivating, especially how Mu-bee’s character arc unfolds towards the end. It was an irresistible project.”


The opportunity to work with writer Lee and director Oh, as well as co-star Choi, sealed the deal. Park, who plays a film director in the series, felt comfortable on set.
“Drama and film sets are very similar – they feel like home to me because I’ve spent so much time there,” she said. “While filming Melo Movie, I even noticed that one of the crew members was dating someone from the camera team before my manager did,” she added with a laugh.
Park praised Lee’s script for its subtle yet relatable depiction of love and personal growth. “The lines are straightforward, but they really resonate with you,” she said. “The romance feels authentic, but it’s also about how each character confronts and grows from their pain.”
One scene between Mu-bee and her mother particularly moved her. “It made me realise that we often take our parents’ love for granted,” she said. “I found it so meaningful to see them open up to each other, talk honestly and find closure.”
When asked how similar she is to Kim Mu-bee, Park admitted there are differences but also surprising overlaps.


“Mu-bee is more overtly sarcastic and defensive than I am,” she said. “But when it comes to processing her feelings or having heartfelt conversations with her mom, I could really relate.”
Park even shared her mother’s reaction to the series. “She told me she was happy with how I looked in the drama and said the director did an amazing job,” she said with a smile.
Park’s on-screen chemistry with co-star Choi also caught viewers’ attention. Surprisingly, Melo Movie marked her first time working with a co-star her own age.
“I usually work with older or younger actors, so I wasn’t sure how to approach Woo-shik at first,” she said. “But we quickly realised we share similar concerns and perspectives. We became good friends in no time, which helped us stay relaxed on set.”
She praised Choi’s improvisational skills as well. “He has such quick wit,” she said. “When scenes need adjusting, he’s full of creative ideas. Plus, he’s incredibly considerate and even a bit mischievous – just like his character, Gyeom.”
Park described the two of them as “worry warts” who often fretted over their performances. “At one point, we just said, ‘Let’s stop overthinking and have fun with it’,” she said.

Despite nearly two decades in the industry, Park remains eager to challenge herself with diverse roles.
Park also shared her desire to shed her youthful image. “I wore a school uniform again in this project, but I think it’s my last time,” she said.
“Looking young has its perks, but it also slows down the process of being seen in more mature roles. For me, Melo Movie was a chance to show a more grown-up side.”
As she nears her 20th year in acting, Park said she feels like she is entering a new chapter.
“This is my second act,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed great success with lighthearted roles, but I’ve always wanted to explore more diverse characters. With Concrete Utopia (2023) and Light Shop (2024), audiences saw a different side of me. That makes me hopeful about this new chapter.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
Read the original story at The Korea Times.


Meet Park Ji-hyun, rising star of K-dramas Flex X Cop and See You at Work Tomorrow!

K-drama stars IU, Lee Dong-wook dragged into South Korean ballot protest

Netflix K-drama Teach You a Lesson: corporal punishment for bullies in alarming school show

Disney+ K-drama Doctor on the Edge: Lee Jae-wook, Shin Ye-eun lead island medical romcom

K-drama news

Korean actress Park Bo-young on loving herself, chemistry with Choi Woo-shik on Melo Movie

Korean actress Park Bo-young, known for her characters on shows like Strong Girl Bong-soon, explains how it felt to take on a different role in Melo Movie. Photo: Netflix

Choi Woo-shik and Park Bo-young in a still from Melo Movie. Photo: Ko Nam-hi/Netflix

Park Bo-young in a still from Strong Girl Bong-soon.

Park Bo-young in a still from Light Shop. Photo: Disney+

The Glory star Jung Sung-il on Unmasked and feeling nervous acting with Kim Hye-soo

Jung Sung-il (left) and Kim Hye-soo in a still from the Disney+ thriller series Unmasked.

Jung Sung-il (right) and Joo Jong-hyuk in a still from Unmasked.

Jung Sung-il in a still from Unmasked.

How Love Scout’s Lee Joon-hyuk relished male secretary role in the Netflix K-drama romcom

Lee Joon-hyuk in a still from Love Scout.

Lee Joon-hyuk as Yoo Eun-ho, the secretary to a woman CEO, in a still from K-drama Love Scout. The Netflix romcom turns traditional gender roles on their head.

Han Ji-min as headhunting company CEO Kang Ji-yoon and Lee Joon-hyuk as Yoo Eun-ho, her secretary, in a still from Love Scout.

Lee and Han in a still from Love Scout, a K-drama that has led viewers to question traditional gender roles in the workplace.

Han as CEO Kang Ji-yoon in a still from Love Scout. Lee says working with his co-star on the series was a “fascinating experience”.

Han and Lee in a still from Love Scout. Lee says that the K-drama is similar to others he’s worked on, where “timing is everything”.

The 15 best K-dramas of 2024 ranked, from Queen of Tears to LTNS and Squid Game season 2

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in a still from Squid Game season 2. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix

Lee Jung-jae in a still from Squid Game season 2, the most anticipated Netflix series of the year and the best K-drama show of 2024. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix

Check-in Hanyang’s Park Jae-chan on his shirtless scene, and hanging with his co-stars

Park Jae-chan of K-pop boy band DKZ, who stars in period K-drama series Check-in Hanyang. Photo: Instagram/dazedkorea

(From left) Park Jae-chan, Bae In-hyuk, Kim Ji-eun, Jung Gun-joo in a still from Check-in Hanyang. Park talks about the filming of the drama, keeping a dumbbell in his car and who in the cast was “the mischievous one”.

Kim Ji-eun (left) and Jung Gun-joo in a still from Check-in Hanyang.

Park Jae-chan stars in period K-drama series Check-in Hanyang. Photo: Instagram/dazedkorea

Lifestyle

K-drama

News

 Artists & celebrities

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

K-Pop

Artists & celebrities

Actress known for playing lovable characters in Korean shows such as Strong Girl Bong-soon talks about taking on a new role in Melo Movie


Actress known for playing lovable characters in Korean shows such as Strong Girl Bong-soon talks about taking on a new role in Melo Movie.


Netflix

South Korean celebrities

What's hot in Korea

Korea Times

Korean actress Park Bo-young on loving herself, chemistry with Choi Woo-shik on Melo Movie

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Actress known for playing lovable characters in Korean shows such as Strong Girl Bong-soon talks about taking on a new role in Melo Movie

Actress known for playing lovable characters in Korean shows such as Strong Girl Bong-soon talks about taking on a new role in Melo Movie