Park Hae-joon

Park Sang-woo (; born on June 14, 1976), better known by his stage name, Park Hae-joon , is a South Korean actor. He is internationally recognized for his starring roles in the dramas The World of the Married, The 8 Show (2024), and When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025). Park started his career in 2005 as a stage actor in Daehangno, later joining the Chaimu theater company in 2010. After making his film debut in 2012, he gained recognition for his role in the independent film 4th Place (2015), earning Best New Actor and Best Actor nominations he Buil Film Awards and Wildflower Film Awards, respectively.

Park received further acclaim with a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in Believer (2018) at both the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Buil Film Awards. For his role in Kim Sung-su's film 12.12: The Day (2023), he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and was inducted into the "Chungmuro 10 Million Viewers Club," a recognition given to actors whose films have sold more than 10 million tickets in South Korea.

Early life and education Park was born on June 14, 1976, in Busan, South Korea. Initially wanting to become a singer, he became interested in acting during high school and, encouraged by his aunt, applied to the Department of Theater and Film. He was admitted to the second cohort of the Theatre Department at the Korea National University of Arts.

Since enrolling in university, Park gained attention for his height and appearance, earning the nicknames "Korea National University of Arts legend" and "second-generation Jang Dong-gun," as Jang was also an alumnus of the same school from the first cohort. Despite these praise, Park expressed that his appearance became a personal insecurity and sometimes affected audience perceptions of his acting.

Career 2000–2011: Beginnings After graduating from the Korea National University of Arts, Park made his debut in the play Agamemnon at the Seoul Arts Center in 2005. In 2006, he acted in play Forget That Time, which was directed by Lee Jong-seong and starring , produced by Theater Company Chaimu. thumb Park in June 2015In 2013, Park starred in Hwayi: A Monster Boy alongside Yeo Jin-goo and a veteran cast of Chungmuro actors including Kim Yoon-seok, Jo Jin-woong, Kim Sung-kyun, and Jang Hyun-seong. Park's casting was influenced by his performance in Helpless, which impressed the CEO of the production company and director Jang Joon-hwan. In the film, he portrayed Beom-su, one of Hwa-yi's adopted fathers, a sniper with minimal dialogue but effectively building tension in the scenes.

In 2014, Park starred in the drama Doctor Stranger as Cha Jin-soo, a North Korean agent. He later gained more fame for his role in the tvN drama Misaeng: Incomplete Life as Manager Cheon Gwan-woong, a character that office workers could relate to. This role marked his first project with director Kim Won-seok. On October 29, 2015, Park attended a press conference at the Daehakro Arts Theater 2 in Seoul to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the theater group Chaimu. In December 2015, he participated in the 4th Chaimu's 20th anniversary play One Fine Day directed by Min Bok-ki, where he played the role of Jeong-hoon.

In 2018, Park collaborated with Kim Won-seok for the second time in the drama My Mister, where he played Gyeom-deok, who left his lover Jeong-hee, portrayed by Oh Na-ra, to be a Buddhist monk. Park's portrayal of the morally ambiguous character was well received.

In 2019, Park collaborated with Kim Won-seok for the third time in the drama Arthdal Chronicles, playing the role of Moo-baek, a skilled Daekan warrior (swordsman) known for his exceptional abilities and his kindness and compassion. Park also appeared in four movies that year: Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage, Tune in for Love, Cheer Up, Mr. Lee, and Bring Me Home.

2020–2024: Mainstream success and critical acclaim In 2020, Park starred in the JTBC drama The World of the Married. The series finale achieved a nationwide rating of 28.371%, making it the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history at the time of airing. His performance earned him the nickname "Nation's Cheater" from the media. Park initially declined the role, citing concerns regarding his ability to portray the character effectively and the limited time available for preparation. He also noted a conflict between the character's actions and his own moral values as a family man. However, he eventually accepted the role after director Byun Young-joo encouraged him to take the opportunity to work alongside actress Kim Hee-ae. In 2022, he starred in TVING's I Have Not Done My Best Yet, portraying an unemployed father of two.

Park returned to cinema in 2023 with Kim Sung-su's 12.12: The Day, starring alongside Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, and Kim Sung-kyun. Released on November 22, the film is set during the 1979 South Korean coup d'état. Park playing the role of Major General Roh Tae-gun, based on Roh Tae-woo. This performance earned Park a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and induction into the prestigious "Chungmuro 10 Million Viewers Club."

