Park Bo-gum, the ‘Nation’s Boyfriend’ of Korean drama, starring with Parasite’s Park So-dam in new series The Moment
As the KBS Drama Award-winner and former Forbes’ ‘Korea Power Celebrity’ chart-topper turns 27, we look back on the handsome heartthrob's career so far
South Korean actor Park Bo-gum has gained widespread acclaim for playing diverse characters in many hit dramas. He’s won dozens of awards – including the top excellence actor’s trophy at the KBS Drama Awards in 2016 – and also topped Forbes’ “Korea Power Celebrity” list in 2017.
As the hallyu star turns 27 on June 16, here are top things to know about the multitalented heartthrob.
He’s played the main lead in stacks of popular dramas
Park was the main lead of popular dramas like Hello Monster, Reply 1988 and Love in the Moonlight. His popularity earned him nicknames including the “Nation’s Boyfriend”, for his natural charm, and the “Nation’s Crown Prince” for his carefree personality and classy persona.
In the drama Encounter, he played Kim Jin-hyuk – a simple man who falls in love with a chaebol’s wife, Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo).
He is a talented pianist
On March 20, the actor showed his piano playing skills in Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook, earning praise for his performance of The Western Sky by Lee Seung-chul and Good Person by Toy.
He wanted to become a singer
When he was a child, Park Bo-gum's dream was to become a singer. He even recorded himself singing and playing the piano then sent it to a big entertainment company. In a Mnet interview, he said, “The first company that sent it back suggested that I should go into acting, rather than becoming a singer. So, here I am as an actor and a lover of music.”