Park Yong-woo

Quick Facts: Who was Park Yong-woo?

Subject:

Park Yong-woo

Known for:

Acclaimed South Korean actor known for his versatile performances across film and television.

Born:

1971-03-16

Century / Era:

1971s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Park Yong-woo (Korean: 박용우; born March 16, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Park Yong-woo's father was an engineering professor and his mother was a music teacher. As a child he was shy and expressed himself poorly. Instead, he nurtured his imagination. When he first chose to become an actor, Park felt hampered by the fact that he didn't have any childhood or family trauma to draw from, but later realized that a vivid imagination was the key to his acting process because it didn't require him to show his "naked face." Park failed the college entrance exams twice before he was accepted to the prestigious Theater and Film department at Chung-Ang University in 1991.

Career & Major Achievements

He failed twice more when he joined MBC's actor's auditions, then finally passed in 1995. Park spent a decade playing minor and supporting roles on television and film, notably in Shiri (1999), Ditto (2000) and Age of Warriors (2003). He later said those ten years of experience enabled him to have greater freedom and control with his acting, and that he believes a person is not just born a good actor, but rather good acting requires much preparation and work, with some luck thrown in. Park said, "I guess every actor dreams of playing a main character and I'm not an exception. But for me, it is more important to become a good actor regardless of how big my roles are." In 2005, Park drew critical notice with his much-praised portrayal of the influential son of a paper mill owner in Kim Dae-seung's period thriller Blood Rain (2005).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He won Best Supporting Actor honors at the Chunsa Film Art Awards and the Korean Film Awards, as well as nominations at the Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards. But his career breakthrough would come in his first leading role, in dark romantic comedy My Scary Girl (2006) opposite Choi Kang-hee. Titled "Sweet, Bloodthirsty Lover" in Korean, Park played a timid college lecturer in his late 20s who finally finds his first girlfriend, only he begins to suspect that she may be a serial killer. With a relatively low budget and lead actors who were not particularly famous at the time, Son Jae-gon's debut film was a sleeper hit and became the tenth top-selling domestic film of the year with 2,286,745 tickets sold. After its release, witty dialogue from the film were continuously quoted and parodied, and their performances made Park and Choi stars.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1971 (1971-03-16): Birth of Park Yong-woo — Acclaimed South Korean actor known for his versatile performances across film and television.
2. 1991: 1991 Milestone — " Park failed the college entrance exams twice before he was accepted to the prestigious Theater and Film department at Chung-Ang University in 1991.
3. 1995: 1995 Milestone — He failed twice more when he joined MBC's actor's auditions, then finally passed in 1995.
4. 1999: 1999 Milestone — Park spent a decade playing minor and supporting roles on television and film, notably in Shiri (1999), Ditto (2000) and Age of Warriors (2003).
5. 2005: 2005 Milestone — " In 2005, Park drew critical notice with his much-praised portrayal of the influential son of a paper mill owner in Kim Dae-seung's period thriller Blood Rain (2005).
6. 2006: 2006 Milestone — But his career breakthrough would come in his first leading role, in dark romantic comedy My Scary Girl (2006) opposite Choi Kang-hee.

Notable Quotes by Park Yong-woo

“I guess every actor dreams of playing a main character and I'm not an exception. But for me, it is more important to become a good actor regardless of how big my roles are.”

“Although I am not completely devoted to acting, it may look that way because I am not lucky enough to be able to enjoy my life fully. Acting makes me feel alive and changes me; even though it entails pain.” (2007)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Park Yong-woo

True or False: “Park Yong-woo's initial struggles in his career were primarily due to a lack of professional opportunities rather than academic hurdles.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He initially struggled with academics, failing the college entrance exams twice before entering Chung-Ang University.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Contemporary (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Aditya Chopra — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Pioneering figure in Hindi Cinema, known for producing blockbuster films and leading Yash Raj Films.
• Alexander S. Wiener — Shared historical date (03-16 · Born) (1907): Pioneering American biologist known for discoveries in serology and immunogenetics.
• Anna Atkins — Shared historical date (03-16 · Born) (1799): Pioneering botanist and photographer, credited with the first illustrated book using photos.
• Adriano Giannini — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Italian actor known for dubbing and roles in film and television.
• Ahn Jae-wook — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Acclaimed South Korean actor and singer known for his dramatic stage presence.
• Abby Stein — Historical peer (Born in 1991) (1991): Israeli-American author, rabbi, and activist who speaks on faith and gender identity.
• Ah Young — Historical peer (Born in 1991) (1991): South Korean singer and actress known for her time in the girl group Dal Shabet.
• Adolf Butenandt — Historical peer (Died in 1995) (1995): Pioneering German biochemist known for sex hormones and pheromone discovery.
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• March 16 (03-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 16

Frequently Asked Questions about Park Yong-woo