Park Gyu-young (박규영)

From gracing a college magazine cover to fending off monsters in Sweet Home, to starring as a rabidly followed influencer in Celebrity (2022), Park Gyu-young’s rise in talent and popularity could only be described as steady and striking.

Photo from HanCinema

Birthday: July 27, 2023 Instagram: @lavieenbluu Tiktok: @park_gyuyoung

Known for her naturalistic performances and relatable on-screen presence, Park has quickly become one of the industry's brightest stars, captivating domestic and international audiences.

A native of Busan, Park Gyu-young initially pursued a career in modeling before realizing her true calling lay in acting. Her striking features and vibrant energy were soon noticed, leading her to land roles that would set the stage for a promising acting career.

She debuted in the 2016 music video "Crosswalk" by Jo Kwon of the K-pop group 2AM. In the same year, she started acting on the small screen in the supernatural rom-com Touching You. This was followed by supporting roles in well-loved K-dramas for the next two years, including Bring It On, Ghost (2016), Solomon’s Perjury (2016), and Drama Special Season 8 (2017). In her first foray into movies, she starred in the youth romance Dear (2017). She then worked on support roles for Heart Blackened (2017), Wretches (2018), and LOVE+SLING (2018).

Her role as the psychiatric nurse Nam Ju-ri, a co-worker of Kim Soo-hyun’s character in the groundbreaking gothic romance It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020), contributed to further fame. In this K-drama hit, Park Gyu-young portrays Nam Joo-ri, a nurse at the psychiatric hospital where the protagonist Moon Kang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun) works. Kind-hearted and compassionate, with a one-sided crush on Moon Kang-tae, she maintains a professional demeanor. She remains a reliable and supportive colleague even if she witnesses him falling for a rather unique and dangerous woman.

And soon, she was nominated as Baeksang Best New Actress for her performance as bassist Yoon Ji-soo in the Netflix horror Sweet Home (2020). In this dark and intense monster series, Park portrays Lee Eun-hye, a musician who lives in a building that monstrous creatures have invaded. As chaos and fear grip the community, Eun-hye becomes part of a group of survivors determined to stay alive and find a way out of the building. Despite the chaos and danger surrounding them, she remains a source of hope and inspiration, helping to maintain the group's morale in the face of adversity.

As Kim Dal-ri in the rom-com Dali and Cocky Prince, she carefully balanced her classy but liberal personality. She plays a visiting researcher at the Saint Müller Museum and later becomes the director of the Cheong-song Art Museum. She is an intelligent and well-versed individual who has to take on the challenge of saving the institution from collapse. Her determination and resourcefulness are tested as she navigates the complexities of the art world and works to uncover her father's mysterious death.

A Netflix favorite, she recently starred in Celebrity, a K-drama with commentaries on Insta-celebrities and influencers. As if mirroring her incredible rise to fame in her Celebrity persona, Netflix recently announced that she would join the cast of the sequel to Squid Game, the world’s most-watched series.

In her latest drama, “A Good Day to be a Dog” (2023), she will take on the role of Han Hae-na, a woman plagued by the ability to transform into a dog whenever she kisses someone. As if that weren’t challenging enough, the man who is the only key to solving her curse is afraid of dogs! (But he’s played by Cha Eun-woo, though!)

She is also slated to co-star in the adaptation of The Second Sister with Kim Seon-ho.

While primarily known as an actress, Park Gyu-young has not limited herself to just one avenue of artistic expression. Her modeling background often sees her gracing magazine covers and fashion spreads, further diversifying her portfolio. As if being both a model and actress weren’t enough, she also graduated from Yonsei University’s Department of Clothing and Environment in 2020

With an already impressive array of hits, Park continues to challenge herself with diverse characters and unique storytelling. We can only wonder what her talent and work ethic will take her next.