[On the Record] Park Bo-gum: "It's a blessing to live various lives as an actor"

Actor Park Bo-gum Interview

Film 'Wonderland' AI Boyfriend Tae-joo Role
Challenges Musical After Military Discharge, Signs with Music Label
"Not Afraid of New Challenges... Will Not Stop"

Actor Park Bo-gum Photo by The Black Label

Actor Park Bo-gum (30) is taking an unexpected path. With his sincere personality and handsome appearance, he is a ‘top actor’ whose projects easily attract investments worth hundreds of billions of won. Usually, actors rush forward quickly after military discharge due to economic gaps and fears of being forgotten. However, he chose the musical stage, turning away from the flood of scripts coming his way. He also signed an exclusive contract not with an actor agency but with a ‘music label.’ What happened to him? We met Park Bo-gum at a location in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Park Bo-gum took on a dual role in the film ‘Wonderland’ (directed by Kim Tae-yong), released on the 5th, playing Tae-joo, who wakes up from a coma to a strange and confusing reality, and Tae-joo, a cheerful and kind AI (artificial intelligence) boyfriend within the Wonderland service. The film tells the story of reuniting with loved ones through ‘Wonderland,’ a video call service that restores deceased people as AI.

He said, “I was drawn to the story about restoring someone you want to see as AI and meeting them again.” He added, “I hope that era comes quickly. What if we could meet people we can’t see anymore? If such a service came out, would I apply for it? Would I want to try it? I wondered if this technology could be used healthily and well. Would I just get too absorbed in it? I had many concerns.” He also said, “It’s eerie and strange, but I saw Wonderland as an ideal country.”

[Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works]

If the ‘Wonderland’ service actually came out, he said he would like to meet the late film music director Bang Jun-seok, who passed away in 2022. Park Bo-gum said, “I want to meet Director Bang and say, ‘This film was made well through the hands of many people.’” He also expressed some worries. He said, “Can we really use the Wonderland service healthily? Isn’t there a lack of warmth? We can’t touch or hug each other. Even if we become companions through video calls like the characters in the film and share daily life, wouldn’t it be sad not to feel human warmth?”

Park Bo-gum has a deep affection not only for acting but also for ‘music.’ After his discharge, he entered the Graduate School of New Media Music at Sangmyung University and earned a master’s degree. He participated in writing the lyrics and naming the song ‘WISH: Wonderland is here,’ sung by Tae-joo and his girlfriend in the film. He explained, “Right now, everything around me and myself is precious; that itself means Wonderland to me.”

His love for music led to a ‘challenge.’ At the end of 2022, as his exclusive contract with his agency was about to expire, he received numerous love calls. The industry was busy trying to hold on to him as a ‘free agent (FA) big catch,’ but he chose to sign with the music label ‘The Black Label’ last year. After careful consideration of Teddy’s recruitment offer, he accepted and began another challenge as an actor. This was possible because Park Bo-gum is not afraid of challenges. He said, “Going to a singer’s company that doesn’t have actor management was a challenge for me. I wanted most to work with new people in a new place, and it’s been very enjoyable.”

Actor Park Bo-gum [Photo by The Black Label]

Park Bo-gum enlisted in the navy in August 2020 and was discharged in April 2022. Before his discharge, he received offers to appear in various genres and platform projects. However, he suddenly turned his attention to the musical stage. He was captivated by the musical ‘Let Me Fly,’ which he saw by chance through the invitation of his university classmate Shin Jae-beom and actor Oh Eui-sik, and went straight for it. He recalled, “After watching the performance, senior Oh Eui-sik asked, ‘Did you like it? If there’s a chance, let’s do it together.’ I said, ‘Sure. I’ll be waiting,’ but I didn’t get any contact. I wondered if it was because my agency changed, so I told the company, ‘If there’s contact, I want to audition,’ and then I got a call and had a meeting.”

The musical performance became a special part of his filmography. Park Bo-gum said, “Every time I read the script, I had a heartwarming experience. I was amazed to see myself crying every time. I worried about what would happen if I lost this sensitivity. I wondered if I would lose this feeling on stage.” He continued, “I had a precious experience of going on stage. The audience was watching me from head to toe. I felt the thrill and pleasure of breathing together, crying and laughing, and interacting with the audience.” He smiled and said, “I was happy.”

He said, “After discharge and as I get older, my perspective broadens. I don’t want to lose my sensitivity. Sometimes I doubt if I’m doing well, but I try to empathize and do my best every moment. Isn’t it a blessing to experience various lives through acting? I want to challenge various works.” He also said, “In the upcoming drama ‘Good Boy,’ I challenged action for the first time. I learned boxing for the first time and went to action school every day. I want to show a new side of myself.”