Park Min Young is synonymous for legions of K-drama fans as the “Queen of Rom-coms.” However, there is more to her repertoire than just romance. From playing an ardent fangirl in “Her Private Life” to a woman seeking revenge on the husband and best friend who betrayed her in “Marry My Husband,” she was also the feisty journalist of “Healer” as well as the queen who became a victim of intrigue in “Queen for 7 Days.” With all these roles, the actor has showcased her repertoire across many genres. Known for her palpable onscreen chemistry with her co-stars, she also notches the style quotient with her eclectic fashion statements on screen. The actor, who has often revealed that her core idea is to have fun with the projects she does, has time and time again proved her skills.
Here are seven Park Min Young dramas you can revisit after her stunning turn as Kang Ji Won in “Marry My Husband.”
“Healer”
Chae Young Shin (Park Min Young) is a sprightly reporter who wants to go beyond the tabloid news she ends up reporting on. Given her nose for news and her curious nature, she feels she has it in her to be an investigative reporter. She idolizes the seasoned new anchor Kim Moon Ho (Yoo Ji Tae) and wants to work with him. Unbeknownst to her, Kim Moon Ho is also looking for and has hired the services of a night courier named Seo Jung Ho (Ji Chang Wook), known as the “Healer” on many of his dangerous missions. As Jung Ho keeps following her to get her DNA sample, Young Shin has developed an infatuation with Healer, whose face she has never seen. However, a sequence of events brings these three individuals together, and they find they are not only bound by the past but are also in the midst of investigating murky events from decades ago.
“Healer” remains an all-time favorite amongst fans with a high recall value. A taut storyline with its plot twists, it is also an endearingly cute love story. The chemistry between Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young is fire, and the many romantic moments between the two in the show, be it the kiss on the terrace to their goofy yet tender moments together, are effortless to say the least.
Apart from the romantic angle, Park Min Young’s track with her father is endearing. The two break into an impromptu gig in their coffee shop, and the playful banter between the two is bound to make you smile. It is refreshing to see a feisty female lead, who is very much her own person, and Park Min Young as the short-haired, spunky Young Shin is delightfully cute.
Start watching “Healer”:
“What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim”
Kim Mi So (Park Min Young) is super efficient when it comes to handling the professional and personal affairs of her handsome yet arrogant boss Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon). Nine years into the job, Mi So decides it is time to call it a day. Having slaved behind a desk for so long, Mi So wants to live for herself and fulfill the many things on her bucket list as well as look for the young boy from her past whom she has been unable to forget. But the catch is that Young Joon realizes he is too dependent on Mi So and cajoles her to stay. Now who would have thought the prickly Young Joon would find himself falling hook, line, and sinker for Mi So? Caught in a passionate office romance, the two also discover that they may have had a past connection as well.
“What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim” is a rom-com for keeps. The fiery chemistry between the two leads made them a favorite drama couple. Park Min Young slips into her role as Mi So with ease, and she also sets the bar with her style quotient in her straight cut silhouettes in pastel shades.
Start watching “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim”:
“Her Private Life”
Sung Duk Mi (Park Min Young) leads a double life. An art curator by day, post work she takes to what she loves best—being a devoted fangirl. She stans K-pop idol Cha Shi An (ONE) and is the devoted manager of a Shi An fan site. Her world is rocked with the arrival of the gallery’s new art director, the dashing Ryan Gold (Kim Jae Wook). It is irritation at first sight for the two until Ryan discovers Duk Mi’s secret. When Duk Mi is attacked by a bunch of high schoolers for being Shi An’s secret girlfriend, Ryan steps in as her fake boyfriend to protect her. But it is just a matter of time until fake turns real, and the two are involved in a passionate love affair. Duk Mi realizes her world only revolves around Ryan Gold, and the two are meant to be.
“Her Private Life” gave viewers a screen heartthrob in Kim Jae Wook’s Ryan Gold. The moments between him and Park Min Young are what go for gold romantic moments are made of. And Park Min Young once again puts her fashionable foot forward in her custom style pant suits and pencil thin skirts.
Start watching “Her Private Life”:
“Queen for 7 Days”
The ill-fated love story between a lady and her prince, “Queen for 7 days” is based on the life and times of the 14th century Joseon Queen. Park Min Young is Lady Shin Chae Kyung, who is married to Grand Prince Lee Yeok (Yeon Woo Jin). Their happiness is short-lived as Lady Shin is treacherously removed from her seat and thrown out of the palace by political rivals and miscreants in court. She does not care for authority or royal glory but rather pines for her husband. It is the unrequited love story between her and her husband that forms the core of the story, showing how they are willing to defy and put their lives on stake for each other.
Park Min Young shines as the strong-willed and optimistic Lady Shin in an emotionally challenging part. Torn between two men, she also needs to take cognizance of the situation on hand, and well aware of her fate, Lady Shin does not let her spirits dip. It will make you applaud the resilience of this woman and wonder what she could have gone through. An emotionally heavy show, brace yourself for a heart-wrenching romance and many tears.
Start watching “Queen for 7 Days”:
“Sungkyunkwan Scandal”
Kim Yoon Hee (Park Min Young) impersonates as a boy to earn her keep as a book transcriber. She even helps young noblemen pass their exams at the coveted Sungkyunkwan University, which is strictly out of bounds for women. She plays her cards to her chest and enrolls to study at the sought-after academy in the guise of Yoon Shik. However, apart from studies, she finds herself dealing with three young men, Goo Yong Ha (Song Joong Ki), Moon Jae Shin (Yoo Ah In), and Lee Seon Joon (Park Yoochun), and even developing feelings for one of them.
“Sungkyunkwan Scandal” is a fun fare but has a deep core message of gender equality and the fight for education. Park Min Young as the sassy Kim Yoon Hee endears with her fastidiousness. She showcases her character’s determination to prove herself in a patriarchal society. The show also highlights her innate knack for comedy.
Start watching “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”:
“I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice”
Mok Hae Won (Park Min Young) is a cellist who is emotionally exhausted and burned out. She moves back to her hometown from Seoul and encounters her former classmate and neighbor Eun Seob (Seo Kang Joon). A sensitive and compassionate man, he runs a bookstore and keeps to himself. But when these two fractured souls connect, it is as if the long winter of their lives finally get to see spring.
The slow burn and unhurried romance between the two is simply charming. A performance-driven show, both actors stay true to the emotional beats of the drama. The usually perky Park Min Young shows another facet to her personality in this languid narrative and is remarkably restrained in her performance.
Start watching “I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice”:
“City Hunter”
Yoon Sung (Lee Min Ho) goes undercover at the Blue House as an IT expert so that he can follow through with his father’s plan for revenge. He encounters Kim Na Na (Park Min Young), who is a bodyguard and part of the security. The two align when they realize their goals are the same and revenge is what they both seek. Working together, the two develop feelings and what unfolds is a fiery romance.
We get a high octane action drama with Lee Min Ho pulling some serious stunts and Park Min Young pulling some serious punches. In Na Na we find a badass who is no damsel in distress but also has an attractive personality. I just wish there were a few more romantic moments between the lead couple, given their fervent chemistry!
Hey Soompiers, which one of these is your favorite Park Min Young K-drama? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yang Yang and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Doctor Slump”