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Park Hyung-shik: The new rom-com puppy on the block

I don’t know about you beanies, but I’m feeling some serious withdrawal symptoms after Strong Woman Do Bong-soon ended its run last week. The fact that I’m not going to get my weekly dose of Ahn Min-hyuk paints a pretty bleak future. Thankfully, Park Hyung-shik and the rest of the cast have been busy doing the media rounds because of Do Bong-soon’s success. Below are excerpts from various interviews he’s been doing since the end of Do Bong-soon.

In Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, Park Hyung-shik played quirky gaming CEO Ahn Min-hyuk, who falls for the “peanut-sized” heroine with “King Kong” strength he hires to be his bodyguard. Together, they solve the mystery behind his stalker and the serial kidnapper terrorizing the Dobong-dong neighborhood. And of course, they fall in love along the way.

Park Hyung-shik was definitely a reliable actor up to now, but it wasn’t until his turn as the quirky gaming CEO Ahn Min-hyuk that his star power has shot through the roof. Do Bong-soon was Park’s first lead role, and it was not without some apprehension on his part. “This drama was really a heroine-centric show, but getting the male lead was both a point of pride and a burden. Because this was my first time as the male lead. I thought the term “first” was good but also scary. There was a fear of the unknown. And on top of that, the female lead was Park Bo-young. She has acted with people like Jo Jung-seok sunbae, Song Joong-ki sunbae, and Cha Tae-hyun sunbae, so I was worried that someone like me, who had never been a lead before, might not be able to live up to expectations. I lacked confidence at the time.”

“I could only overcome that initial worry on the set with the encouragement of the producers, staff and fellow actors. The director would respect my decisions as an actor, and let me do as I wanted, with a few suggestions here and there. He was really good at setting the scene so the actors could get creative with their characters.”

It’s always heartwarming to hear that the atmosphere behind the cameras is as positive as the show we get onscreen, because that’s definitely not always the case. “In particular, Park Bo-young noona treated me very comfortably. We talked a lot and got close, and she helped me a lot during filming. When she saw how burdened I was feeling, she asked why I was trying to carry that weight by myself. Because they all treated me so well, I gained the confidence to portray Ahn Min-hyuk as I pictured him. And because the viewers responded so positively, I started to trust myself and push my abilities even further. That small confidence started to grow and enabled me to mature as an actor.”

Rapport between the actors is always important, but I was surprised to hear of all the affection going on between Park Hyung-shik and his onscreen rivals and enemies. “Ji-soo is unexpectedly cute and has a lot of aegyo. I was really thankful because he was so good to me as a hyung. When he would call me “hyung” and wink at me, I would shoot winks back at him, and we would joke around a lot. It was disappointing that Min-hyuk and Gook-doo didn’t have a lot of scenes together.”

Even Jang Mi-kwan, who played the serial kidnapper in the show, said that Park Hyung-shik would go around giving hugs and just being all-around sweet. Aww. “My personality is just naturally like that. I like skinship and telling people that I like them. When we finished filming, and I was going around hugging all the staff, one crew member told me that they had so much fun on set and was really happy, even joking that they loved me. I was so happy to hear that.”

The most talked-about aspect of the show was definitely the loveline between Bong-soon and Min-hyuk. Viewers commented that they could see the love in his eyes, to which Park Hyung-shik replied, “Oh no, I’m far from being as detailed an actor as to control how I look at someone. As of now, the only thing I can do is express exactly what I’m feeling. Actually feeling the emotions was the most important part, but it’s the most difficult as well. Doing this show was a great learning experience for me. When I was watching Park Bo-young act, all I could think was, ‘How is she able to do that?’ After watching her, my desire to do better only grew, and I think that’s the reason our rapport got better on set as well. It helped that Park Bo-young was really just Do Bong-soon on set. We all were so similar to our characters that we would go, ‘Wow, you’re just Ahn Min-hyuk.’ Or, ‘You’re exactly like In Gook-doo’ to Ji-soo.”

Park Bo-young, in her interviews, also complimented Park Hyung-shik’s acting, calling him an expert at kissing and the lovey-dovey scenes. Park Hyung-shik laughed and said, “Rather than say I was good in those scenes, I think the actual setting made it better. Because I was acting as a pretty innocent and naive guy who had fallen in love at first sight, those kind of scenes just came naturally. At first, I wanted the kiss scenes to come out prettily too, because [Bong-soon] was someone he treasured. But as he fell deeper in love with her, he became bolder in his affection for her. I also think that was only possible because Park Bo-young the actress was that lovely and cute. Even the director and crew members would have hearts in their eyes because of her.”

