Park Shin-Hye

She gained recognition as a child actress on TV shows such as Stairway to Heaven (2003) and Tree of Heaven (2006). In 2013, she starred in the film Miracle in Cell No. 7, one of the highest-grossing Korean films of all time. Considered one of the most prolific actresses of her age, Park has also received recognition for her roles in You're Beautiful (2009), The Heirs (2013), Pinocchio (2014–2015), Doctors (2016), Memories of the Alhambra (2018–2019), #Alive (2020), Sisyphus: The Myth (2021) and Doctor Slump (2024).

Park Shin-hye
Park in December 2018
Born	(1990-02-18) February 18, 1990 (age 34) Nam District, Gwangju, South Korea
Alma mater	Chung-Ang University
Occupations	Actress singer
Years active	2001–present
Agent	S.A.L.T Entertainment
Spouse	Choi Tae-joon ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	1
Family	Park Shin-won (brother)
Korean name
Hangul	박신혜
Hanja	朴信惠
Revised Romanization	Bak Sin-hye
McCune–Reischauer	Pak Sinhye
Website	saltent.co.kr

Park ranked 33rd in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list in 2015, 12th in 2017, 40th in 2021, and 33rd in 2022.

Since 2012, Park Shin-hye has been holding fan meetings. In 2013, she became the first Korean female actress to embark on an Asian tour, which she repeated in subsequent years (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023). The proceeds from her fan meetings are consistently donated to the Starlight Angel Project, a philanthropy initiative in collaboration with her agency S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko], her official fan club Starlight Angel, and NGO Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI), with the aim of supporting underprivileged children worldwide. As part of the project, Shin-hye's Centers have been established in South Korea, Ghana, and the Philippines.

Park Shin-hye was born on February 18, 1990, in Gwangju and grew up in Songpa District, Seoul. She has an older brother, Park Shin-won, a guitarist and composer. In 2001 and 2003 respectively, Park made her first two appearances in the music videos for "Do You Love Me!" and "Flower" by singer Lee Seung-hwan. She then underwent formal training in singing, dancing and acting under his supervision at Dream Factory.

After completing her education at Youngpa Girls' High School, Park enrolled at Chung-Ang University, where she studied for eight years. In February 2016, she graduated with a degree in theater. During the convocation ceremony, Park was honored with a service award for her achievements as a celebrity ambassador.

2003–2008: Career beginnings

Park became known when she played the younger version of Choi Ji-woo's character in the popular Korean drama Stairway to Heaven in 2003. She also acted in supporting roles in several television series, most notably as a rebellious teenager in the 2004 drama special Very Merry Christmas.

 

Park was cast in her first adult leading role in the South Korean-Japanese melodrama Tree of Heaven (2006), where her performance received critical acclaim. The series was also aired in Japan, giving Park exposure abroad.

Park made her film debut in the movie Evil Twin (2007), a horror film where she portrayed two roles: one as the main character, and the other as the ghost of the protagonist's sister. She then played her first antagonist role in the romantic comedy series Prince Hours, a spin-off of Princess Hours (2006). She appeared in the omnibus drama Several Questions That Make Us Happy [ko], released in May of the same year. In the weekend drama Kimcheed Radish Cubes, which aired in August, she played the role of Jang Sa-ya, who grew up in a temple. She cut her long hair for the role.

Aside from acting, Park also hosted the variety program Fantastic Partner from 2006 to 2007, where she collaborated with singer Yoon Gun to compose a song titled "I Think of You". She was awarded Best Newcomer in a Variety Show at the MBC Entertainment Awards.

2009–2012: Rising popularity

Park rose to fame after her portrayal as a cross-dressing heroine in the romance comedy music drama You're Beautiful (2009) alongside Jang Keun-suk. Despite average ratings in South Korea, the series gained a cult following and achieved high ratings in Japan. She also contributed to the drama's original soundtrack with her songs "Lovely Day" and "Without Words".

