"I don't want to be criticized for my acting. I don't want to disappoint the public, and I want to be a colleague people can be proud of. There are so many talented actors out there. If I want to survive, I have to work even harder."
Actress Park Bo-young offered that candid assessment of herself as she reflected on the 20th anniversary of her debut. Recently, News Culture met the actress at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, where she spoke about Disney+ original series Gold Land, her evolving approach to acting, and the perspective she has gained after two decades in the industry.
The 10-episode survival thriller follows Hee-joo, an ordinary customs officer who comes into possession of smuggled gold bars worth 150 billion won and finds herself trapped in a ruthless battle driven by greed and betrayal. Park said the project immediately appealed to her because it offered a chance to explore unfamiliar territory.
"When I received the offer, I wanted to try acting I had never done before," she said. "As I read the script, I imagined the way Hee-joo would speak and look, but at first I couldn't clearly picture her. I kept wondering why the director thought of me for the role."
The answer came during discussions with the director. According to Park, he believed audiences would experience an entirely different emotion if someone who appeared likely to return the gold instead chose greed.
"When he explained that, I understood why he wanted me," she said. "Viewers might feel betrayed when they see someone they trusted change like that. That was what convinced me to do the project."
To portray Hee-joo's physical and emotional exhaustion, Park deliberately pushed herself beyond her usual limits.
"I lost about three kilograms more than I normally would for a role," she said with a laugh. "Maintaining it wasn't easy. I lost the weight through dieting rather than exercise, so I always felt weak. But it helped me portray someone who was completely worn down."
The role also required her to explore emotions she had never personally experienced.
"There was so much struggling, running, crawling, and desperately trying to survive," she said. "I had never played a character like that before, so it was exciting. Hee-joo's situation isn't something most people experience in real life, and I worried about how to understand those emotions."
Park recalled the director telling her that very few people would be immune to temptation if they suddenly found themselves holding illicit wealth.
"I don't think I could live that way," she said. "But when I thought about it more, I realized greed could affect anyone. Through Hee-joo, I experienced that vicariously. There was always tension, and I enjoyed that."
Working alongside Kim Hee-won and Lee Kwang-soo also became one of the production's highlights. The actress revealed that her close friendship with Lee occasionally made filming difficult.
"We're actually too comfortable with each other," she said, laughing. "Sometimes we were so considerate that the scenes didn't work properly. During fight sequences, I'd tell him to hit harder, but if it really hurt, I'd tell him that too. Because we're close, we could be completely honest."
She also credited Kim Hee-won for helping her overcome insecurities during filming.
"He already knew exactly what I was struggling with," she said. "When we worked together on Light Shop, he was the director and I was the actor. This time he understood my concerns immediately. Instead of directing me, he encouraged me as a fellow actor. His compliments gave me confidence."
Although Gold Land contains numerous action sequences, Park emphasized that Hee-joo was never meant to be an action hero.
"Most of the time I was getting beaten up, running away, or crawling to survive," she said. "It wasn't the kind of stylish action people usually imagine."
Even handling firearms proved unexpectedly challenging.
"Guns are really heavy," she said. "There was one scene where I simply held a rifle while Kim Sung-cheol was delivering his lines, and my arms were sore afterward."
Asked whether she would ever take on a more glamorous action role, Park answered honestly.
"I love watching female action heroes with guns and swords," she said. "Maybe that's why I feel I can't do it. Those characters should look naturally powerful and commanding. I don't think a large rifle would suit me."
Over the past several years, Park has deliberately moved away from the bright and lovable image that made her famous. Through projects such as Concrete Utopia, Light Shop, Gold Land, and Unknown Seoul, she has consistently embraced darker and more complicated characters.
"With Gold Land, I feel like I've gone as far into darkness as I can," she said. "I'm proud of the challenges I've taken on, because if audiences hadn't accepted them, I might not have been able to continue making those choices."
The emotional cost, however, was significant.
"While filming Gold Land earlier this year, I was exhausted all the time," she said. "Friends I hadn't seen in a while told me I looked like a grandmother. For me, this was the darkest project I've ever done. I think it's time to do something brighter."
She laughed and added, "People say things come true when you say them out loud, so I've been saying it everywhere. I think it would be fun to do another romantic comedy like I did in my twenties."
Reaching her 20th anniversary also prompted Park to reflect on the role luck has played in her career.
"I've thought about it a lot this year," she said. "When I first started, I had to audition for every project. Now people send me scripts. Even that makes me feel grateful."
She acknowledged that success is not built on hard work alone.
"When I debuted, actresses with double eyelids were considered the standard of beauty," she said. "Then suddenly there was a period when monolids became appreciated. The timing worked in my favor."
Those experiences shaped the philosophy she still carries today.
"I've been lucky throughout my career," she said. "That's why I always tell myself I need to live more kindly. Effort matters, but luck matters too."
Her recent Best Actress win at the Baeksang Arts Awards also became a moment of reflection.
"There were times when I chose a project and then became terrified before filming started," she said. "I wondered why I had accepted it in the first place. Later I found out that actors I deeply respect struggled with exactly the same fears. Hearing them say, 'I feel that way too,' was incredibly comforting."
Even after two decades of success, her motivation remains unchanged.
"I don't want to be criticized for my acting," she said. "I don't want to disappoint audiences. I want to be a colleague people can respect. There are so many talented people in this profession. If I want to survive, I have to keep working harder."
The conversation eventually turned to a possible second season of Gold Land. While many viewers interpreted the finale as Hee-joo's death, Park disagreed.
"No," she said immediately. "I don't think she died. I see it as an open ending."
Asked whether she would return if a second season were made, she smiled.
"I don't think anyone has seriously asked the director about Season 2 yet," she said. "But if it happens, I think I'd want to do it. Before then, though, I'll probably be busy playing brighter characters again."
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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