As Park Bo Young nears her 20th debut anniversary, the beloved actress opens up with honesty, humor, and heartfelt reflection on how her latest drama, Our Unwritten Seoul, marked not just another project, but a personal and professional milestone.
“I’ve really grown,” she said with a smile, during a recent media interview. “This drama pushed me in ways I didn’t expect, and I came out of it feeling stronger.” That sense of evolution is no small statement, considering Park’s nearly two-decade journey since debuting in 2006’s Secret Campus.
From her early days as a bubbly teen star to her current image as a versatile and deeply emotional actress, she has built a career of quiet power and enduring charm—something Our Unwritten Seoul only amplified.
In the tvN Saturday-Sunday drama that wrapped up on June 29, Park Bo Young took on a challenging feat: portraying twin sisters Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae—two women with identical faces but starkly different lives and personalities. One lives quietly in the countryside, having abandoned her dreams due to injury; the other thrives in the structured world of a public corporation. But when their worlds collide through a life-altering lie, both must navigate love, truth, and self-discovery.
Diving into Dual Roles
“I don’t think I ever want to do dual roles again,” Park admitted, laughing. “It was hard! But I learned so much.” She emphasized how subtle details—from different speaking tones to even eyeliner application—helped her draw a clear distinction between the two characters. “Mi-ji can’t really do makeup, so even her eyeliner looked different,” she explained. “Those small touches helped me step into their shoes.”
Park Bo Young shared her relief and joy at the positive viewer reception for “Unknown Seoul,” especially how audiences distinguished between Mi-ji and Mi-rae. “What I was most worried about… was, ‘What if they think I’m appearing twice?’ But the viewers were able to differentiate… It was amazing that they could tell even when I couldn’t tell,” she chuckled.
She collaborated closely with Director Park Shin-woo to prepare for the dual roles. The key advice was not to force differences, but to let them emerge naturally. For instance, in crying scenes, Mi-rae would hold back tears, while Mi-ji would cry loudly. Park Bo Young meticulously worked on subtle distinctions in tone and even makeup and hair. Mi-rae used her natural tone, while Mi-ji adopted a more formal, “societal” tone. “Mi-ji’s hair always ends up in a bun, and when she puts on makeup, she can’t fill in the mucous membrane of her eyeliner,” she explained, highlighting her attention to detail that viewers appreciated.
Challenges and Growth
Despite the pressure, the compelling script of Our Unwritten Seoul ultimately drew her in. “The script… was good, and the lines were good. I thought that many people would sympathize and feel comforted by this,” she said.
However, the decision came with immediate apprehension. “I wanted to run away before the first filming,” she admitted, describing the difficulty of acting alone for CG scenes. “I think I grew a lot because I did something I had never done before. However, I don’t think I will ever play two roles again.” She jokingly added, “I made a brave choice because I didn’t know, but I think it will be hard to make a choice now that I know how to film.“
Connecting with Characters and Overcoming Hardship
When asked which character she sympathized with more, Park Bo-young leaned towards Mi-ji. “The things Mi-ji went through were unknown to me because I had never worked, and I thought Mi-ji’s love for her work and her relationship with her mother were similar to mine,” she explained. She also found a relatable moment in a scene where Mi-ji’s mother cries, mirroring a real-life experience that made her feel “Miji’s Seoul” was grounded in reality.
To overcome difficult times, Park Bo-young finds solace at the Han River, her personal “spot” for venting emotions. “When I want to cry, I just let it all out,” she shared. She also draws strength from fan letters, which she keeps in a dedicated box and rereads for comfort and motivation. “When I’m having a hard time, I read them all. Then I make a promise to myself, ‘I have to move forward,’” she said.
On-Screen Romances and Career Evolution
Working with Park Jin Young and Ryu Kyung Soo for the drama’s two romantic storylines offered unique experiences. She initially misjudged their personalities, finding Ryu Kyung-soo more playful than expected, and Park Jin-young surprisingly “adult” for an idol. She enjoyed the contrast between the “fresh” 20s romance with Jin-young’s character, Lee Ho-soo, and the “mature” relationship with Ryu Kyung-soo’s Han Se-jin. “It was really fun to be in a situation where both of them could connect without any problems,” she noted.
Park Bo Young acknowledged a conscious shift in her career away from purely bright and lively characters towards more serious roles with hopeful messages, a change she intentionally pursued after a decade in the industry to avoid being typecast. This led her to projects like the 2023 film Concrete Utopia and Netflix’s Daily Dose of Sunshine “At that time, I wanted to comfort others,” she explained. While her current film, Goldland, is darker, she plans to take on a brighter role next. She emphasizes that her choices are always driven by whether her heart is moved and if she can sympathize with the material.
Looking Towards 20 Years and Beyond
Approaching her 20th anniversary, Park Bo-young expressed astonishment at how far she’s come. “I never imagined that I would act for 20 years. Oh my gosh. It’s been so long,” she exclaimed. Despite early struggles and self-doubt, she now accepts and appreciates her journey. Having learned to be kinder to herself, she attributes her continued success to hard work and gratitude. “I’m in a position where I’m chosen in this job, and I don’t know how long people will be interested in me. So I think I should work hard to receive love while I can and move forward.“
She feels a significant personal evolution. “I finally feel like I’ve grown a little. I think I’ve really grown while doing ‘Unknown Seoul.’ They say that you grow as much as you struggle. It feels like I’ve been going through ‘growing pains’ again,” she reflected.
Ultimately, Park Bo Young aspires to be a “good person” as an actor, a goal she sets high to maintain her drive. Her aim is to consistently convey the message and heart of each character, regardless of genre. “I want to become an actor who properly conveys the message and the character’s heart even if the genre and character change with each work,” she affirmed, committed to acting with this mindset.
The post INTERVIEW: Park Bo Young Reflects on “Our Unwritten Seoul” and Her Nearly Two-Decade Journey appeared first on kdramadiary.
INTERVIEW: Park Bo Young Reflects on “Our Unwritten Seoul” and Her Nearly Two-Decade Journey
Source: Pinoy Student Wars
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