In 2010, Park starred in the low-budget romantic comedy film Cyrano Agency, which centered around a dating agency helping clients win over their love interests. The sleeper hit proved to be both a critical and commercial success, attracting 2.7 million ticket sales nationwide and becoming the 8th best-selling film of the year. Park won the "Most Popular Actress" award in film category at the Baeksang Arts Awards. Park also voiced the main character of the animation film Green Days: Dinosaur and I, which premiered at the 15th Busan International Film Festival and received positive reviews.

 

Park then starred in MBC's youth melodrama Heartstrings (2011) opposite Jung Yong-hwa. The combined successes of You're Beautiful and Heartstrings rose Park's popularity in Japan, and in September 2011, she signed an exclusive contract with Japanese management agency IMX. The same year, Park starred in her first Taiwanese drama, Hayate The Combat Butler, which was based on the Japanese shōnen manga of the same name. In August 2011, she received the Popular Asian Star award at the LeTV Movie and Drama Awards.

In 2012, Park was cast in the third season of KBS Drama Special, Don't Worry, I'm a Ghost, which aired on July 15. Her performance in the drama won her the Best One-Act Special Actress Award at the 2012 KBS Drama Awards.

Park was then cast in the third installment of tvN's "Flower Boy" series entitled My Cute Guys along with actor Yoon Shi-yoon, which premiered in January 2013.

2013–present: Breakthrough and mainstream success

In 2013, Park appeared in the comedy drama film Miracle in Cell No. 7, which became one of the highest grossing films in Korea. She went on to win the Best Supporting Actress award at the 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. To celebrate her 10th anniversary as an actress, Park held the "2013 Park Shin Hye Asia Tour: Kiss Of Angel" in four Asian countries, becoming the first actress to hold a tour spanning across Asia. She then starred in actor and singer So Ji-sub's music video "Eraser" for his album Two'clock... Playground, co-starring with former child actor Yoo Seung-ho.

The same year, Park co-starred with Lee Min-ho in The Heirs, a teen drama written by Kim Eun-sook. The Heirs enjoyed immense popularity both locally, with a peak rating of 28.6%, and internationally, having over one billion cumulative views on the Chinese streaming website iQiyi. Park experienced a surge in popularity domestically and internationally, and she became a Hallyu star. She was given the "Popular Foreign Actress" award at the 2013 Anhui TV Drama Awards.

In 2014, Park played the role of the Queen in the historical film The Royal Tailor. The same year, Park starred in Pinocchio opposite actor Lee Jong-suk. She portrayed the female lead, a reporter who suffers from a fictional medical condition called the "Pinocchio complex" which causes her to suffer from uncontrollable hiccups when she lies. Pinocchio became a hit, earning an estimated US$5.62 million for broadcasting rights in just one year. With The Heirs at the end of 2013 and Pinocchio in 2014, she was included in Forbes Korea's Korea Power Celebrity 40 list, where she placed 33rd. In the same year, MBC's Section TV Entertainment Relay dubbed her "Nation's Little Sister". Park also received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the Korea Popular Culture Awards for her contribution to the Korean Wave.

 

In 2016, Park made her small-screen comeback in SBS's medical drama Doctors, where she played a troubled teenager who later becomes a successful doctor. The drama was a hit and topped viewership ratings and popularity charts during its 10-week broadcast. She then appeared in the comedy film My Annoying Brother as a judo coach alongside actor Jo Jung-suk and Do Kyung-soo of Exo. In the same year, Park was chosen as the Most Favored Korean Actress by fans of the Korean Wave in the United States.

Park next starred in the crime thriller film Heart Blackened, a Korean remake of the Hong Kong film Silent Witness, which released in 2017.