However, the couple scenes weren’t all smooth sailing, mostly because the director would want spontaneity in those scenes: “When Min-hyuk and Bong-soon were in a scene together, the director wouldn’t say cut. He wanted to watch us continue just on our rapport. So we kept on having to ad lib through the end of our scenes, which came out really fun. It was really hard while filming them though.”

It sounds like there was definitely a lot of ad libbing going on, even aside from the couple scenes. The actors who portrayed Dong-pyung (Kim Won-hae) and Secretary Gong (Jeon Seok-ho), were particularly prolific in their ad lib dialogue, and Park Hyung-shik said, “They would just come up with ad libs left and right before I could get a word in. And before I knew it, the scene would be over. I could never expect the dialogue in the script to remain that way.”

Park Hyung-shik revealed that he saw a lot of himself in Ahn Min-hyuk in that he is very uncalculating, so when asked about the loveline in comparison to his own love life, he responded, “I definitely got to feel those emotions vicariously through Ahn Min-hyuk. I was able to love [Bong-soon] and show all the affection I wanted to, which was great. Because Park Bo-young was just Do Bong-soon to me, I was able to inhabit Min-hyuk’s character more naturally. I did really love Park Bo-young as Bong-soon while filming. Actually, I wanted to express even more affection but I was told to tone it down. I didn’t know why people were saying my lines were cheesy and cringe-worthy. In my family, my father tells me he loves me all the time, and there’s a lot of open affection, so when I date in real life, I tend to express my emotions a lot. I’m pretty obvious when I’m lying, so I just say what I’m feeling. I think being honest suits me best.”

About Min-hyuk’s character: “He resembles me a lot in that he’s able to express himself well, and doesn’t really hold grudges. I also have a bit of his crazy in me. My manager has joked that I’d be really good at playing a psychopath. I actually want to play one too, if given the opportunity. I might give myself migraines trying to understand and portray such a character, but I think it would be a fun challenge. I have quite a lot of character types that I want to play, so taking on various genres and roles is what I intend to do, if I can.”

Prior to Do Bong-soon, Park Hyung-shik first raised his profile in KBS’s Hwarang, and while the drama itself wasn’t as successful as hoped, his portrayal of Sammaekjong was widely praised. He actually received his offer to join Do Bong-soon while filming Hwarang, so he pushed off the decision on whether to do it or not, but after reading the script, Park Hyung-shik fell for Min-hyuk’s charm right away. As did we all.

“I actually intended to take a break after Hwarang because I was so tired from filming, but I thought I’d be stupid not to take this character. I really liked the emphasis on his quirkiness rather than painting him as cool. He’s childish but intelligent, and knows how to read people and situations well. He had his own personal trauma, but he doesn’t let it show, nor does he let it affect his life. Even when he was betrayed by his brother, he could just say, ‘Don’t do it again,’ and let it go at that. He had so many unexpected sides to him that I found Min-hyuk so cool. I could never expect what direction he would go in, which I liked, and I thought that the viewers would also enjoy his character. That’s why I decided to do this show, and then I found out that Park Bo-young was the female lead. I thought I would be really dumb not to take it. People around me were also jealous.”

It must’ve been difficult to go straight from Sammaekjong in Hwarang to Ahn Min-hyuk because they’re 180 degrees different from each other. While Sammaekjong had to hide his identity and suffer from unrequited love, Min-hyuk was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and also got the girl in the end. “I actually might’ve wanted to become Min-hyuk because of Sammaekjong. As Sammaekjong, I couldn’t reveal that I was king, nor be happily in love, so it was really emotionally trying while filming. But with Min-hyuk, everything worked out for him. I think I needed those sides to Min-hyuk: How he could just say whatever he wanted, protect the woman he loved, and get along with his company’s workers like friends.”

It seems that Park Hyung-shik came to some revelations while filming Do Bong-soon, and he himself says he broke through his previous limitations as an actor. He’s done quite a few projects since his acting debut in 2012 with SBS’s Dumb Mom, followed by Sirius, Nine, Heirs, What’s With This Family, High Society, and Hwarang. In contrast to other idol actors, Park Hyung-shik has never experienced controversy due to his acting, but has always felt his own limitations and faults.

“I just think it’s a relief that I never got widespread criticism for my acting. To be quite honest, my earliest projects were not well known, so not many people actually saw them. But at the time, I would’ve probably rejected any offers to be in a primetime miniseries. I received acting lessons while filming my earlier dramas, but I could only act what I had learned by then. When the director asked me to take a different approach in a scene, I didn’t know what to do at all. I was so embarrassed when that happened that I just wanted to go hide. If I had really studied the character and thought about the life he had lived up to that moment, I would’ve been able to understand his actions and use that to come up with a different approach, but I wasn’t able to.”

