Screenwriter-Director Pairings: Kim Eun and Ahn Pan Seok
Welcome to PMYs secretaries’ ultimate guide to fan-swoon over Park Min Young (abbreviated to PMY). We have gathered a lot of fun facts, pictures, links (all Jelly bean blue text include a link to something more or less related to PMY), and extremely useful information for all of you just aching to find out more about this very talented actress and her works. As a fun bonus, we added a Bing(o) for you to test your own Park Min Young devotion or find the next show to add to your watchlist. To get you involved, we composed a voting list for you to vote for your top 10 favorite PMY content. So please, sit back and enjoy the ride as we guide you through the works of our beloved Park Min Young.
Dramas
As with most actors and actresses on MDL, the best place to start a fandom is by watching dramas. With many years in the business, there is plenty to choose from, ranging from light romantic comedy to action-filled romance and heavy historical dramas. As well as more or less everything in-between (with a dash of the romance, of course), this talented actress has tried them all. In the following part, we start with her breakthrough drama but move on to present her roles in order of popularity on MDL.
Breakthrough and most popular dramas
Crowned queen of romcoms, she has been paired off with some of the most popular Oppas in the industry (yet oddly enough, not Jung Hae In). With her energy and charm, She can thaw the coldest heart and often has enough chemistry to create fireworks with just her eyes.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010)
Though she had played the lead in several dramas before this one, many people refer to this one as her big breakthrough role. And oh, what a role this is. In this historical rom-com drama, she plays the role of Kim Yun Hee; A woman who has been forced to dress as her sick brother Kim Yoon Shik to be able to provide for her family. In a twist of fate, she ends up enrolling as the first woman (as a man) in Sungkyunkwan. Her character juggles the two identities and comes off as both smart, witty and has amazing chemistry with all three of her great co-stars.
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)
What is wrong with secretary Kim brings out the dream pair with our Park Min Young acting alongside the one and only Park Seo Joon. She will not fail to take your heart away with her charms being the CEO’s secretary, both in and outside of work.
She played her role in such a nice way that made us think about the actual lives of secretaries. The way she portrayed all the emotions, be it looking cute or being extremely focused at work, she aced it all. Maybe it was her chemistry & the great portrayal of the character that made some of us watch the drama several times (up to 6 times). xD ^^’
“What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim will always have a special place in my heart since it was the 3rd drama I watched. I didn’t know much about any of the actors, but as soon as I saw Min Young, I fell for her smile.” (Caspleo)
City Hunter (2011)
Male bodyguards are pretty common in dramas, but having a female lead as a bodyguard is a once-in-a-blue-moon thing. In this drama, Park Min Young played the role of Kim Na Na, who is smart, bright... a fearless badass who knows how to fight and defend herself. Though City Hunter is more about Lee Yoon Sung (Lee Min Ho) than her, she still has her value. To be honest, for an actress like Park Min Young, who’s very adorable, it’s unlikely to imagine her in this type of role, but she doesn’t let you get disappointed. She lives her character, making it believable with her charm.
Healer (2014)
Here Park Min Young plays the role of a reporter named Chae Yeong Shin. A role we believe was tailor-made for Park Min Young, being a bright and sassy character with flawlessness.
“Park Min Young always manages to full of her role as if she was made for it and healer was no exception”-suckerforhappyendings
As a child, Yeong Shin was found at the side of the road and had, therefore, no memory of her biological family and background. As a woman and reporter, Young Shin has been a long-time fangirl of an illegal night courier who calls himself the “Healer” (Ji Chang Wook). Once their paths meet, the story begins and becomes the starting point of her finding out who she really is. Although their love line isn’t the center of attention of the plot, their screen time together was delightful. Viewers get to watch as their adorable bond slowly strengthens to make the perfect duo. With this truly amazing, almost explosive chemistry between them, it was so excellent that we are willing to guarantee that you will feel butterflies in your stomach.
But not only is it a pleasure to watch her interact with Healer, but It is also a pleasure to watch her journey and personal growth as the story progresses. She may not be the conventional strong female lead many thinks of, but she’s brave, hardworking, and firm at making her life choices. So if you want to enjoy an action-filled, mystery thriller romance, this one is definitely a good choice.
Her Private Life (2019)
Sung Duk Mi is hardworking, very passionate about her work, lively, bold, and full of spirit. But is this the only side of her, or is there more behind a competent gallery curator? Yes, there is her hidden identity where she’s just a fangirl. Doesn’t she represent the fangirl in each of us? That’s what makes her character more special, maybe a bit eccentric in a good way ;D
In her private life, you get to see the fangirl in PMY, watch as she switches from her professional to fangirl mode. Are you a fan of the fake dating trope in K-drama? Then this is made for you. We also promise awesome chemistry between Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook.