In 2018, Park became a cast member of the reality show Little Cabin in the Woods, produced by Na Young-seok, where she and fellow actor So Ji-sub documented their daily activities in a house located in Jeju Island. The same year, she starred in tvN's fantasy suspense drama Memories of the Alhambra, playing double roles as a hostel owner and a guitar-player NPC. The series was a commercial success and became one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

In 2020, Park starred in the disaster film #Alive alongside Yoo Ah-in, which was based on a script written by Hollywood screenwriter Matt Naylor. The film was commercially successful, being the 7th highest grossing in South Korea for the year 2020. The same year, she starred in the Lee Chung-hyun-directed thriller film The Call which tells the story of two women living in different time periods but are connected through a mysterious phone call.

In 2024, Park starred in the romantic-comedy medical drama Doctor Slump with Park Hyung-sik.

Endorsements

Park's career in the advertising industry started after she was recognized for her acting skills in the drama Tree of Heaven. In 2006, Park signed a one-year exclusive model contract with KTF mobile communication service, Bigi. In 2008, Park became the model for a Happy Point Card commercial. Her cute portrayal, sneaking a peek at her crush (Jang Seo-jin) through donuts, made the commercial popular. In February 2009, Etude announced that they had signed an exclusive model contract with Park in January. She worked as a model for Etude alongside her You're Beautiful co-model, Jang Keun-suk. Etude then paired her with Lee Min-ho. In the same year, she was paired with Kim Hyun-joong for a commercial for Coca-Cola's carbonated beverage Dynamic Kin.

In 2013, following the success of Miracle in Cell No. 7 and tvN's My Cute Guys, Park became more popular in the advertising world. Park, alongside Yoon Si-yoon, Kim Ji-hoon, and Go Kyung-pyo from My Cute Guys appeared in the Market O Valentine's Day commercial. Park also starred in advertisements for a wide range of products, including miscellaneous goods, clothing, cosmetics, automobile insurance, and beverages. Some of the brands she collaborated with include Sonobi, Jambaengi, Enprani Holika Holika, The K Non-life Insurance Educar, and Vegemil.

Park became one of the most in-demand endorsers after her hit drama Pinocchio (2014–2015). She has endorsed several international brands, including the Italian luxury brand Bruno Magli and the French outdoor clothing brand Millet. In 2014, Park achieved a significant milestone as the first Korean star to be selected as a model for Visa. In the same year, Park became the muse for the French jewelry brand Agatha Paris, starting from the 2014 F/W season pictorial.

After the success of the drama The Doctors, it has been reported that brands like Bruno Magli experienced a surge in sales as a result of Park's endorsements. Building on her success, in 2017, she made history once again by becoming the first Korean celebrity to serve as a global ambassador for Austrian jewelry brand Swarovski. In the same year, Park was selected as the Korean muse for the global brand Coach. Park also endorsed Filipino clothing brand Bench. In 2019, Park was also chosen as first-ever brand ambassador for Korea by British jewelry brand Olivia Burton. In 2021, Park was selected as the new model for the French original golf wear brand Castelbajac.

Park also served as an ambassador for a local brand. It has been reported that brands like Mamonde experienced a surge in sales as a result of Park's endorsements. Since 2019, she has been the muse for the clothing brand MOJO.S.PHINE.

Ambassadorship

Park Shin-hye's family has been devout Christians for five generations. Park is also famous for being a filial daughter. She used the money she earned over the course of 10 years, starting from her career as a child actress, to set up a barbecue restaurant for her parents. Her older brother, Park Shin-won is a guitarist and composer.

On March 7, 2018, it was confirmed that Park had been in a relationship with actor Choi Tae-joon since late 2017. On November 23, 2021, it was announced that Park was pregnant and preparing for marriage with Choi. They got married on January 22, 2022, in presence of friends and family in a church ceremony in Seoul. She gave birth to their first child, a boy, on May 31, 2022.

Park Shin-hye, a devoted Christian, has been involved in church-organized volunteering activities since childhood. She engages in initiatives like Habitat for Humanity's house-building projects and participates in volunteer services with her family, including the Babfor Sharing Movement for her birthday celebrations. Throughout her entertaintment career, Park has also actively participates in charitable causes.

