"Jin Seon-kyu, who went 'boo-ehng' over my award, keeps me on edge"... Park Bo-kyung's golden age starts now (BSA award interview)

For Park Bo-kyung, everything was a first: the nomination, the red carpet, and the award itself. Maybe that is why her acceptance speech was so special. Standing on stage with the trophy in hand, she said, "I love watching award shows. The acceptance speeches are sincere and witty, and I laugh and cry along with them. Whenever I watched, I would think, 'Will a day like that ever come in my life?' and shake my head, or wish that I could at least get one audition. But thank you for letting me give an acceptance speech. I want to have my mother's name engraved on this trophy, because she has always filled the empty spaces in my life." She did not forget her heart as a daughter.

Looking back on the moment she won, Park Bo-kyung said, "Like most daughters around my age, I am not especially affectionate with my parents. If anything, my husband is the more affectionate one, and he always takes care of my mother-in-law. I am not very good at saying 'I love you' or 'thank you,' and even when I try, I sometimes end up missing the moment because I feel awkward. But when I got on stage, I thought of my mother. If there was anything I deserved praise for, it was only possible because my mother was there, so I said I wanted to engrave her name on the trophy." She continued, "My daughter, who is in first year of middle school, waited for me and told me, 'Grandma started crying when they announced Best Supporting Actress.' I did not expect that, because she is usually such a strong woman, but I think she was so happy about my first award. Since the day after the ceremony, I have not been able to see my mother at home. She has been out buying treats for her friends to celebrate her daughter's award, so she has not had time to stay home. My son-in-law is helping too. I heard my mother-in-law even gave him plenty of pocket money so he could buy lots of treats."

The reason Park Bo-kyung's first Best Supporting Actress win felt even more precious was Jin Seon-kyu's tears. As the Best Supporting Actress nominees were introduced, Jin Seon-kyu clasped his hands together and prayed earnestly for his wife's win. When Park Bo-kyung's name was called, he burst into tears. Watching his wife hold the sparkling trophy on stage, he kept wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his suit. He is a partner who knows Park Bo-kyung's joys and sorrows better than anyone.

Park Bo-kyung said, "Before I could even hear anything, my husband was already in tears. He was going 'boo-ehng,' and even as I was on stage giving my speech, he kept looking at me and crying. It was such a chaotic moment, but even while crying, he told me, 'Get it together!' That was the same thing I had said to him in the past when he won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2017. Back then, his eyes were crying but his mouth was smiling, and he was trembling. So I told him, 'Get it together,' and I guess I looked exactly like that at this ceremony. I wondered if he was giving the line back to me, but that one sentence from him really snapped me back to reality."

She added, "He wrote about it on his personal account too. My dream was to win an award, but it was also my husband's dream. He wanted me to keep acting, and he hoped that all that effort would one day bear fruit and bring comfort through a good award. He had dreamed of this for a very long time and prayed for it a lot." She continued, "After the award, there was some time to rest, and because I had cried so hard, he was actually getting more congratulations from my fellow actors than I was. That was funny too. He was happier and cried more than when he won his own award, and seeing that really moved me."

Park Bo-kyung's adorable affection could not be left out. In her next acceptance speech, she said, "My husband, Jin Seon-kyu, is even more surprised and even more tearful than I am. After I lost my engagement ring, we stopped doing couple items, but now we have a trophy in the same shape that we can never lose. Honey, today is day one." She sweetened the atmosphere in the room. On that, Park Bo-kyung said, "At home, we have a trophy cabinet filled only with the awards my husband has received. I did not have one, so looking at that cabinet, I thought, 'Ah, I wish I had just one of mine in there.' It was not about wanting an award for the sake of it. I think I just wanted a couple trophy with my husband. And if possible, I secretly hoped it would be his first award, the Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actor trophy. That thought came to me right in the acceptance speech. I once visited Sul Kyung-gu and Song Yoon-ah's home, and their trophy area was incredible. Looking at it, I was amazed and said, 'Wow, senior. All of Korea's awards are here.' We thought it would be nice to have at least one matching trophy. It was a small gift, but the biggest couple item we could have received."

Park Bo-kyung, who sweetly declared an official romance with Jin Seon-kyu by saying, 'Today is day one,' joked, "It's been one day since day one with my husband, but lately I can hardly see his face. He seems really busy with work, but is he distancing himself from me? Maybe he's a dating expert. I think he might be playing hard to get with me right now. He just won't show me his face. He is making me even more anxious." Her playful remark sent the room into laughter.

After marrying Jin Seon-kyu in 2010 and giving birth to their precious first daughter in 2013, Park Bo-kyung took a break from acting to focus on raising her child. It is said that Jin Seon-kyu always felt sorry when he thought of his wife. That is also why he supported her return more than anyone else and cheered her on so actively when the opportunity finally came. Park Bo-kyung's win was also a moment of comfort for many women in South Korea who struggle with career breaks. She said, "When I saw comments saying that it gave them comfort, I felt comforted too. