Actress and TV personality Park Jung Sook, who portrayed Queen Munjeong in the hit drama Jewel in the Palace, has shared an update on her life after leaving the entertainment industry, revealing that she now serves as the head of a public institution under the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Recently, the YouTube channel Jo Eun Joo’s Q uploaded a video titled, “Former Jewel in the Palace actress and TV host Park Jung Sook on why she left the entertainment industry | Park Jung Sook, CEO of the Seoul Foundation of Women & Family.”

In the video, Park, who gained widespread recognition through the 2003 MBC drama Jewel in the Palace, introduced her current role by saying, “I oversee Seoul’s policies related to women and families.” She currently serves as the President of the Seoul Foundation of Women & Family, a public organization affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Reflecting on her entertainment career, Park said, “Media is incredibly attractive, but it also has tremendous influence. I actually only worked in the media industry for about 10 years, from 1992 to 2003. Jewel in the Palace was my final drama, and that was already 20 years ago.”

She continued, “After that, I worked as the head of an international organization, became a university professor, and now lead a public institution. Viewers who see me today might say, ‘You’ve changed so much,’ or ‘Time has certainly left its mark.’”

Park also explained why she decided to step away from acting. “My career originally began as a goodwill ambassador for the Daejeon Expo, where I traveled internationally to promote Korea,” she recalled. She said starring in Jewel in the Palace eventually led her toward an entirely different path.

“Through Jewel in the Palace, people around the world came to recognize my face. As the Korean Wave began to spread globally, I thought it might be a good opportunity to take a break and study overseas. When I traveled abroad, many people recognized me as the Queen from Jewel in the Palace,” she said.

She added, “I realized many people misunderstood what the Korean Wave actually is. I came to understand that Hallyu is not simply about exporting cultural content it is also a form of public policy and diplomacy.”

Park Jung Sook first entered the entertainment industry in 1993 as a live host during the Daejeon Expo. She later became a familiar television personality through programs including SBS’s Good Morning Wide, EBS’s Scholarship Quiz, and MBC’s Talk Show with Im Sung Hoon.

In 2003, she portrayed Queen Munjeong in MBC’s blockbuster historical drama Jewel in the Palace, earning recognition from audiences both in South Korea and overseas. Following the drama’s success, she gradually stepped away from the entertainment industry and transitioned into work with international organizations.

In 2012, Park married politician Lee Jae Young, and the couple has one son.

Speaking about her family life, she said, “I got married at 42 and gave birth to my son at 43. I married my husband while he was working for an international organization, and after we got married, he unexpectedly entered politics. That made me realize life is never as simple as it seems.”

Sources: Nate