In 2007, Park donated her talent for the omnibus drama Several Questions That Make Us Happy [ko]. The drama's proceeds, including the fees of the writers, directors, and actors (excluding production costs), were donated. The aim of the drama was to emphasize the significance of volunteering in a challenging social environment. It involved several writers, including Noh Hee-kyung, Lee Sun-hee, and Seo Hee-jung, and was directed by Sung Joon-gi, with KBS producers Kim Yong-soo and Hong Seok-gu overseeing the project.

In late 2009, Park visited Tapatali village in Nepal, for six days. During her visit, she distributed pencils and notebooks to children who lacked school supplies. She also helped break and carry stones for children working in the quarry. Furthermore, she dressed up as Santa Claus and gave special Christmas gifts to the villagers. This volunteer experience was featured in the KBS Love Request year-end special broadcast titled 'Home Winter Love'.

In 2010, Park joined 52 other celebrities in CeCi magazine's 'I Love Pet' campaign, celebrating the magazine's 16th anniversary. The campaign focused on supporting the adoption of abandoned dogs and sponsoring service animals through organizations like 'Animal Freedom Solidarity', dedicated to rescuing and protecting abandoned dogs, and the 'Animal-assisted Therapy Welfare Association', which helps with the emotional treatment of disabled children.

Since 2011, Park has served as a public relations ambassador for "Korea Food for the Hungry International" (KFHI). In May 2011, Park volunteered in Ghana, South Africa, for 8 nights 9 days. She took part in the 16th World Food Day by spearheading the volunteer campaign "STOP HUNGER" with KFHI. During her volunteer work, she met Avanna, a malnourished five-year-old, and decided to sponsor her.

On February 18, 2012, Park Shin-hye celebrated her 23rd birthday with her fan club, Starlight Angel, through a fan meeting called "City of Angel" at Ilji Art Hall in Seoul. Subsequently, another fan meeting took place in Tokyo, Japan on the 24th, coinciding with the establishment of Park's official Japan fan club, 'Twinkle.' The entire proceeds from the Korean fan meeting and a portion of the proceeds from the Japanese fan meeting were donated to the Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI) to support the Starlight Angel Village in Ghana, Africa, where she had previously volunteered.

In the same year, to celebrate the broadcast of the drama Heartstrings on Fuji TV Japan, Park and her co-star Jung Yong-hwa organized two fan meetings at the Tokyo International Forum Hall on July 15 and 16. The fan meetings drew approximately 10,000 attendees. Shortly after, they donated a portion of the proceeds to support the relief efforts for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami through KFHI. In August, Park, Jung Yong-hwa, and Lee Hong-ki served as surprise guests at a fundraising event called 'Hopes, Dreams, Happy Trip to Korea' organized by the non-profit organization 'Good Friends Save Children' (GFSC). They met with 80 victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, who were students and staff from Ogatsu Middle School in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. They provided gifts and offered words of encouragement.

In January 2013, during the production presentation of Flower Boy Next Door, Park donated the rice wreaths received from fans to a charity organization. In March 2013, she celebrated her 10th-year career anniversary by holding the "Kiss of Angel" fan meeting tour, meeting fans in six countries throughout the year, including Philippines, Japan, and China This tour marked her first visit to the Philippines, where she held a fan meeting on March 16 at the Star Theater in Pasay City. In April 2013, during the showcase event of the movie One Perfect Day held at Seoul Yeongdeungpo Times Square CGV Starium, fans sent 520 kg of rice wreaths, which provided meals for 4,300 undernourished children, to be delivered to a donation center chosen by Park. She also met fans in Tokyo, Japan on the 24th and in Beijing and Shanghai, China in June. Following the Japanese fan meeting, she made donations to the Japan branch of KFHI, and the proceeds from the Philippine fan meeting were also donated to the local community. On June 24, Park contributed her talent as a narrator to create a barrier-free version of the movie One Perfect Day, catering to visually and hearing-impaired individuals with Korean dialogue and audio descriptions.

