Park Shin-hye (박신혜)

One of the most prolific and popular young actresses in South Korea, Park Shin-hye — dubbed the “Nation’s Little Sister” — has been in the spotlight for more than half her life.

Photo by BusinessKorea

Birthday: February 18, 1990

Instagram: ssinz7

It all started when one of her 6th grade teachers in her hometown of Gwangju recognized her talents and potential, and recommended that she audition for the music company Dream Factory. That brought the 10-year-old to Seoul to begin training in acting, singing, and musical instruments.

After just two years, she landed her first K-drama project — the epic romance hit Stairway to Heaven (2003) — where she portrayed the young version of Choi Ji-woo's character.

Throughout her teens, she juggled school and various projects, and eventually landed her first major lead role as a cross-dressing heroine in the rom-com musical You’re Beautiful (2009).

In her 20s, she amassed an enviable list of hit projects and awards that established her as a Hallyu star: Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013), one of Korea’s highest-grossing films; The Heirs (2013) with Lee Min-ho; Pinocchio (2014) with Lee Jong-suk; Doctors (2016) with Kim Rae-won; and Memories of Alhambra (2018) with Hyun Bin.

In 2020, she starred in two successful films, the zombie flick #Alive and the thriller The Call. Last year, she starred opposite Cha Seung-woo in the JTBC 10th anniversary special drama Sisyphus: The Myth.

Amid all the success, Park Shin-hye makes sure to give back. In 2016, she visited Manila for the opening of her second ShinHye Center, a place where children living in poverty can find educational and emotional support.

Park Shin-hye has begun a new chapter in her life as a wife and mother. She wed fellow actor Choi Tae Joon last year and gave birth to their first child.