“Park Min Young is the sole reason I've started this drama. Being a K-pop fan myself I loved seeing her fangirl identity more than anything and she pulled off the dual lifestyles with ease. Her on-screen chemistry with Kim Jae Wook is cherry on top for this drama.” - nunu noona
Not as popular but still brilliant
Although several of her dramas are among the 40 most popular dramas on MDL (one in the top 10 + one ranked 11), the next group rank between 187 and 1066, still pretty high popularity scores, we believe these to be pretty underrated dramas worth a lot more, and dare say that no matter popularity, her presence in these is brilliant.
When the Weather Is Fine (2020)
This is one of those feel-good, feel-sad, want to fight back and just give everybody a big hug kind of drama. Park Min Young played the role of the daughter of a woman who was convicted for killing her husband who visits her aunt out in the middle of nowhere and reconnects with an old friend from school played by Seo Kang Joon. The drama juggles some serious issues with some great friendships as well as the sweet, sweet romance between this adorable couple. A couple with great chemistry who manages to deliver a great drama as well as one of the dramaland's most jaw (book) dropping hilarious scenes… all surrounded by beautiful and serene scenery…
Remember: War of the Son (2015)
This drama feels a bit like running a race against time, as we follow Seo Jin Woo (Yoo Seung Ho), who is rapidly losing his memory while trying to prove his father’s innocence. Park Min Young does a great job supporting him as well as portraying a justice-seeking badass prosecutor who is not afraid to speak her mind while being a very loving and caring woman who has fallen for a guy who will forget her. This drama is kind of depressing but beautifully made. It also has this fight the power, fight for the little guy feel to it as well as some pretty nice friendship scenes. This might just hit the right spot if you are feeling too happy with your life and in need of a good cry, so have the tissues ready.
Queen for Seven Days (2017)
This is a drama that spoils itself with both titles as well as starting it off with a scene where our beloved Queen Dan Kyung is to be beheaded. Watching this drama, you may feel constant fear of losing the queen. You are also guaranteed to be kept on your toes as the story unravels with all its twists and angst that a good historical political romance drama entails. Park Min Young herself referred to this drama as a drama for those in need of a good cry since she more or less cries in every scene (Source). We did not feel that way and experienced a whole range of emotions with everything from sweet, sweet heart-fluttering romance to anger, excitement, and of course, some sorrow and pain. Park Min Young showed great range in this drama and drew in the audience, making us feel both her joy as well as her pain. So for those of you who love historical political dramas, this is a good choice for you. Again you may want to prepare some tissues for the ride.
Time Slip Dr. Jin (2012)
Time Slip Dr. Jin is 22 episodes, medical, fantasy, time travel, a period drama starring Song Seung Hoon (Dr. Jin), Lee Bum Soo (Lee Ha Eung), and our lovely Park Min Young as Yoo Mi-na and Hong Yong Rae. The drama revolves around the brilliant surgeon, Dr. Jin Hyuck, who finds himself transported back in time to the Joseon Dynasty Period in the year 1860. In the present year 2012, Park Min Young plays the role of Dr. Jin’s girlfriend, Yoo Mi Na, to who he plans to propose. During the Joseon Dynasty, she played the character Hong Yong Rae whom PMY describes as being feminine, strong, and open-minded. It was PMY’s first time playing two characters from different eras simultaneously. In an interview, she stated,
"The two characters I portray share a connection as well as similar characteristics so I created a midpoint between the two characters to portray each of the characters. [...] so it didn't feel like I was playing two roles. It felt more like I was working on two different projects. [...] I think I will need to work extra hard to focus so that I don't get confused while playing two characters in two different eras." (Kpopstarz)
If you’re a fan of Park Min Young or dramas with these tags, then you should check this drama out. And maybe also check out the Japanese version while you’re at it. Don’t pass up the chance to see how beautiful PMY looks in a hanbok. ;)
Unstoppable High Kick (2006)
Unstoppable High Kick is a sitcom that aired in 2006-07. It was Park Min Young’s first television series where she played Kang Yoo Mi, a high school student and an unintelligent girlfriend of the main lead. She said in an interview, “The character Yoo Mi that I played was someone a bit silly, she was lovable and cute. I think I could do a good job at that kind of role if I were to do that again.” Although her character was intended to be silly, there were scenes where she came across intelligent and exhibited different shades to her role. After Unstoppable High Kick, she was offered many CF contracts, which raised her popularity.
Her least popular dramas
While researching this guide, we just had to watch her least popular dramas out of pure curiosity.
