Get Closer to Korean Actor Park Hae-il

Park Hae-il is one of the most talented Korean actors of all time. Many people called him a ‘blank paper’ as he is always able to perfectly execute his roles. This title is proven by his successful portrayal of various different characters in his movies and dramas. Park Hae-il even became a part of several top-grossing movies in Korea.

Besides his acting skills, people also praise him for his good character and his love towards his wife and children. In this article, we will talk all about Park Hae-il!

Profile and Career

Career

Park Hae-il began his acting career in theater but soon gained attention from the movie industry in 2003 when he took parts in Jealousy Is My Middle Name and Memories of Murder. His film career skyrocketed with leading roles in films of diverse genres, including the relationship drama Rules of Dating in 2005, the horror mystery Paradise Murdered in 2007, and the crime thriller Moss in 2010.

Park Hae-il began appearing in theater productions ever since childhood, and he first established himself on stage rather than on the screen. His career was shining brightly after he was awarded the Best New Actor award in the theater category at the Baeksang Arts Awards for his role in the play Ode to Youth in 2000. After that, he got his film debut in a minor role of Yim Soon-rye’s Waikiki Brothers. However, he left a major impression in his second film Jealousy Is My Middle Name in which he played a conflicted young man who develops a fascination/hatred for his boss who has stolen two women from him. The film won the top prize at the Busan International Film Festival in 2002 and was released commercially the following spring.

Throughout his career, Park Hae-il successfully played many different characters for his roles. Park Hae-il took on his darkest role in the acclaimed smash hit Memories of Murder where he portrayed a man suspected of committing serial murder. In the following year, he was perfectly appearing in a romantic role opposite Jeon Do-yeon in the time-travel drama My Mother, the Mermaid. In 2005, he again played a character of a completely different personality in Rules of Dating where he played a dirty-minded, scheming high school instructor who sets his mind on a pretty student teacher.

2006 saw him return to work with acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho in the big-budget monster movie The Host which went on to become the best-selling Korean film of all time. Following, he acted in Paradise Murdered, a surprise hit in 2007. Kyu Hyun-kim of Koreanfilm.org called Park “an inspired choice for the ostensible protagonist, projecting fatigued compassion and cold calculation in equal measure, his obsidian pupils glistening with streaks of chilling obsession.”

After several other projects, Park Hae-il next starred in War of the Arrows, a fictional tale set in the Joseon Dynasty, which follows Nam-yi on his search for his younger sister Ja-in after she is kidnapped by Qing Dynasty soldiers during an invasion. As he slays enemy soldiers with his bow and arrows, he is confronted by Jushinta, a Manchu enemy commander who is also well known for his archery prowess. This movie made headlines by selling to distributors from six countries at the Cannes film market and becoming the highest-grossing Korean film of 2011. Park won Best Actor honors at the prestigious Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards.

He returned to the big screen in A Muse, a film adaptation of celebrated author Park Bum-shin’s sensational novel about an old poet who ends up falling for a 17-year-old girl named Eun-gyo. Upon realizing his love for the teenager, the poet goes through emotional turmoil and self-destruction while being willing to give up his fame as one of the nation’s most respected literary figures. The 35-year-old actor took on the challenge of nearly eight hours of makeup daily on top of learning the weary gait and gesture of a man in his 70’s.

Marriage with His Wife

Park Hae-il married his wife Seo Yoo-seon on March 11, 2006. They have been in a relationship for a long time before deciding to tie the knot. Their relationship started even before Park Hae-il became a popular actor in Korea. Seo Yoo-seon is a broadcast writer three years his junior.

In an interview, Park Hae-il talks about various topics. He was asked whether he ever had a serious crush on someone. Park Hae-il answered, “I was a play actor, and my wife was an audience.” He then talked about his first meeting with his wife.

He was reminiscing about the time when he was still a play actor before he got his screen debut. He said that he met a fan who loved his acting and who dreamed of becoming a scriptwriter one day. He said that his wife stayed together with him even when he only made $50 a month. He said, “I was having financial difficulty, but my wife stayed with me. That was my major crush.”

He then continued, “I was captivated by this woman who came to see me perform on stage. I was going through economically tough times. She had part-time jobs and bought me a lot of drinks. Eventually, I succumbed to her charms and married her,” he said in an interview.

After his successful debut, he was never afraid to disclose his relationship. The couple got married after six years of dating, and now they have 2 children. Currently, Seo Yoo-seon works as a scriptwriter.

His love for his wife is never shaking and is even growing stronger with time. Once, he heard that he was Wonder Girls’ So-hee’s ideal guy. He replied by saying, “If she meets me, her dreamy image of me will crumble.”

Park Hae-il’s Son

Park Hae-il and his wife Seo Yoo-seon have two children from their marriage. Their first son, Park Geu-rim, was born in 2010, 4 years after their marriage.

In 2016, Park Hae-il’s agency revealed to the public that Seo Yoo-seon was in the early stages of pregnancy with their second child and was focusing on prenatal care and education.

HM Entertainment stated, “It is true that Park’s wife is currently pregnant. However, Park Hae-il is very cautious about making the news public since it is his private life and also because the wife is in the early phase of pregnancy.”

Originally, the happy news was only shared with the couple’s close friends and family. Until now, the couple still keeps the privacy of their two children from the public.

Filmography

Here is the full list of Park Hae-il’s movies, dramas, and plays!

Music Video Appearances

Theater

Awards and Nominations

Throughout his career, Park Hae-il has always gotten the spotlight for winning several awards. Here is the list!