Meet Park Shin-hye, a chameleon of Korean cinema. Known for her open, honest style of acting that blends vulnerability with strength, Park has cemented her status as a leading Hallyu actress and a household name in Korea. With a career spanning two decades and genres ranging from romance to action to horror, here is a timeline of Park’s most iconic roles.
Stairway to Heaven (2003)
Park made her official acting debut at age 13 in Stairway to Heaven, one of the most iconic K-dramas of all time. Park plays the younger version of character Han Jung-suh, who grew up being mistreated by her jealous stepmother and stepsister. Park was widely praised for her acting and viewers sympathized with Jung-suh’s miserable upbringing. Be prepared to root for Jung-suh through the ups and downs of this slow-burn melodrama.
You’re Beautiful (2009)
If you’re seeing double, don’t fret: Park takes on the dual role of twin brother and sister in teen drama You’re Beautiful. The story follows aspiring nun Ko Mi-nyeo, who is forced to pose as her music idol twin brother and join a boy band. There, she finds blossoming friendships – and love! – while growing up along the way. Park’s cross-dressing heroine received acclaim and You’re Beautiful gained a cult following worldwide after its release.
The Heirs (2013)
Park’s fame grew by starring in The Heirs, which featured a star-studded cast including Lee Min-ho, Kim Ji-won, Park Hyung-sik, and Kim Woo-bin. The Heirs follows a group of high school students from Korea’s most elite families. Park plays scholarship student Cha Eun-sang, the daughter of a housemaid working for Kim Tan’s (played by Lee Min-ho) wealthy family. The series was popular both domestically and internationally, transforming Park into a major Hallyu star.
Pinocchio (2014)
Park plays the role of Choi In-ha, a reporter with “Pinocchio syndrome”, a condition that causes her to suffer from uncontrollable hiccups whenever she lies. Since In-ha cannot lie, she pursues a career in truth: investigative journalism. Together with her childhood friend, played by Lee Jong-suk, they discover the dark underbelly of the journalism world and uncover secrets about their intertwined family histories.
Doctors (2016)
Park swaps her suits for scrubs in Doctors, portraying a rebellious teenager turned charismatic neurosurgeon Yoo Hye-jung. Park garnered widespread praise for her blunt, “girl-crush” acting and her action sequences. She stars opposite Kim Rae-won, who plays a senior colleague and Hye-jung’s former teacher who changed her life. A touching medical drama that explores an age-gap romance, Doctors is one of a kind.
Memories of the Alhambra (2018)
Park takes fans on a change of scenery with fantasy-thriller drama Memories of the Alhambra, set in Granada, Spain. Park shines as hostel owner Jung Hee-joo, who gets entangled in an augmented reality game her brother (EXO’s Chanyeol) created and a tech company CEO (Hyun Bin) wants to buy. The lines between reality and augmented reality blur dangerously when the creator disappears and the game encounters mysterious bugs. Memories of the Alhambra is unlike any other of Park’s previous works and a great watch for K-drama fans looking to try something different!
The Call (2020)
Expanding her versatile range, Park stars in horror film The Call as Kim Seo-yeon, a woman living in 2019 who connects through a phone call with a woman living in… 1999. Twenty years apart, the women’s fates become dangerously intertwined, manipulating the past, present and future. Park captivates audiences with her acting as Seo-yeon, and the film’s twists and turns will leave viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Sisyphus: The Myth (2021)
Park takes on the role of Kang Seo-hae, a mysterious woman from the future in action-packed sci-fi drama Sisyphus: The Myth. Park stars opposite Cho Seung-woo, who plays the genius CEO of an engineering company. The two team up to uncover a secret conspiracy and try to save the world from a nuclear war in the future. A must-watch for sci-fi lovers!
Doctor Slump (2024)
Park takes on her second role as a doctor in popular medical romance drama Doctor Slump. She reunites with her The Heirs co-star Park Hyung-sik as a pair of accomplished doctors and former high school rivals who both fall into a “slump” in life and reconnect. The witty banter between the two leads and the endearing enemies-to-lovers plotline marks a triumphant return to the screen for Park after a three-year-long hiatus.
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