Every Park Bo-Young K-Drama, Ranked

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Park Bo-young is a highly talented actor, and while her career in Korean dramas has seen both successes and challenges, she’s consistently proven her skills. She started with a short film in 2005 and quickly moved into leading roles in popular K-dramas. Whether she’s playing a supporting character, making a memorable cameo, or starring as the lead, Park Bo-young is known for her versatility and ability to deliver strong performances.

Park Bo-young is known for starring in popular K-dramas on Netflix, and the recent boom in K-dramas has allowed her to take on more diverse roles. She’s still fantastic in romantic comedies, but she’s now proving her acting skills in genres like horror, fantasy, and realistic dramas. While she consistently delivers memorable performances, some of her storylines hold up better over time than others.

10. Secret Campus

2006

Park Bo-young started her acting career in K-dramas with the series Secret Campus when she was just 16 years old. She played the energetic and somewhat naive character, Cha Ah-rang. The drama also featured Lee Min-ho, who played Park Doo-hyun, three years before he became famous for his role as Gu Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers.

Despite being a significant project that helped launch several careers, Secret Campus hasn’t aged well and is easily overlooked. While Park Bo-young demonstrated considerable promise as a young actress, her character lacked depth. Unfortunately, the show’s overly preachy storylines don’t resonate with today’s viewers, feeling more like after-school specials than compelling drama.

9. Oh My Ghost

2015

I really got into Oh My Ghost when it first came out! It’s a fun K-drama that mixes romance, comedy, and a bit of the supernatural. I loved watching Park Bo-young as Na Bong-sun, a sweet but shy chef who has a crush on her boss, Kang Sun-woo. But things get complicated when a ghost named Shin Soon-ae starts paying attention to Bong-sun and her feelings – and honestly, some of the stuff that happens isn’t as cute as it seems, which turned some people off.

Okay, so I’m really into Oh My Ghost, but there’s this part that’s kind of unsettling. Basically, this ghost named Soon-ae takes over Bong-sun’s body, and she’s convinced she needs to, uh, be with a man to finally rest in peace. It leads to some really awkward and unwanted advances – she even tries it with Bong-sun’s boss! The show does try to deal with the issue of consent later on, but honestly, the whole setup is pretty uncomfortable and it’s enough to turn some people off, and I get it.

8. Jungle Fish

2008

Originally intended as a full K-drama, Jungle Fish ended up being just a single TV special in 2008. This teen series centers on Lee Eun-soo, played by Park Bo-young, and Han Jae-ta, played by Kim Soo-hyun, who share their innermost thoughts and secrets on an online blog. The show explores the pressures and anxieties students face, particularly as they get closer to finishing school.

The original TV special, Jungle Fish, was notable for being based on a real-life story and for winning a Peabody Award in 2009. However, its sequel, the K-drama Jungle Fish 2, has become much more well-known and loved by general viewers. Despite this, Park Bo-young delivers a strong performance as a talented young actress.

7. Abyss

2019

Despite a strong cast and an interesting idea, the K-drama Abyss doesn’t quite live up to its potential. The show features a unique concept: a celestial machine called the “abyss” can bring anything back to life. This leads to a fascinating story about two friends, Go Se-yeon (played by Park Bo-young) and Cha Min (Ahn Hyo-seop), who die and are reborn into new bodies together.

While the show initially hints at fantasy, it quickly focuses on a predictable serial killer storyline that doesn’t bring anything fresh. Park Bo-young’s character is supposed to be an ordinary, less attractive version of the body originally inhabited by Go Se-yeon. The romance had some interesting moments, but Abyss feels like it starts with one idea and completely shifts direction by the end.

6. Melo Movie

2025

Starring Park Bo-young and Choi Woo-shik, the romantic comedy Melo Movie generated a lot of excitement before its release. The story follows a film critic and a director who reconnect and find a second chance at love, which initially sounded very appealing. Unfortunately, many viewers were disappointed, as the drama didn’t quite deliver on its early promise.

Movie fans might enjoy the many references to other films, but most viewers will likely find Melo Movie a disappointing romance. It also didn’t help that 2025 had so many excellent K-dramas, making this film easily forgettable. Park Bo-young delivers a flawless performance, but the story wanders too much and ultimately disappoints.

5. Strong Girl Bong-soon

2017

Park Bo-young is best known for the 2017 romantic comedy Strong Girl Bong-soon. The show was a huge hit and was recently remade in 2023, but the original remains more popular. In it, Park Bo-young plays Do Bong-soon, a lovable young woman with incredible strength and a tricky love life.

The series begins with Bong-soon having a crush on a childhood friend, but a romantic connection develops when she starts working as the bodyguard for wealthy heir Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik). Many fans still consider Min-hyuk and Bong-soon one of the greatest couples in K-drama history, and Park Bo-young has become an even more skilled actress with a variety of complex roles over the past decade.

4. Light Shop

2024

Park Bo-young is well-known as a romantic comedy actress, but the K-drama Light Shop gave her a chance to showcase her serious acting skills. This horror mystery centers around a group of people, including Park’s character Kwon Young-ji, who discover a strange shop that brings back painful memories.

Park Bo-young delivers a compelling performance as Young-ji, an ICU nurse who guides patients toward the afterlife—a peaceful place between life and death. As a standout Korean drama on Disney+, Light Shop is definitely worth watching.

3. Doom at Your Service

2021

It’s rare for a K-drama to be both entertaining and deeply meaningful, but Doom at Your Service manages to be both comforting and thought-provoking. The story centers around Tak Dong-kyung, played by Park Bo-young, a web novel editor who receives a devastating diagnosis: she has brain cancer and only three months to live. Overwhelmed with grief, she drunkenly wishes for the world to end.

When a young woman prays for a different fate, she unexpectedly attracts the attention of Myeolmang (Seo In-guk), a grim reaper who literally represents death. As she faces her regrets, she finds herself falling for this being whose purpose is only to destroy. Their unusual romance is compelling, but what truly makes Doom at Your Service special is its fresh take on what it means to be human.

2. Our Unwritten Seoul

2025

K-dramas featuring twins often get a bad rap, especially when the story revolves around characters simply switching places. However, Our Unwritten Seoul manages to feel fresh and original despite using this familiar idea. Park’s performance as both Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae is incredibly impressive, but the drama’s underlying message is what truly stands out.

On the surface, Mi-rae appears to be the more accomplished twin, but her high-paying job actually makes her unhappy. Meanwhile, though Mi-ji seems carefree and satisfied, she’s secretly burdened by unfulfilled ambitions. To truly understand their own lives, the twins must step into each other’s shoes, creating a deeply moving and insightful story about the bond between sisters.

1. Daily Dose of Sunshine

2023

At first glance, Daily Dose of Sunshine might appear to be a typical medical K-drama. However, this 2023 series is actually a deeply insightful look at mental health and the field of psychiatry. Park Bo-young delivers a captivating performance as Jung Da-eun, whose journey from nurse to patient is one of the most compelling character developments ever seen in a K-drama.

The show Daily Dose of Sunshine treats all its characters with respect, even those who are seeking mental health support, and avoids making light of their struggles. Da-eun’s own experience with depression doesn’t limit her abilities; in fact, it makes her a better nurse by giving her unique insight. Ultimately, Daily Dose of Sunshine is a meaningful and important series, and it’s arguably Park Bo-young’s best K-drama performance to date.

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2026-01-04 04:31