Park Bo-gum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Park Bo-gum
Park in November 2024
Born	(1993-06-16) June 16, 1993 (age 32) Seoul, South Korea
Alma mater	Myongji University (BA) Sangmyung University (MA)
Occupation	Actor singer musician
Years active	2011–present
Agent	The Black Label
Works	Performances discography
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	2018–present
Labels	Pony Canyon
Korean name
Hangul	박보검
Hanja	朴寶劍
RR	Bak Bogeom
MR	Pak Pogŏm
Signature

Park Bo-gum (Hangul: 박보검; born June 16, 1993) is a famous South Korean actor, singer, and musician. He is well-known for his roles in many movies and TV shows. Park Bo-gum was the youngest person to be named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year. He was also the first actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list. People in South Korea and around the world call him names like "Nation's Crown Prince" and "Nation's Boyfriend."

Park Bo-gum started his career in 2011. He became very popular after starring in the TV series Hello Monster (2015) and Reply 1988 (2015–16). He gained international fame for shows like Love in the Moonlight (2016), Encounter (2018–19), and Record of Youth (2020). More recently, he starred in When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) and Good Boy (2025). In 2020, he released his first album, Blue Bird, in Japan. He also made his stage debut in 2023 in the musical Let Me Fly.

Early life and education

Park Bo-gum was born in Mok-dong, Seoul, South Korea, on June 16, 1993. He is the youngest of three children. His name, "Bo-gum," means "precious sword." He started playing the piano when he was very young. He also sang in a choir and was on his middle school's swimming team. His mother passed away when he was in fourth grade.

Park graduated from Shinmok High School in 2012. In 2014, he began studying musical theater at Myongji University. Even with his acting career, he joined his university's cultural exchange program in Europe. He also directed a play and was a music director for his class's production of Hairspray. He earned his bachelor's degree in 2018. Later, he received a master's degree in New Media Music from Sangmyung University.

Career highlights

2011–2013: Starting out

When Park Bo-gum was in high school, he sent videos of himself singing and playing piano to many entertainment companies. He first wanted to be a singer-songwriter. However, a talent agent suggested he try acting. He then signed with an acting agency.

He started acting in 2011 in the movie Blind. He later joined Blossom Entertainment. He appeared in films like Runway Cop (2012) and TV shows such as Bridal Mask (2012). In 2013, he got his first important role in the drama Wonderful Mama.

2014–2015: Becoming well-known

In 2014, Park Bo-gum played a younger version of the main character in Wonderful Days. He also played a talented cellist in Naeil's Cantabile. These roles earned him nominations for Best New Actor awards. He also appeared in popular movies like A Hard Day (2014) and The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014). The Admiral became the highest-grossing Korean film at that time.

Park in July 2015

In May 2015, Park became a co-host for the music show Music Bank. He was praised for his singing and hosting skills. He won the Best Newcomer Award for his work on the show.

Park gained a lot of attention for his role in the crime drama Hello Monster (2015). This role was different from his usual characters. He won Popularity and Best Supporting Actor awards for it. He also starred in the film Coin Locker Girl, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. This role earned him a Rising Star Award.

He then starred in Reply 1988 (2015–16), playing a genius Go player named Choi Taek. This show was a huge success, becoming the highest-rated Korean drama on cable TV at the time. Park became very famous in South Korea and was called "Nation's Little Brother." This role also made him a rising star of the Korean Wave (the global spread of South Korean culture).

2016–2021: Global fame

In February 2016, Park joined the travel show Youth Over Flowers: Africa. He left Music Bank in June 2016 after hosting for over a year. In August 2016, Park took on his first main role as Crown Prince Lee Young in the historical drama Love in the Moonlight. A video of him dancing in his character's costume went viral.

Love in the Moonlight was a big hit both in Korea and overseas. It made Park known as "Nation's Crown Prince" and "Prince of Asia." This show proved he was a versatile and top-tier actor. He won many awards for this role, including the Top Excellence Award. He also released his first song, "My Person," for the show's soundtrack. In 2016, he was named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year. He was also the first actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list.