In the same year, Park initiated the Starlight Angel Village Project in Ghana, collaborating with fans from both domestic and foreign countries. The project aimed to support various initiatives, including the construction of the first "Shin-hye's Center" in Ghana. This center comprises a school, library, and playground, and provides free kindergarten education and meals for children. The project also involved the construction and repair of village wells, support for goats and pigs, distribution of malaria mosquito nets, and conducting prevention education. The "Shin-hye's Center" was successfully completed in November 2013, benefiting approximately 500 students. On December 12, Park and her The Heirs' costar Lee Min-ho donated personal items for a charity bazaar organized by Cheil. They actively participated in the event by auctioning the donated goods. Park contributed winter jackets and bags worn in The Heirs, while Lee donated three winter jackets. This charitable event took place after the filming of the drama's final episode.

In 2014, following the Sewol Ferry tragedy, Park donated ₩50 million to the families of the victims. Her agency, S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko] also donated ₩10 million through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association on April 25. Park also participated in the Yellow Ribbon Campaign for the Sewol Ferry tragedy. She embarked on "The 2014 Park Shin-hye World Tour: Story of Angel," starting with her appearance at the 2014 DramaFever Awards, followed by a fan meeting in New York on May 1. Her Asian tour began in Japan on July 19 and 20, with events held in Osaka and Tokyo featuring a live performance and a talk show. Park visited five cities in China during her fan meeting tour, starting from Shanghai on July 26, followed by Chongqing, Shenzhen, Changsha, and Beijing. On September 13, Park had her first fan meeting in Taiwan. The tour continued with stops in Hong Kong and Manila, Philippines. In October, She wrapped up her tour in Bangkok.

In March 2015, Park and S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko] participated in the "Lovely Hands campaign" launched by Lotte Department Store. The campaign aimed to raise money for children with rare diseases at Korea University Anam Hospital. For each participant, Lotte Department Store donated ₩1,000. The campaign ran from March 27 to April 12. On March 27, Park hosted a three-day "Dream of Angel" fan meeting at the IAPM center in Shanghai, marking the third consecutive year of her fan meetings. She donated all her earnings from the event to the KFHI's Starlight Angel Village project and a China animal protection organization called "Tasowon" (Other Wishes). On April 27, Park donated ₩30 million ($28,000) to support the victims of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake through KFHI.

In July 2016, Park initiated the groundbreaking ceremony for the second Shin-hye's Centre in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines. Similar to the first center, Shin-hye's Centre aimed to be a versatile cultural space for the local community, focusing on supporting children's education and nutrition. The completion of the centre was scheduled for October. In March 2016, Park, along with S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko] employees, visited the planned site for the center's construction and formed personal connections with children at the existing Sampaloc Children's Center. During her visit, Park went to the homes of her sponsored children and participated in a fun activity of dyeing white T-shirts. She also extended an invitation to approximately 150 local children for a lunch gathering, where she served special meals. Additionally, a construction ceremony took place prior to the start of the center's construction.

On November 24, 2016, Park was appointed as the 36th member of the Philanthropic Club of KFHI, which recognizes donors who have each contributed a minimum of ₩100 million (US$85,000) or more to the organization. Additionally, Lee Eun-young, CEO of with S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko] also became a member of KFHI. On November 30, a devastating fire ravaged in District 4 of Seomun Market in Daegu. The incident resulted in the destruction of nearly 680 shops and caused injuries to two firefighters. Park made a generous contribution of ₩50 million (equivalent to US$42,881), through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association for the victims. Park also donated ₩50 million through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association Community Coal Bank. This contribution enabled the purchase of 83,340 'briquettes of love,' providing a month of warmth for 556 families by reducing the number of briquettes given to each family from 30 to 150.