Hometown Legends (2008)
Hometown Legends is a series comprising 8 Korean ghost stories. Park Min Young stars in the first episode about the tale of a nine-tailed fox. Min Young plays the role of Lee Myung Ok, a young, curious orphan girl who belongs to the powerful Lee tribe. Through Myung Ok’s curiosity, we unveil a secret that has been carried down by the Lee family for generations. Although this is meant to be a thriller/horror story, PMY’s playful nature shines through. It’s also quite refreshing to watch a young PMY act. Even then, she was full of talent and emotion. If you’ve only seen her more recent works, I would recommend this so you can see her growth as an actress.
Running Gu (2010)
This is her least popular drama ranking (August 28th, 2021) 6119 in popularity as opposed to What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim which is in 9th place. In this short drama, PMY plays the role of the childhood friend of the lead as well as a girl caught between two runners (the other leads). Her character is very lovable, somewhat real, showing a range of emotions and complexity to life. She is shown as someone struggling on her own yet is very supportive at the same time. Her screen time is very limited in the first half of the drama, but luckily we get to see more of her in episode 3. This drama may not be great but is certainly worth watching and should definitely be seen by more than 725 people on MDL.
The dramas that did not catch our attention…
We admit it, we may be fans, but with a credit list as long as hers, it can be hard to find the time to watch them all. However, MDL is full of fellow drama lovers that can come to the rescue, so we took the time to ask for some help making this guide as complete as we possibly could.
I Am Your Teacher (2007)
In this drama, we get to see a timid teacher try to handle a not so timid class.
Park Min Young played the daughter of a gangster boss who is rebelling against her father by going to public school. thz89 describes her character as a bold, slightly toxic girl who shows affection by bossing people around. He also describes the story as nothing unique that reminded him of Gokusen. If you choose to watch this drama, you might want to keep in mind that the show is from 2007. The storytelling and camera work is very different from what we are used to seeing now, and if you compare her performance here to her newer work, you will probably notice how much she has evolved as an actress when it comes to grace and mimicry. However, all things considered, Her performance was already pretty good. So If you want to see PMY at the start of her career, this could be a good choice.
Ja Myung Go (2009)
Portraying a loving and fierce Princess Nakrang, Park Min Young delivers a delightful and comparable performance with Jung Ryeo Won and Jung Kyung Ho. Not only was she a beautiful princess, but also exhibited that she was strong and malleable to do fighting scenes which gave her charisma for many historical viewers out there. To all you historical buffs, this is definitely worth watching. Although she rarely gets a job for historical drama, she has a big potential to be a part of action pack sageuk drama... - Kairi Of The Sky
Glory Jane (2011)
We had trouble finding someone to help us out with this one since it is pretty old, but after reading the reviews, we have learned that people either love or hate this drama, but most seem to say that the leads did a good job:
“ I don't really remember much about this drama since I didn't like it, but really, no hate on the actors, I still love them. It was the plot I didn't like, guess it wasn't my cup of tea. :)” (AsianBingeWatcher)
“I felt that the cast was well chosen as the actors played their parts amazingly, especially the main actors, they had me laughing and crying with them.” (aeiofe94)
So if you are in the mood for watching Park Min Young fall in love while struggling to become a nurse, you may hate or completely fall for this drama.
A New Leaf/ Repentance (2014)
This drama is considered a contemporary commentary on the involvement of the judiciary in corruption, where Park Min Young’s character presents the clash of ideals with reality. Park Min Young does not play the lead role but plays alongside Kim Myung Min. The two of them form an original couple who act as complete contrasts to each other. It is an ambitious legal drama with an impressive script. PMY plays a young lawyer with an idealized image of justice and an enthusiastic attitude. Her role is slightly different from the cliché because there is no romance here. The whole plot is focused on court cases, social injustice, and financial scams. This drama does a great job showing Park Min Young’s range and might just hit the spot for those in the mood for a business and law-themed drama. - chalbarczyk
Variety shows
Not only is she a very talented actress, but she is also a delight to watch in variety shows, having appeared as a guest in at least two shows and starred in not only one but three seasons of the same show.
Busted 1, 2, 3 (2018-2021)
PMY's intelligence has been highly praised for her part in Busted, a game show where a group of celebrities come together to play detectives and solve mysteries. She herself mentioned: “After going on this show, I started to play roles which are very intelligent women.” (TheStar). Not only is she shown as intelligent, but we also get to see her as a brave person who is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get the job done, be it snakes, the morgue, or chopping a log, she is up for the challenge, and all with a great sprinkle of humor.
World Klass (2019)
Park Min Young makes an appearance in this show during episode 8. This show is however very hard to find for us international viewers. Here you can see her surprise the boys, in this show about turning 20 trainees into global stars.
