Singer and actor Park Jihoon has achieved a double win at the “62nd Baeksang Arts Awards with Gucci.”
On May 8, at the COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Park Jihoon left a lasting impression by taking home both the Best New Actor in a Film award and the Naver Popularity Award. The Naver Popularity Award is especially meaningful as it was decided by fan votes via Naver e-Enter from April 24 to May 5. Park Jihoon proved his massive fandom power and global popularity, ranking first with a high vote share of 48.7%.
Making his commercial film debut in ‘The Man Living with the King’, Park Jihoon played the tragic King Danjong (Lee Hong-wi). He received rave reviews for his deep emotional acting and delicate expressions. By meticulously building the character’s complex inner world and reinterpreting it in his own style, he showed a level of stability that made it hard to believe this was his first commercial film. His explosive emotional performance toward the end of the movie left a deep impression, sparking a “Danjong syndrome” among the public.
Having captured both critical acclaim and public appeal, ‘The Man Living with the King’ continues its long-term success. As of May 8, according to the Korean Film Council (KOBIS), the film has surpassed 16.81 million cumulative viewers, firmly holding its position as the second highest-grossing Korean film of all time.
After winning Best New Actor, Park Jihoon opened his speech by saying, “I want to thank Director Jang Hang-jun for believing in me until the end.” He added a heartfelt message, “Thank you so much for believing that ‘it had to be me’ and for protecting me until the end.” He also expressed special affection for Yoo Hae-jin, saying, “It was truly an honor to share this kind of energy with you in my life.” Finally, he didn’t forget his fans, stating, “I really wanted to express my gratitude to MAY, who have believed in me and continued to love me.”
Upon receiving the Naver Popularity Award, he began by saying, “I understand this award was given through the votes of the fans,” and shared his overwhelming emotions, saying, “Thank you so much, MAY.” He then promised, “I will act, perform, and promote to become an even cooler and more sincere person,” adding, “I will always be someone who grows so that I can only show you my best side. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Additionally, ‘The Man Living with the King’ proved its presence as this year’s most talked-about work, being mentioned in major categories such as Best Film and Best Director.
Meanwhile, Park Jihoon will kick off his fan concert ‘RE:FLECT’ in Tokyo on the 23rd, followed by performances at the KINTEX Exhibition Center 1 in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 30th and 31st. He will then meet global fans through an Asia fan concert tour across 11 cities, including Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, and Jakarta.