“So I decided to study by myself for the next project, which was Sirius. Thankfully, I was able to finish that drama without any complaints about my acting, so I thought that going about studying acting by myself was the answer. But I found that that method had its own limitations. I realized that I needed to feel the responsibility of taking part in a project that many people worked so hard on, and I couldn’t just act for my own pleasure. That’s why I decided to take lessons again. Now, I do my own research into the character, and then go over it again with my acting teacher. My teachers also tell me that while lessons are important, real-life experiences are even more so. What I feel, see, and learn from talking to various people are the most valuable. I think what they told me is right.”

All of his efforts certainly paid off: Strong Woman Do Bong-soon had peak viewership ratings of 9.7%: “I’m not usually too anxious about the ratings. The viewers have their own tastes, and I think the projects’ fortunes are not something I can influence. But when the ratings are revealed, I have to admit that I wish more people would watch the drama, and if ratings fall, it’s disappointing. But with this project, I really didn’t expect the ratings we got. I received a lot of love not only from Korean fans, but also international fans, which I was surprised to find had increased because of this project. This is also the first time I’m going on a reward vacation. I’m really excited and happy that the drama ended on a positive note. We had a lot of fun on the set. Rather than filming, it just felt like we were hanging out. Because we had so much fun, it felt like time flew by.”

Park Hyung-shik first entered the public eye with his stint in variety program Real Men. Since then, he’s earned himself quite a few nicknames, which include “baby soldier” in Real Men and “straightforward romanticist” in Hwarang. (They all roll off the tongue slightly better in Korean. Slightly.) Now, he’s added a couple new monikers to that list with Do Bong-soon: “next generation’s rom-com king” and “puppy-man.” Asked about his new nicknames, Park Hyung-shik replied, “I really like the title “next generation’s rom-com king.” The other titles reflect a side I’ve already shown in my characters, but the “next generation” part feels to me that people are looking forward to what I will show in the future. Every so often, I will look at online comments, but I tend to avoid ones that are complimentary and focus on the negative ones. Obviously, I know myself best so I know what I need to fix, but I also think it’s important to know how others view me.”

I’m so happy to see that his commitment to becoming a better actor has also translated to commercial success: Since Strong Woman Do Bong-soon first started airing, CF offers have doubled, or even trebled. When his contract with his former agency Star Empire was about to expire, Park Hyung-shik was inundated by a slew of large management agencies vying for an exclusive contract with him. In the end, he decided to go with UAA, which also represents Yoo Ah-in and Song Hye-gyo.

“In a way, moving to a new agency is similar to finding a new home. I didn’t feel the need to listen to anyone’s advice. What was most important was what I treasured and what I wanted to do going forward. I think I needed a company that could fully support my opinions, treat me as a human being, and truly wish that I succeed. I’m really grateful because so many agencies expressed their interest in me. But I wanted an agency who felt the same as me, because every step I took after leaving my former company was extremely precious and urgent. I decided to go with the agency who could give the most attention to me and my career.”

Because his move was right after he finished filming for Do Bong-soon, he hasn’t been able to introduce himself to his label mates in a personal setting, but he did meet Yoo Ah-in recently for a shoot: “We first met to film a CF together. He joked that I need to go through newbie initiation, and that it was kind of awkward to meet for the first time at a shoot. I was just thankful that he kept initiating conversation with me. I really want to meet him in a personal capacity off-camera.”

With his move to UAA, Park Hyung-shik has de facto retired as an idol. ZE:A debuted back in 2010, and for 7 years he had been an idol, but is now opening a new chapter as an actor: “It’s disappointing, so my desire to succeed in the future is even greater, because I don’t want to be disappointed again. My career and everything else I do in my life, I want to do it well. To be honest, I started acting because I liked it, but I was only able to come this far because of the viewers, who regarded me in a positive light. Being an idol since I was young was definitely a source of motivation.”

Park Hyung-shik has definitely built an inner strength from his time as an idol. Having never been embroiled in a scandal for the 7 years he’s been in the public’s eye, he was able to maintain a clean and gentle image. Perhaps because of the hardships he experienced as a trainee and rookie idol, on the set of Do Bong-soon, he went above and beyond his own responsibilities and even studied the dialogue and characters of his fellow actors.

Asked of his time as an idol, Park Hyung-shik mused, “I think it’s both good and bad at the same time. When I was an idol, everything was extremely regulated and machine-like. Because we all had to move together as a group, we lived like soldiers. I only really found my own identity when I first started doing solo activities. My sunbaes would ask me what I liked, and I wasn’t able to answer them. Up to then, I had lived without even thinking about my favorite color or type of car. But because I’ve experienced such a lifestyle, I can easily endure any physical or mental strains thrown my way now. Now, I have much more alone time and so I can reflect on my work and see what I lack. I’m definitely using that to my advantage.”