Park in May 2018

After a two-year break to focus on his studies, Park returned to TV in 2018. He starred in the romantic drama Encounter. Parts of the show were filmed in Cuba. It became one of the highest-rated Korean dramas on cable TV. The show was very popular globally. Park was praised for his acting and was called the "Nation's Boyfriend."

In 2019, Park released his first Japanese song, "Bloomin'." In March 2020, he released his first album, Blue Bird, in Japan. It included 11 songs. In August 2020, he released the song "All My Love."

Park starred in the drama Record of Youth in 2020. This show was filmed just before he joined the military. It had the highest premiere viewership for a Monday-Tuesday drama on TvN. It also became popular worldwide through Netflix. The show was praised for showing the lives of young people. Forbes called it one of the best Korean dramas of 2020. Park's acting in the show was highly praised. He ranked second in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year survey in 2020.

In 2021, while Park was in the military, his first main movie role was released. It was the science fiction film Seo Bok. The movie was released in theaters and on streaming. Critics generally liked the film, and Park's acting as a human clone received good reviews. He won Best New Actor for this role.

2022–present: Continued success

After finishing his military service in 2022, Park reunited with the cast of Love in the Moonlight for a travel show called Young Actors' Retreat. In December 2022, Park left Blossom Entertainment after ten years. In January 2023, he signed with a new agency, The Black Label.

He made his stage debut in the musical Let Me Fly in 2023. Tickets for the show sold out in just two minutes! He received good reviews for his performance and was nominated for Best New Actor at the Korean Musical Awards. He also hosted the 2024 MAMA Awards in Los Angeles, California. He appeared in the reality show My Name is Gabriel (2024), where he lived like an Irishman for 72 hours. He also starred in the science fiction film Wonderland (2024), which was released in theaters and on Netflix.

In March 2025, Park starred in the Netflix TV series When Life Gives You Tangerines. The show quickly became a top non-English show globally on Netflix. His acting in the series was widely praised by viewers and critics. It earned him another nomination for Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards. The show's popularity even started a viral trend called "My Own Gwan-sik" on social media.

In March 2025, Park also began hosting The Seasons: Park Bo-gum's Cantabile, a late-night music talk show. In May 2025, he starred in the TV series Good Boy. He was praised for successfully playing an action hero and showing his skills in action, comedy, and romance. He also released an original song for the show's soundtrack called "Waterfall." Because of his back-to-back successes with Tangerines and Good Boy, 2025 has been called "The Year of Park Bo-gum."

Personal life

Park serving the Republic of Korea Navy during his military service, November 2021

Park Bo-gum is known for quietly helping others. He often donates and volunteers without telling anyone. For example, it was discovered in 2020 that he had been volunteering at an orphanage since 2013. The orphanage thanked him on social media when he joined the military.

On August 31, 2020, Park joined the Republic of Korea Navy for his required military service. He served in the Military Band. He was promoted to sergeant in November 2021. Park was released early from his service on February 21, 2022, after using his remaining leave. During his time in the military, Park also earned a barber's license.

Filmography

Park, in costume, as his characters Choi Taek in Reply 1988 (2015–16) and Lee Yeong in Love in the Moonlight (2016)

Park has starred in many productions. These include the TV series Hello Monster (2015), Reply 1988 (2015–16), Love in the Moonlight (2016), Encounter (2018–19), Record of Youth (2020), When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025), and Good Boy (2025). His films include Seo Bok (2021) and Wonderland (2024). He has also hosted the music talk show The Seasons: Park Bo-gum's Cantabile since March 2025.

Discography

• Blue Bird (2020)

Awards and recognition

Awards and nominations

Since he started acting in 2011, Park Bo-gum has received many awards and nominations. These awards are for his work in movies, TV shows, theater, and entertainment.

Special honors

Park has been recognized by South Korea for his positive influence. In 2022, he received a special commendation from the Prime Minister. This was for his volunteer work at an orphanage and other charity events.

Popularity lists

Park Bo-gum has been included in the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list six times. He has also been on Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year list five times. He topped both lists once.

See also

In Spanish: Park Bo-gum para niños