Candy In My Ear 2 (2017)
Candy in My Ear is a show where celebrities talk to each other over the phone without revealing each other’s identities and build their friendship. Park Min Young and Lee Joon Gi appeared in this show as each other’s ear candy, where Park Min Young’s secret name was ‘Bunny Bunny’. Their conversations took place in Italy as Lee Joon Gi was in Florence and Park Min Young in Venice. They both talked about their likes, regrets, and concerns through which they became more comfortable with each other. Lee Joon Gi made a surprise visit for Park Min Young on the last day of the shoot after pranking that he may not meet her on the show.
Movie
This woman is definitely one for the small screen, only having one movie to her credits. We are happy to have such a great range of dramas to choose from, but for those of you looking for something shorter, you only get one movie to choose from.
The Cat (2011)
More like Revenge of the kittens. In this adorable little horror mystery movie, Park Min Young plays the oh so kind and utterly terrified lead So Yon. A smart, caring claustrophobic pet groomer who finds herself in the center of a bunch of mysterious deaths. We would not say this horror movie is particularly scary, but if you are sensitive to dark ghosts, scary cats, and the typical horror movie music, you may want to proceed with caution. Park Min Young rocks this role, has plenty of screen time, and is bound to make your heart flutter and may even make you shed a tear, seeing that this movie has it all.
Not yet released Projects
The future looks bright for this wonderful star with projects in the making and those not yet released.
Braveness of the Ming
The first posters and trailers for this drama seem to have been released as early as 2015, so if and when it will be released is still a mystery, seeing it has met a few bumps on the road but judging by the available trailers, this Chinese historical, supernatural, romance would have had PMY starring alongside some of China’s top names and would have a pretty intriguing story. Some would say don’t keep your hopes up; we say hey enjoy the trailers and save some hope for later, one day this may air… If not this year, maybe 2055?
Meteorological Agency People: The Cruelty of Office Romance
The title may not scream hope to you, but this is a drama we not only hope but are pretty sure will air at the beginning of 2022. Park Min Young will star alongside the very busy Song Kang in a drama about office romance. She will be playing a cold female lead, maybe not the psychopath she wished for, but it doesn’t sound like the usual warm, caring, bubbly self, so this should definitely be interesting to watch. Her character has been described with the following words:
“An intelligent and highly organized individual who does everything by the book
and is fastidious about keeping her personal and professional lives separate.
Due to her cold demeanor, she has few friends at work and has become an “outsider by choice.” (Soompi)
Other places to find her | |
Youtube: Just Parkminyoung | Instagram: @Rachel_mypark |
What others say about her
During her 16 years in the business, Park Min Young has worked with some of dramaland’s most adored co-stars. She has also met quite a few pop stars. Many of these people seem to have had something (good) to say about her. Our PMYs secretaries got curious about how some of these people describe her, so we summed some of it up in the following segment. Just so that we all can get a little bit closer to this shining star.
Kim Se Jeong is not afraid to praise her fellow actress and team-mate from Busted, saying:
“I already knew she was pretty from her in her dramas, She is really petite and beautiful, strength is that she is really smart, she is the ace of our team, without her we can't do anything.”
Ji Chang Wook seemed to have been a bit nervous about approaching her in the beginning, but her personality seems to have put him at ease;
“It wasn’t easy to be close with Park Min Young. Frankly speaking, if she was a man, I could have become friends by smoking or having a drink together. Since she is a woman, I didn't know how to approach her (at first) and was nervous. She was more easy going than expected. We talked a lot about the drama (Healer) and gave each other feedback. It’s a good thing our characters came together (as a couple) halfway through the series.“
Big Bang spoke very highly of her after meeting the actress while making their music video: HaruHaru, saying she is both very pretty and friendly.
During a press meet for What Is Wrong With Secretary Kim, Park Seo Joon spoke highly of her admitting he had his eyes on her for a while.
"I used to love the ‘High Kick’ series when I was in the army. I watched all the episodes of ‘Unstoppable High Kick’ in the army because the senior soldiers were fans of the drama. Since then I have had a good impression of Park Min Young. I was about the same age, so I thought I’d like to work with her, so this was a great opportunity. She looks just like the character from the webtoon. Her name is Kim Mi So in the drama and she looks good enough to change her name to Park Mi So. Mi So (smile) is very beautiful. "
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Some last words from us PMYs Secretaries
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide and hope you can save it to “fangirl” and look into whenever you miss Park Min Young. What is your favorite thing about Park Min Young? Did you get bing(o)? Do you have any favorites among her dramas or shows? We would love to read your thoughts!
Last but not least, please go and vote for your favorite PMY show/drama/movie found on MDL here.
Edited by: YW (1st editor), BrightestStar (2nd editor)