Although they’ve gone their separate ways, the ZE:A members still keep in contact and try to meet up as often as they can. “We’ve been together since I would go to the company with my high school uniform still on. We have all been friends for 10 years, and they’re more like family now. My mother once told me that if you have even one friend you can talk with about how you feel, you’ve succeeded in life, but I have so many such friends around me. I think what she said then was true.”

So far, Park Hyung-shik has mostly played well-off characters born with a silver spoon in his mouth (Heirs, High Society, Hwarang, Do Bong-soon). But, he wants to break that stereotype and take on more varied characters. “I never considered my past roles as similar characters. What I felt in each character, and how I expressed them were very different, in my opinion. But as a viewer, because their backgrounds are similar, I can see how they might be seen that way. If that’s so, that just means that I have that much more to show. I believe I can show a more manly side, even as a psychopath, and take on genres like science fiction and noir.” Sci-fi? Um, yes, pleaseandthankyou.

“To me, what I will do in the future is most important. There’s much more to come than what I’ve experienced, and there’s a lot I want to achieve. There’s so much I haven’t done yet, so I want to try everything. As of yet, I find it hard to call myself an actor. I just want to continue having the same passion for acting and singing as I’ve had up to now. Ideally, I would be as desperate to continue acting in ten or twenty years. That’s the kind of person I would like to become.”

Via Sports Chosun (1), Sports Chosun (2), Sports Chosun (3), Sports Chosun (4), Hankook Ilbo, Sedaily, Osen, Maeil Kyungjae

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Omo, he is so cute... and I love the fact he was unsure about his own abilities and focused to give his best.

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Yes. And he's so humble about it. I'll be adding this to my wall as a memento to remember SWDBS and the Park couple by.

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"I did really love Park Bo-young as Bong-soon while filming. Actually, I wanted to express even more affection but I was told to tone it down."

That was the best part of the interview, he was so immersed in the role that he felt in love with Bong Soon ♥ too bad they didn't let him be more affectionate.

Also thank goodness he didn't take a break after Hwarang, so we could watch and remember because of Min Hyuk. I've been following his career since What’s With This Family and I'm really happy with how his acting evolved since then.

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I read somewhere that she doesn't do a lot of aegyo, so she probably couldn't bring herself to overdo the cheesy.

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I also remember Jo Jung Suk saying she's really cute in real life and that reflected in his character's loving stares in the drama.

Who to blame, I'm a girl and even I find her to be really really cute.

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I also read in an article somewhere that PBY isn't good at the cheesiness. In one of the scenes she was originally supposed to call Min min "sweetheart", but she wasn't able to say it so changed it to Min-hyuk-shi instead.

And thanks tipsymocha for sharing the translations! Hope to see PHS in another drama role soon ~ I noticed him from The Heirs, and was so happy when it was him as Ahn Min-Hyuk in SWDBS. Now, I'll go watch him in Hwarang. But I think I'll always miss him and PBY together as puppy-couple :3

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i think DBS/PBY comes across as cute mostly because she looks cute, and not that she has a lot of "aegyo" as the koreans put it. from what i read, her real personality is somewhat reserved so i think that comes across in DBS' character as well

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maybe its her own judgment in acting out DBS since minhyuk as a character is already piling on the cheesiness so if she was to do so too it would be overkill lol

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Anytime he touched his index finger tips together in SWDBS caused an immediate goofy grin to appear on my face. ?

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Mee toooo ! Just remembering is making me grin ear to ear !
He is just so good at it, how long till I see more of him!!!!

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i miss his swag. now every time i see a turnstile i have this urge to do his signature michael jackson move

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Oh yes, that was just pure gold. One of the beanies posted gif of it before so now I have it on my phone to save my mood whenever <3

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YES so glad PHS didnt take a break after hwarang!!! *heart eyes*

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Wow well if that was toned down... I wonder what the full-on would have been...? XD

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So nice to see him developing as an actor! It seems like he has a bright future ahead of him (fingers crossed for more lead roles!!)

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What a humble kid. PHS has alot going for him. He seems like the kind of person who is really determined, despite his soft looks! Already looking forward to him in darker and meatier roles.

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Now we know that he is a Method actor ? He immerses himself in the role until all we can see in the drama is not PHS anymore, but AMH come to life. Cheers to him and future career!

PS: I seriously hope he will get a psychopath role sometimes in near future. What a delight to watch it will be ?

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Someone like Lee Young Oh [beautiful mind]?
Someone offer him a similar role and we'll surely not miss Park Hyung Shik for a long time. He really wanted it, even mentioned it twice in this interview ?