In May 2017, Park supported the KFHI-operated children's learning center at Hwado Happy Home School in Namyang-ju, Gyeonggi-do. The learning center is operated by KFHI. Park launched the "Flower of Angel" 2017 Asia Tour, starting in Hong Kong on June 10, and subsequently visiting Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines. The tour's proceed were donated to KFHI through the "Starlight Angel Project." Park also active in helping the victims of 2017 Pohang earthquake victims. She donated ₩50 million through KFHI in November. On December 10th, she organized a private event called "Park Shin-hye's Starlight Angel Project 2017: Kimchi Sharing of Love" in Seoul. Around 60 people attended, including KFHI executives, employees, and members of the 'Starlight Angel' fan club. They made kimchi at the event and delivered it to about 200 families and children affected by the earthquake in Pohang.

On May 18, 2018, Park joined the second season of the "Star Relay Heart Challenge" to provide education and emotional support for children from low-income families. In this project, 10 celebrities took turns doing live broadcasts, interacting with fans, and completing special "missions," like making cards for children. Depending on the number of "hearts" received during the broadcast, a maximum of three million won ($2,775) was donated to KFHI. On December 20, 2018, to show appreciation for firefighters' hard work, Park donated 20 washing machines, specifically designed for washing fire-retardant clothing, worth around ₩50 million. Upon hearing this news, LG Electronics pledged to match her donation by providing a dryer with each washing machine.

In April 2019, Park was honored with the Philanthropic Celebrity of the Year award at the 2019 Asia Philanthropy Awards. She also donated ₩30 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association that same month. The donation was specifically intended to aid the victims of forest fires in Goseong and Sokcho, Gangwon-do. On October 30, 2019, S.A.L.T. Entertainment [ko], announced her upcoming fan meeting titled "Voice of Angel" on December 8 at Yes 24 Hall in Seoul. Park donated the profits from the fan meeting to the Starlight Angel Project. In November 2019, Park contributed ₩30 million through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association Community Coal Bank.

In late 2019, Park visited Botswana for 15 days, where 40% of Africa's elephants live, and participated in several activities with activists from the elephant protection group 'Elephants Without Borders'. This included caring for orphaned elephants and attaching trackable GPS devices to wild elephants. The experience was featured in the MBC's Changsha special documentary 'Humanimal Part 1 - Killing an Elephant' episode, which aired in January 2020. Park donated her entire appearance fee to Elephants Without Borders.

In March 2020, Park donated ₩50 million to a fund to prevent the spread of a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association. In August 2020, Park donated ₩100 million to support the victims of heavy rains and landslides through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association. In October of the same year, she contributed around ₩50 million to KFHI’s nighttime children's protection program Starlight School, which is part of the Happy Home School movement, which aims to safeguard children from crime and adverse living conditions. In December, Park, representing the Starlight Angel Project, made a donation of approximately ₩20 million ($18,100) through KFHI. This donation was used to provide 90,000 sanitary pads for children from low-income families, ensuring a 5-month supply for 500 children across 62 regional centers in South Korea. Yuhan Kimberly, a brand represented by Park, also donated an additional 57,000 sanitary pads.

In 2022, Park donated ₩50 million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help those damaged by large forest fires in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and Samcheok, Gangwon.

In July 2023, Park donated 2,000 summer blankets, valued at ₩100 million, to the victims affected by flood damage caused by torrential rain. The blankets were distributed to the victims through The Korean Red Cross branches in Sejong, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, and Gyeongbuk regions.

To celebrate her 20th debut anniversary, Park organized the "Memory of Angel" fan meeting on December 3, 2023, at Ilji Art Hall. Continuing her philanthropic endeavors, she committed to donating all the proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise to the 'Starlight Angel Project,' which supports vurnerable children worldwide.

Singles

Soundtrack appearances