2024 to present: Expansion into streaming series and "Nation's Father" title In 2024, Park collaborated for the second time with Han Jae-rim on the Netflix black comedy series The 8 Show, based on the Naver webtoons Money Game and Pie Game by Bae Jin-soo. The series depicts the story of eight participants, each occupying one floor in an eight-story building, as they navigate a high-stakes environment where they must cooperate and antagonize each other. The game concludes when a death occurs. Park portrayed Tae-seok, a participant from the Sixth Floor. The 8 Show was released on Netflix on May 17, 2024, and received generally positive reviews.

In January 2024, Park was confirmed for the fourth collaboration with Kim Won-seok for Netflix's series When Life Gives You Tangerines. He played the role of middle-aged Yang Gwan-sik, while Park Bo-gum portrayed the character's younger self. The series premiered in March 2025. To authentically depict Gwan-sik’s battle with cancer, Park underwent a rigorous physical transformation two weeks before filming hospital scenes. His regimen included aerobic exercise, dietary changes, and a strict "martial arts-style" hydration cycle that resulted in a weight loss of 7 to 8 kg within a single week. To maintain continuity, he requested that the director film all related scenes in a single day. His portrayal of a loyal husband and father triggered a massive surge in online searches for his name and the keyword "father" across South Korea, Asia, and Latin America. The "gray short padding" jacket worn by his character also became a trending fashion item. This popularity inspired the "Gwan-sik-byeong" (Gwan-sik-ness) meme, as netizens began using the phrase "my own Gwan-sik" to share stories of their own husbands or fathers. Consequently, the media dubbed Park the "Nation's Father."

Following this, Park starred in Hwang Byeong-guk's crime thriller film Yadang: The Snitch playing a tenacious drug investigator. Hwang cast Park as narcotics detective Oh Sang-jae after previously working with him during the filming of 12.12: The Day. Press praised his ability to seamlessly transition between contrasting roles on both the small and big screens, demonstrating his versatility as an actor.

Park returned to the small screen as the protagonist in Yoo Je-won's tvN's drama Love, Take Two. He plays Ryu Jeong-seok, a renowned international award winning architect and the single father of Bo-hyeon, played by Kim Min-kyu. His character is also the first love of Yum Jung-ah's character. Additionally, Park made a special appearance in the Netflix series Aema, as a reporter named Lee, who harasses the main character, Shin Joo-ae (portrayed by Bang Hyo-rin). Park earned acclaim for his versatility after portraying a character that contrasted sharply with his warmer roles in When Life Gives You Tangerines and Love, Take Two. His transformation was so complete that the director remarked on its startling effect on viewers.

He was confirmed for the Disney+ original series Tempest, a spy romance written by Jeong Seo-kyeong and directed by Kim Hee-won. Park joined an ensemble cast led by Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won, featuring John Cho, Lee Mi-sook, Kim Hae-sook, Yoo Jae-myung, Oh Jung-se, Lee Sang-hee, Joo Jong-hyuk, and Won Ji-an. The series premiered on Disney+ and Hulu on September 10, 2025.

Personal life After dating for seven years, Park and theater actress married in 2011. The couple, who were seniors and juniors at the Korea National University of Arts,have two sons born in 2013 and 2017.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2012 Helpless Loan shark 4th Place Kwang-soo 2016 Pure Love Min-ho Missing Park Hyun-ik 2017 Heart Blackened Dong Seong-sik Warriors of the Dawn Tarobe 2018 Believer Seon-chang 2019 Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage Kwon Tae-joo Bring Me Home Myung-gook Tune in for Love Jong-woo Cheer Up, Mr. Lee Young-soo Start-Up Tae-sung Special appearance 2021 The 8th Night Ho Tae 2022 In Our Prime Ahn Gi-chul Broker Yoon Special appearance Emergency Declaration Tae-soo 20th Century Girl School doctor Special appearance 2023 12.12: The Day Noh Tae-geon 2025 Yadang: The Snitch Oh Sang-jae 2026 Humint Hwang Chi-seong TBA Byung-soo

Television series

Television show Year Title Role Notes 2026The Village Barber Part-timerSeason 1

Theater Musicals

Plays

Accolades Awards and nominations

State honors + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country Award Ceremony Year Honor or Award South Korea Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards 2025 Prime Minister's Commendation

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200