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I always thought he is a bit of a method actor. I remember when he was playing dalbong in what happen to my family. His aura during interviews and such is so dalbong like that I wonder if he is like him in real life. Then in high society he seems to exude charisma like Chang soo. I don't know if it's my bias talking but that's really the vibe I get from him.

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Thank you for translating, @tipsymocha! I really enjoyed reading this. He seems like such a humble, hardworking guy! I couldn't get through SWDBS, but I'll forever be grateful for it for introducing me to Park Hyung Sik - he's definitely gained a fan!!

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Nam Joo Hyuk is going to be so jealous of PHS and Ji Soo LOL.

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It's ok he has Lee Sung Kyung (new article comes out saying they are dating but no confirmation from YG so far)

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Its confirmed now! Yayyyyyy!!!!!!!!

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Jisoo is a puppy that everyone adores.

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Re sci-fi, he'd make an awesome starship captain. If they made a Korean Firefly and he played Mal, I'd just die of happiness.

Thanks, tipsymocha! I'm really loving your contributions to the DB team!

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Always happy running into another Firefly fan!! Would Ha Ji-won be too old to play Zoe to his Mal, do you think?

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Ha Jiwon would be perfect! Can't get more badass than her.

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*salutes*

Another Browncoat reporting for duty.

Ha Ji-won would be perfect as Zoe. Another possibility: Ye Ji-won, who was hilariously kickass in ANOTHER OH HAE-YOUNG. Or how about Son Ye-Jin (swashbuckling in THE PIRATES; intense in ALONE IN LOVE)?

I could see Jang Hyuk as Shepherd Book. ;-)

Thanks for translating, tipsymocha! Although I have not seen either of his latest dramas, Park Hyung-shik sounds like a thoughtful and humble person who is serious about his craft. My kind of actor and human being. I'll have to check out his work. ;-)

PS -- If it's going to be a horse opera, please make it pre-Joseon. Manes of glory or bust! I can't stand the thought of Gats in Space. ;-)

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Oh goodness...now I'm fancasting a K-version of Firefly in my head. I think Hyeri would make a really fun Kaylee!

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Oh please, don't make me do this at work. Squeee!
All your recomendations sound so great, I welcome it all. Can Jayne be Lee Jin Wook? But what about River? I can see her as Han Hyo Joo or Park Shin Hye.
Oh, this is total overload...

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Puppy has a great attitude and commendable work ethic. Hope he keeps doing well.

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I would luv to see him play a psychopath maybe in bad guys age of evil

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I love him even more after reading this article. He seems like such a down-to-earth person who is a consummate learner. His need to be a better actor is really endearing and I just want him to continue to have a passion for acting. With how he approach his craft, I am seeing more success for him in the future.

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I think his family is really important in shaping him into what he is today.

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Ditto.
I watch Healer after SWDBS, which i didnt know before. And i am watching the Chicago typewriter. But i am still melancholic missing our lovely Min Min. I love this actor! ??
I suppose now he will have vacations. But i hope we will see him back soon.

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Sweet, sweet Min-min. <3 He sounds so earnest.

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First of all shout out to Kim Won-hae, the best scene stealer.

PHS is so skinny. He should put on some weight. I dont find him typical handsome, lets say his face is unique. And his face changes a lot with different hairstyles.

Ahn Min-hyuk is a one of a kind character. And PHS put his own mark on it. There are not many actors can completely let loose without being annoying.

Before Hwarang, I didnt know who he is. I watched Heirs but really dont remember his face. I happy that he got success on his first lead role, especially own the character.

The whole bunch Hallyu Star of 87s are going to the army. Now is the time for the new guys to come in.

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Thank you so, so much for this translation - I've seen bits and pieces of this from various sites but this is the only one that's actually been coherent!! I'm glad he's having so much success right now, and it really seems like he's on a good path, not only because he's a hard worker with a good attitude but also because he seems to have a loving and supportive family behind him. Can't wait to see what he does next!!

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Aww thank you so much for the translations! I really really love these articles which give us more indepth understanding of the actors. He's been growing his portfolio steadily and everyone can see his potential, I hope he's able to do well like Siwan has and cement his actor status even further.

It's a shame his idol career had to end like this, as I can remember one of my friends stanning ZE:A so bad. I still have some of their songs on my ipod lol But this is all for the better, hope he gets a good break and looking forward to his next project!

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As much as I want to see him on another project soon, I also want him to rest.. or do another project. Yeah, I know, I just want to see him often.

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awwwww he's such a cutie, I only watched little parts of SWDBS, and even then I loved him, I'll make sure to watch the entire drama soon *quickly adds to list* I wish him more success in more dramas and films, preferrably in rom-coms but I wouldn't say no to an angsty Hyung-shik either.

