Park Sung-woong

Park Sung-woong is a South Korean actor with one of the most recognisable faces and voices in Korean film. With his heavy build, deep voice and piercing eyes, he became the villain audiences love to fear, from the crime classic New World to the Netflix hit Bloodhounds.

Park Sung-woong is 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) tall and weighs 78 kg, according to his published profile.

Early life

Park Sung-woong was born on 9 January 1973 in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. He studied law at university before changing his path to acting, a late and brave decision. He debuted in 1997 and spent many years in small roles, slowly building the weight and skill that later made him famous.

Career and breakthrough

His life changed with the film New World (2013), where he played gang leader Lee Joong-gu. The character became legendary in Korea, quoted and imitated for years, and Park Sung-woong suddenly became one of the busiest actors in the country. He followed it with hits such as The Swindlers and many films where his presence alone raised the tension.

Popular roles

On television, Park Sung-woong has shown many faces: a top star in Man to Man, a warm detective in the time-slip drama Life on Mars, and a dark cult-like villain in Rugal. In Bloodhounds (2023), he played Kim Myeong-gil, a cruel loan shark hunting two young boxers, and his quiet menace made him the perfect final boss of the series.

Recent work and why fans love them

Fans love the contrast in Park Sung-woong: terrifying on screen, gentle and funny in real life, and happily married to actress Shin Eun-jung, whom he met on a drama set. After decades of work, he remains the first name directors call when a story needs real danger.