Park Min-young (박민영) and Yook Sung-jae (육성재) are set to star in the upcoming drama, *Nine to Six*. Their on-screen chemistry is already building anticipation. In the recently released third teaser, Park Min-young plays Kang Yi-ji, an overworked legal team manager overwhelmed by workplace pressure. She unexpectedly encounters bright and optimistic intern Han Sun-woo (Yook Sung-jae), setting the stage for a sweet and exciting younger-man romance.
Having debuted many years ago, Park Min-young has long been hailed as one of K-drama's iconic "goddesses," particularly beloved for her performances in romantic roles. From *City Hunter* and *Healer* to *What's Wrong with Secretary Kim* and *Her Private Life*, she has consistently taken on diverse female leads. She is skilled at portraying romantic narratives and has garnered significant popularity through her sharp and capable character portrayals, solidifying her status as a leading lady in K-drama romance.
However, a closer look at Park Min-young's acting resume reveals a surprising fact: despite her long-standing activity in the K-drama scene with a steady stream of projects, her filmography is remarkably sparse. She has only appeared in one film, *The Cat: Eyes that See Death*, in 2011, and has rarely ventured onto the big screen since.
Recently, Park Min-young and Yook Sung-jae appeared on variety shows to promote their new drama, including SBS's *Master Jang Hang-jun* (거장항준), hosted by director Jang Hang-jun (장항준) of *Kingmaker*. During the program, when the host brought up Park Min-young's minimal film work, she personally revealed the long-standing reasons for her infrequent film appearances.
When asked, "Why do you rarely make films?" Park Min-young candidly admitted that in the past, the film industry "rarely had projects centered around female actors." In other words, even if she wanted to challenge herself with a film role, suitable leading female roles might not have been available.
Host Jang Hang-jun then inquired whether there was a significant difference in pay between acting in dramas and films. Park Min-young did not shy away, directly stating, "As the status of K-dramas has risen, the difference in appearance fees between dramas and films has also become substantial."
Yook Sung-jae couldn't help but follow up, asking if the pay for a film couldn't compare to that of a 12-episode drama. Park Min-young responded bluntly, "It's almost impossible to get that much."
This conversation brought renewed attention to Park Min-young's choice to "almost never make films." She has firmly established herself as a top-tier leading actress in the K-drama market, with her starring roles consistently garnering attention and a continuous stream of diverse drama offers. In contrast, if films not only lack suitable female lead roles but also offer significantly lower pay than dramas, it certainly makes one reconsider the necessity for female actors to venture into the big screen.
Park Min-young's candid remarks sparked a heated discussion among Korean netizens, with many finding her statements realistic and pointing out the historical issue of "limited space for female characters" in the Korean film market.
One netizen commented, "Looking at Park Min-young's drama resume, almost all of them are female-centric roles or roles with high female status, so I completely understand why she said that." Another added, "The film industry is inherently difficult to break into, and she has consistently had stable drama work. Given that, there's no need to go through extra hardship to enter the film industry."
Some also directly stated, "If you work at a company with lower pay and poor benefits, would you specifically go to that company?" They argued that from Park Min-young's perspective, choosing drama projects where she excels and receives better compensation is understandable.
Other netizens mentioned that in dramas, Park Min-young can not only be the "first female lead" but also take on romantic comedies, romance dramas, and other genres, offering a wide range of choices. In contrast, the film market historically had fewer female-centric projects, making her focus on dramas a reasonable career consideration.
Some even suggested that if Park Min-young were a male actor, she might have received more film offers. "With her resume, if she were a male actor, even if the films weren't necessarily successful, she probably would have made several by now," one netizen wrote. "Gender disparity certainly exists in the film industry; in the past, many films were almost exclusively male-centric roles."
Other netizens noted that while more female-led films have emerged in recent years, such projects are still not abundant. "Female roles themselves are limited," and "films centered on female narratives have always been insufficient," they stated, concluding that the number of female actors who can remain active in the film industry is naturally limited.
Some even expressed sympathy for Park Min-young, believing that she achieves excellent results solely through dramas. "Since she's the first female lead in dramas, why would she specifically go to films to play supporting roles?" one asked. "Film pay is lower, and the roles might just be ornamental. There's no need to make films just for the sake of it."
However, some netizens also believe that films and dramas are, after all, different fields, and they still hope Park Min-young will challenge the big screen again if a suitable project comes along.
Park Min-young's rare discussion of her reasons for rarely making films unexpectedly made the "roles and treatment of female actors in the Korean film industry" a hot topic online. Whether she will take on suitable film projects in the future remains unknown, but for Park Min-young, who has accumulated representative works throughout her career in the K-drama market, choosing the most suitable projects for herself is likely her primary concern.