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Thank you so much for writing out his interview! I can't imagine what Strong Woman Do Bong Soon would be without Ahn Minhyuk.

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Thank you very much for the interview, he seems like a very adorable and nice guy, besides he’s very mature, focused on what he wants, and he’s willing to improve his work, that speaks very well of him, and is very cool. I wish him much success in his career, because I really loved him with this character, although I had already liked in previous characters as well. He said in the interview: “I wanted to express even more affection but I was told to tone it down”. And I say: why?!!! Why did they stop him?!!! I would probably have died, or fallen into a coma for so much sweetness, but I think it wouldn’t have been so bad to die or suffer for those reasons. A real shame :(

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Thank you for the nice long read, @tipsymocha! Much appreciated! I thought Park Hyung-shik did well in Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, and really liked his Ahn Min-hyuk. It's nice to know that he comes from a loving, affectionate family and that has come across in his own personality - he seems really nice, humble and open. I also like that he's a method actor and that he's working hard to improve his acting. I'm glad that the success of Do Bong-soon has opened up opportunities for him. Can't wait to see him do noir in the future!

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Ooh, a noir peice would be interesting. I'm certain he can pull off a smoldering character.

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I was thinking something along the lines of Jung Kyung-ho's role in Heartless City. Now that was a successful image change!

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Like Lee Young Oh [beautiful mind]?
Someone offer him a similar role and we'll surely not miss Park Hyung Shik for a long time. He really wanted it, even mentioned it twice in this interview ?

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Thank you for the detailed article, tipsymocha! Great to learn more about Hyungsik and get to know what his thoughts and goals are.

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What a luxury, such a nice long interview and so many pictures! Thank you, tipsymocha ?
I giggled to think that in the last photo he's wearing one of Bong Soon's chopstick "bracelets".

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Hahaha but its actually a gucci siwan has one too..they are twinning the 2 of them xd

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When he acknowledged the International fan, I go "Eeeeeeeeeeeeee that's me!" and melt into a puddle of goo.

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Haha. I felt the same when I read that. I'm glad he knows that he so much love from around the world!

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I would absolutely love to see what Park Hyung Shik could do as a serial killer. At the same time, I know it's incredibly taxing (I recall a Namgoong Min interview where he talked about how hard it had been for him in Remember--Son's War). So I'd be content to see him as a kickbutt detective, or maybe a lawyer?

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It'd be interesting to see Park Hyung-shik go dark. He and Jang Mi-kwan could trade tips, heh.

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But i will always watch him in anything though hahaha this is crazy.

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Let's see them all!

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The title of this post is an understatement. How can he be so cute???

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waaah this is such a daebak reading material. Thank you very much for summing up his interviews, tipsymocha! I admire Hyung Sik more and more! He is so honest, down-to earth, lovely, and sweet too. ;)

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So happy this article came up on DB!

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Thank you so much for this translation. All I can say is that while I was between episodes of SWDBS, i watched Hwarang as well as Nine solely because I needed a PHS fix. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them and will be watching for anything else he may do in the future!

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OMG, me too. And also What Happens to My Family. Well, for Nine, I actually rewatched it. I watched Nine when it first aired, but I didn't realize he was younger Lee Jin Wook, though I remember enjoying his performance.

I'm still undecided though whether to watched The Heirs or not. It was one of the dramas I avoided lol

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I also started rewatching What Happens to My Family because of SWDBS. It is a longer weekend drama. I liked all the scenes with PHS and his older sister on the show. I've been skipping the scenes with his older brother because I find his character unpleasant.

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I'm still quite a newbie to k-drama and I was worried about starting a longer 50-60 ep weekend drama. But because of PHS I might start watching What Happens to My Family

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Ha ha... i feel the same. I like to watch 16 episodes drama, because i get hooked very quick and then dont do anything else but drama Marathons.... a 50-episode-drama gives me the chills, but if PSH is there, hey.... maybe i should give it a try and learn to use self control ?

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Aww...he is so adorable...I didn't know he was part of zea until high society and even used rewatch heirs for his antics so cute..

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I'm glad he shot to stardom this year, if anything great come out from SWDBS It's definitely Ahn Min Hyuk. Looking forward for his next projects (hope he chose really good ones!). Here's to many more Park Hyung Shik!!

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i don't remember seeing such in depth article of individual actors before in DB? is this a new thing or just PHS getting a star treatment coz we all love him so much lol..

i love when he talks about his family being openly loving, such as constantly expressing affections with dad and hyung, which is unusual for grown guys to do #familygoals. he seems to be such an uncomplicated, straightforward guy, and it's refreshing. i hope he retains this side of him and doesn't get too jaded as he grows older.

he seems much more mature now, and found a healthy balance in his work/personal life, which is lovely to see in this day and age, and could only spell good things for him in the future. he's one of the few celebs that i truly wish for things to work out well for them, just because they seem like genuinely nice people. or maybe cos i'm biased like whoa lol. and i also like his career projection so far- no instant fame for him, but a steady upward momentum which ultimately would last longer (hopefully). get some rest and come back to my screen soon, bb!

