Celebrating Park Bo Gum’s birthday: Revisiting his ‘boy next door’ roles in Reply 1988, Record of Youth, and more

Park Bo Gum turns 31 today. Let’s celebrate the special day with a closer look at his ‘boy next door’ roles in popular K-dramas that we can’t get over.

By Moupriya Banerjee

Published on Jun 16, 2024 | 07:01 AM IST | 216.1K

Park Bo Gum: Images from tvN

Park Bo Gum is a renowned face in the realm of the Korean film and TV industry. Having made his official acting debut in 2011, he quickly garnered recognition for his talents. From playing supporting characters to a leading actor, his journey is undeniably impressive. Aside from acting, he is also known for his singing skills.

Park Bo Gum’s ‘Boy Next Door’ roles

Today, on June 16, Park Bo Gum turns one year wiser. To many fans, he is known for his boyish charm, often playing ‘boy next door ’ characters in his dramas. Let’s celebrate his day by having a thought look at those characters.

Park Bo Gum’s as one of the leads in Reply 1988

Set in the backdrop of 80s Korea, affected by much turmoil, Reply 1988 narrates a bittersweet story of five families living in the same alley of a neighborhood. Despite having different stories and circumstances, the parents look out for each other as the children grow together.

This 2015 hit slice-of-life is a breakout role for many actors who starred in this drama, so it is for Park Bo Gum. After playing one of the leads here, his popularity skyrocketed, making him a household name in South Korea.

He embodied the character of Choi Taek, a talented baduk (Go) player who has already won numerous accolades. Even though he is just a teenager, he competes against veteran players and often takes home the trophy, making his country proud.

However, fame and success didn’t ruin him. Despite being in the newspapers and television on a regular basis, he doesn’t lose touch with his roots. Even with his neighborhood friends, he never boasts of his early success.

Choi Taek in Reply 1988 is honestly the sweetest and most wholesome character ever. He knows how to take care of his single dad, express his love for Deok Sun, and everything else.

Park Bo Gum in Love in the Moonlight

In Love in the Moonlight, Park Bo Gum plays the Crown Prince Lee Yeong. Though it’s a historical drama, the actor makes sure to portray his signature ‘boy next door’ traits. In this drama, he is also someone who can be deceived as the ultimate ‘green flag’ character.

In the beginning, when Lee Yeong first connects with his political eunuch Ra On, he is unaware that this person is actually a girl merely pretending to be a man. However, with time, the Crown Prince falls in love with her, and he doesn’t bother about whether the eunuch is a man or a woman.

From the beginning till the end, he only had eyes for her; he supported her in every decision and stood by his side like a rock. Even though, at times, he wasn’t able to express many feelings, he once almost went to war with China for her.

In the end, the storyline of this drama might sum up his character as a ‘tragic ruler’ or a ‘boy in love. For us, he is Park Bo Gum, our favorite ‘boy next door’ actor.

Park Bo Gum in Record of Youth

Record of Youth revolves around the story of a bunch of young fashionists with big dreams in the modeling industry. The drama received mixed responses despite having a stellar cast ensemble of Park Bo Gum, Park So Dam, Byeon Woo Seok, and a bunch of A-list cameos like Park Seo Joon, Hyeri, Lee Sung Kyung, and more.

However, fans still agree that the drama’s best offering was Park Bo Gum himself. South Korea’s heartthrob Park Bo Gum justified his ‘boy next door’ moniker with his shriek-triggering eye smiles and boyish charm.

He stuns as Hye Jun, a handsome model who is trying to make it big as an actor. Despite rising to fame in the fashion industry, he had a humble beginning, coming from a financially challenged family. Hye Jun made sure never to forget his past. He had no attitude and never boasted about his attractiveness.