Last month, actress Park Min-young captured global attention with her fluent English skills at ‘KCON LA 2024’ held in Los Angeles, USA. She has been praised for fulfilling her role as a ‘civilian diplomat’ exceptionally well. As K-dramas and K-content continue to expand worldwide, Park Min-young’s presence has been reaffirmed.
As the event kicked off, Park Min-young’s fluent English resonated throughout. Not only did she express gratitude to her fans, but she also smoothly handled interviews related to her work. Throughout the 50-minute session with fans, all conversations were conducted seamlessly in English.
Park Min-young responded to the MC’s question in English, saying, “It’s been a long time since I visited LA after 2019. It was touching and special to meet the fans in person.”
She then looked back on some iconic scenes from the popular tvN drama Marry My Husband, recalling the filming process. She mentioned, “It was difficult to shoot the judo scenes because my partner, Na In-woo, is very tall. The atmosphere was great, though. Na In-woo would often joke around, jumping over me, and we had great chemistry.” She added, “I have good athletic ability and enjoy various sports. I especially love golf, but these days, I only watch it on TV.”
Additionally, Park Min-young introduced BTS’s song “Spring Day,” which was featured in Marry My Husband, as her favorite song, receiving cheers from the audience. She said, “I thought using BTS’s music was a unique and great idea. Initially, I was worried that viewers might not understand the timeline, but now they seem to know it even better than I do.” She even sang a snippet of “Spring Day” during the event.
They also discussed the behind-the-scenes of her casting in Marry My Husband, the drama’s 27-week run in the Amazon Prime TOP10, filming stories, the planning of the Japanese version, and her filmography. The MC also asked Park Min-young about her thoughts on entering Hollywood.
Park Min-young responded, “It would be an honor to enter Hollywood. It’s an opportunity to collaborate with talented producers and actors worldwide. I would love to challenge myself with roles that explore various genres and characters.”
After the interview, Park Min-young engaged in various games with her LA fans, including recommending songs, playing a dice game, and having a photo time, bringing her closer to her fans.
In fact, Park Min-young studied abroad in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during her middle and high school years in the U.S. Even though it’s been over 20 years, she still possesses excellent English skills, typical of someone who studied abroad, making her time in LA smooth and comfortable.
Regina Kim, the journalist who hosted Park Min-young’s fan meeting, wrote in the U.S. economic magazine Forbes, “It was an honor to work with Park Min-young. We had an in-depth conversation about her outstanding filmography. Fans were deeply moved by her speaking in English from start to finish.”
Typically, when an actor attends an overseas event, an interpreter sits next to them, conveying their words in real time. In the case of idol groups, a specific member who speaks a foreign language often handles the interviews or thank-you messages. Therefore, it’s extremely rare for an actor to answer questions and communicate with fans directly in a foreign language. In this sense, Park Min-young’s English-speaking role at the event can be seen as a groundbreaking act of civilian diplomacy.
While the success story itself was impressive, it was perhaps Park Min-young’s fluent English that amplified the impact of her message. As she mentioned, it’s possible that she could enter Hollywood in the near future. In the entertainment industry, those who are prepared will ultimately rise higher and achieve their dreams further.