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There have been previous articles. I remember one on Kim Kang-woo, which was a great read. He talked about his role in Story of a Man, among other things.

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Great writeup ! Especially on PHS's thoughts and feelings. Fighting!

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My manager has joked that I’d be really good at playing a psychopath. I actually want to play one too, if given the opportunity. I might give myself migraines trying to understand and portray such a character, but I think it would be a fun challenge

- I don't know why but I just love this quote. Maybe because I'd love to see him play a psychopath, and maybe also because he's so self aware about what it'd take to play a psychopath and I had a good chuckle.

My sunbaes would ask me what I liked, and I wasn’t able to answer them. Up to then, I had lived without even thinking about my favorite color or type of car.

- *shakes a fist at the idol indsutry*

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I watched his Healing Camp episode (almost died while trying to read the Chinese subs, no idea why nobody subbed that in English) and when he talked about his struggles as a trainee trying to debut, I almost teared up. It was heartwrenching! :'(

But his voice is so lovely that I almost find it a pity that ZEA won't be continuing on. I'll just make myself happy with replaying all his drama OSTs!

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there's actually an English subbed video for his episode, but the first 15 minutes was somehow unfortunately cut: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3bu86h

I googled all of his variety shows appearances lol, so sad though that earlier episodes of Real Men were not all subbed.

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Yaaayyy you found it.

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Yeah so sad
when you so eager to watch real men and realized there is no subbed episode ?

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LINK!

I watched the whole thing and I am sitting here quietly crying for that lost and depressed 17 year old boy. He has come so far from that lost boy to the person in Healing Camp to the person now in recent interviews. And am so proud of him to not only strive to be successful but to be more happy.

Hearing about how his members saying 'lets eat together' which is what helped with depression,
His bunny energy all over the set makes so much sense.

He just does not want anyone else to be quiet and depressed!

Am gonna hunt all other videos as well! Thanks again!

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There is an english sub from daily motion il try to post it in phs thread at soompii you can visit if you like xd

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A lot of the trainee stories are heartbreaking tbh. It can be so harsh.

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I know, all the members seem to be really hard working, talented and having so much care for each other. Its sad to see them break up!
I hope all of them find success in other paths!

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I hope he does play a psychopath. That is actually one of the milestones for me. If an actor can portray a 3D psychopath, he's automatically shipped to my top 10 actor list. That' s how Park Hae Jin got to the top of it.
And so I am not that sad to not see PBY and PHS every week, because PHJ is there for me ?

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Thank you for the in depth Hyung Sik interview. Glad to rediscover him in SWDBS. Can't manage to finish his drama before but I am so in love with his Ahn Min Hyuk . Expecting great things from him in the future and will be in the lookout for future dramas. In the meantime scouting Park Hyung Sik vid on you tube to recover from withdrawals and rewatching SWDBS.

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Thanks so much for translating his interview, this was really fun to read! I got to know him in Hwarang but dropped the show because I preferred Hyung Shik way more than the main lead, so I was really happy when he got cast in SWDBS. I fell for him even more as Min Min and now I'm definitely a fan so this was really nice to read and get to know him better.
He's so endearing and cute! I love that he's such an affectionate person and how dedicated he is to acting! I'm delighted he's seen so much success from the show and hopes he gets lots more offers. With all the big 87' liners gone/going to the army, he can really rise to the top in their absence. I hope he gets to play a psychopath like he hopes haha but I do really want to see him another (or many) romcoms because he just does them so well!
Here's hoping he'll rest well and then take on another drama soon!

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You need to finish watching Hwarang just to see Park Hyung-Sik as the king!!! Just skip to the last two episodes. PHS is so naturally elegant, regal and dignified that he truly seemed royal. Stunning costumes too. Worth a watch!

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Aww he is so sweet! Really happy to see how much he's grown as an actor :') You go Park Hyung Sik~~~~

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OMG, how I desperately needed a Park Hyungsik fix!
I'm quite literally still not over Ahn Minhyuk. We're used to "quirky" female characters in dramaland...it was so nice seeing the reverse in this drama, and PHS owned that character.

And I'm so happy that he's doing so well and having positive thoughts about the future.
Hope he gets to play diverse characters and show us different sides of him in his next projects.
Hwaiting!

