Parasite’s Park So-dam returns to K-drama in Netflix’s Record of Youth – how much is she like her make-up artist character, and how did she defy Korean beauty standards in real life?

Sep 10 , 2020

Parasite’s gorgeous Park So-dam is back on the small screen in TVN’s new drama Record of Youth. Photo: @sodam_park_0908/Instagram

The stellar line-up of new Netflix K-drama Record of Youth stars heartthrob Park Bo-gum alongside Park So-dam of Oscar-winning Parasite fame – here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the award-winning actress who proudly doesn’t conform to Korean beauty norms and failed 17 auditions before finding fame

Park So-dam, who played the smart, cunning little sister Jessica in Parasite’s Kim family, is back on the small screen with a new drama, Record of Youth – which debuted domestically on TVN on September 7.

The good news? It’s also dropping simultaneously on Netflix – so in celebration, read on for five cool things you might not have known about the 29-year-old actress.

Park So-dam at the Oscars in 2020. Photo: @sodam_park_0908/Instagram

Before breaking into mainstream success, Park was rejected at least 17 times in auditions – so she turned to indie films instead

In an interview with Dramabeans, Park revealed how she had starred in at least 15 independent films while in school. Notable titles include Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls, a Korean Academy of Film Arts feature, and Steel Cold Winter, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival.

She was inspired to be an actress after seeing the musical, Grease

In an interview with Dramabeans, Park shared: “I saw the musical Grease as a freshman in high school. The actors looked so happy. That’s when I started thinking that maybe I would like to become a musical actor.”

Park’s appearance does not conform to Korea’s typical beauty standards, but she says she isn’t interested in plastic surgery