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After working nonstop for three years, actress Park Bo Young has found herself wanting a break.
Recently, Park Bo Young sat for an interview to discuss Gold Land. Gold Land is a survival thriller that follows Hee Joo (Park Bo Young), who accidentally comes into possession of gold bars tied to a smuggling ring and becomes entangled in the chaotic web of greed and betrayal involving numerous people.
Speaking her thoughts on the series's conclusion, Park Bo Young said, "I was in touch with the cast yesterday, and everyone said they felt empty now that it's over," adding, "It's like this every time, but sending Hee Joo off feels bittersweet."
For the first time since her debut, Park Bo Young took on a crime genre project. Long loved for her bright and lovable image, she showcased a striking transformation in her acting through this work.
Regarding why she chose to appear in the series, she said, "Most crime genre productions tend to center around male actors, but Gold Land is a work where a female character is at the center," adding, "Personally, I really wanted to do it, but when I read the script, I wondered whether the character of Hee Joo would actually suit me."
"Director Kim Sung Hoon told me that viewers would probably feel a sense of catharsis from seeing someone with my image — a person who seems like she would return the gold bars even if they ended up in her hands — becoming consumed by greed. I was persuaded by that, which is why I decided to take the role."
To portray the character who becomes increasingly exhausted as the story progresses, she lost weight and also had to perform a variety of action scenes.
She said, "The director told me he wanted to show my bare face and a progressively more haggard appearance as the story goes on, so I put a lot of thought into it. I tried to pay close attention to the changes in my gaze," adding, "Watching the monitor, it felt like I was seeing a side of myself I'd never seen before, so I enjoyed the filming."
Park Bo Young said that she lost 3 kg for the project. "The director asked if Hee Joo could become thinner as the story progressed, so I lost quite a lot of weight," she explained.
"After losing that much weight, I had very little energy while filming. Most of Hee Joo's lines in the latter half were also quite subdued, so it actually helped."
There were also difficulties with the gun action scenes. Park Bo Young said, "When I first held a gun, I was surprised by how heavy it was. I needed to focus on my lines but couldn't concentrate properly." "In the scenes where I get shot, there were so many technical things I had to pay attention to on top of the emotional acting. I honestly don't know how people do action acting."
When asked what she thought she would do if she came into possession of gold bars like Hee Joo in the series, Park Bo Young replied, "I'm someone who's mostly satisfied with my life as it is." However, she added, "Honestly, I wonder if there's anyone who really wouldn't feel greedy if a huge amount of money were right in front of them. I think I could be like that too. If I didn't have desire in me, I probably wouldn't have chosen the role of Hee Joo."
Park Bo Young won the Best Actress award in the television category for Our Unwritten Seoul at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards. Giving her acceptance speech, she opened up about the exhaustion she experiences from excessive competition.
When asked about it, she said, "I watched the speech afterward and didn't realize I had talked for that much," but added, "It's something I've always thought about."
"I have to prove my value and usefulness in a project for the next one to come. If I fail to do well, I might still get one or two more chances, but not more than that," adding, "When I look around, there are so many talented people, and it's a system where we have to compete against each other. From a young age, I think I compared myself with others and accepted that as something natural."
Park Bo Young confessed that she was able to move forward step by step thanks to advice from people around her and support from fans.
She said, "Whenever I talked about these concerns, the senior actors on set would point me in a direction. My fans also always supported me," adding, "Because of that, I came to think that continuing to work on projects is a way of proving one's value. I usually don't place much meaning on awards, but this time, I felt it was okay to give it meaning."
Park Bo Young also expressed gratitude toward her family, who have always been a strong source of support for her.
"Whenever I became exhausted from work, my family's support was a huge help. Ever since I was young, my parents would always tell me, 'If it gets too hard, you can quit. Do you think Mom and Dad can't provide for you?' Now, my older sister, brother-in-law, and younger sibling say the same thing to me as well."
She added, "Having a place to escape to makes me feel like, 'Let me try as much as I can.' I think it would be difficult if I became too consumed by the profession of being an actor. It's a job that requires pouring in far more emotions and energy than people might think."
This year carries special meaning for Park Bo Young, as it marks both her award win and the 20th anniversary of her debut. To commemorate the occasion, she recently held a photo exhibition for her fans.
Park Bo Young said, "I didn't want to make a huge fuss over it because it's been 20 years," but added, "I don't know whether these 20 years could be considered the midpoint or the end, but I thought it might be nice to commemorate it like an interim report — by showing as I look now and the scripts I've worked on so far."
Park Bo Young also opened up about the exhaustion she feels after doing back-to-back projects.
"I filmed Our Unwritten Seoul and Gold Land back-to-back. Because of that, I started to feel like I was sinking [getting drained]. It felt like my energy level was gradually dropping. If there had been a break in between, I probably would have been able to come out of the character."
She continued, "Filming for Gold Land wrapped up on January 1. Until February, I had absolutely no energy at all. People around me said I looked like an old woman. I really had no energy." She added that she has since regained her weight and that her energy levels are back up.
The actress shared that she spent time resting with her family during the break. "Everyone except me lives in the same neighborhood. I went to my mom's house, then my younger sibling's place, then my older sister's place."
She continued, "I don't want to exercise or do anything at all. I just want to lie down, watch TV, and eat whatever I want. I haven't been able to rest for about three years, so I feel like I really need a break. I consecutively worked on projects that were exhausting both physically and emotionally, so it seems like I need time to recharge."
"Next, I want to do something bright and beautiful," adding, "Since my fans are waiting, I'll reorganize myself as quickly as possible and let everyone know about my next project."