(thank you so much for this tipsymocha)

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Thank you for this long, long article... I read it with relish *u* He's such a sweetheart, and the part about skinship is so true. I noticed it in all his BTS videos (that I watched with vengeance after High Society/Hwarang) that he's very touchy with his co stars. Especially in Hwarang Ep 0 - his hand was perpetually on Park Seo Joon's knee! I thought it was especially adorable because that's how I express affection too.

To be honest, I'd watch anything PHS acts in, and I hope we get to see different characters from him really soon! (Though he looks so... pretty in sageuk, I almost want another sageuk .)

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i also want him in another (good) sageuk! with a mane of glory! the intensity he pulled of with sammaekjong was promising, i would love to see it in full force with good writing backing it up. and he looked sooo ethereal with long hair i want a repeat lol

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I would love to see him in sageuk too. In fact I would love to see him in anything. I am so happy he made lead and a successful one at that. Strong Woman wouldn't have been the hit it was without him. I was watching the Bali airport scenes where he was boarding the flight back to South Korea and I realized how much I miss him.

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I would actually want to see him playing a hard working almost poor guy, just earning success on his own (not already having it), and see him growing mature in a drama...
with his skills it would also be interesting to see what he can transmit through such struggling situations in life. Many of us will feel identified.

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actually this describes his cha dal bong character in What happens with my family. he was playing a foolish youngster from middle class family with no job,no special education and a propensity to fighting

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I love this write-up.

And also PHS, but that's a given.

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I am so pleased to hear he came from a loving family and that his father openly expresses his love. Park Hyung-shik seems so sweet and kind, I guess his family raised him right.

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I saw the photos of him with the airstewardess in Bali and he hugged her, oh the envy!! So I believe it when he said he embraces skinship.

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He works so hard to get to where he is right now. Looking forward to his next project.

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Also thank you so much for the translation, tipsymocha. Almost forgot to say it ^^

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I LOVED PHS in this drama! He was truly adorable. Everytime he and PBY were together, I had a big grin on my face watching them. Excellent chem. I normally don't like cheesy lines or over the top acting, but his character and the relationship felt natural and right even in all its glorious goofiness. So glad he is getting accolades. Well deserved. Can't wait to see more from PHS, PBY and Ji Soo.

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i don't know if you could embed vids here but anyway, found a sneak peek of his new CF with Primera. it's so funny, you should see it XD the whole thing is like a "Expectations vs Reality" meme
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTL7phejtER/

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Wow!! Thank you so much for the lengthy translation, tipsymocha!! What a delightful read!! I hope that Hyungsikkie continues to soar in his career. He is brimming with talent and so charismatic. I loved the tidbits he shared about Boyoungie and Jisoo (yes, would'be loved more bromance on screen)! I also enjoyed his honest thoughts about his capabilities and how he wants to keep improving. I will look forward to his next project!! ❤️ ?

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Wow, I never knew I'd fall THIS much in love w him lol! I never really took interest in him before DBS, but he really won me over after this drama. He seems like a humble guy who also knows himself well. I hope his success continues at his new agency and he's able to explore many sides of himself through different characters.

On a sidenote, I would love to see him reunited with PBY again for future films/dramas heeheeeeeee. I just loved them too much :x

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PHS is so earnest! While I'm sad that he's no longer in ZE:A, I'm anticipating his future acting projects. He's one of the idols-turned-actors who are actually great actors (along with Si Wan; I think ZE:A secretly produces actors).

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Thank you for such a lovely and lengthy interview. I don't even remember him in Heirs, and I didn't like the dramas High Society or Hwarang either, but not because of him. I think he was getting better with his acting in What's With This Family. This is definitely a breakout role for him. This role was perfect for him in SWDBS. Quirky and romantic. Too bad his KPOP Idols days are over, but he is one of the few who are getting to be such good actors. Glad he is so earnest and studying acting too. He was so adorable and cute with Park Bo Young! Going to miss those two.

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Thank you so much for this article. Ive become a huge fan of him since this drama and will def lookout for his next project. He was amazing as AMH and this is his best role to date. I hope his next leading lady will be just as adorable as PBY whom brought out the best of him as he did to her. BongBong and MinMin saved this drama and I will dearly miss them.

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Thank you so much for this..been looking for a more accurate translation of his interview and found it here you :)
I couldn't love him more after this can i? Hahaha this is getting out of hand and its scary.

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@tipsymocha Thank you so much for putting this together. I have read snippets of his interviews elsewhere and for it to be comprehensively put together like this has been so delightful to read! thank you again!!

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Thank you so much for translating all those news articles @tipsymocha, reading your long and detailed article really made my day and put a grin back on my face. Still struggling to get over this drama too... Love what PHS said and am happy his family seem so open and loving. Also love that he said he has a bit of AMH's crazy in him too!!

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