Actor Park Jeong-min / Courtesy of SEM Company
After a viral performance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards — Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars — actor Park Jeong-min’s life took an unexpected turn.
Autograph requests became frequent. Old friends reached out. One message read, "Hey, you finally made it."
"What was I before then? How far do I have to go to have 'made it'?" Park said during an interview with the Hankook Ilbo Monday. "It’s actually my dad who’s loving the attention. I’m still just bewildered."
Park’s recent career trajectory, including a starring role in director Ryoo Seung-wan’s spy thriller "Humint," has cemented his status as a top-tier actor. Yet, when asked about his newfound status as a "heartthrob" capable of making fans swoon, Park tilted his head.
"I’ve never thought about it. I think they’re reading too much into it," he said, prompting laughter in the room. "I never intended or aimed for that appeal. The world sometimes gives you strange gifts from unexpected places. My way of staying grounded is to think, 'This, too, shall pass.'"
Actor Park Jeong-min and singer Hwasa perform at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Captured from KBS
Park insists he has never successfully achieved anything he deliberately aimed for. This has led him to adopt a "purposeless" lifestyle.
"I wanted to go to Seoul National University but couldn't. I failed my first entrance exam for the Korea National University of Arts. Many choices I made to become famous didn't work out," Park said. "The moment I set a goal, the emptiness when I fail to reach it is overwhelming. Losing the happiness of the process is even sadder."
For the past 15 years, his success has been a series of happy accidents. His mindset of "just pulling my weight" led to the spotlight. His much-talked-about stage performance with singer Hwasa was done "without much thought," yet it drew a massive reaction.
Source: Korea Times News
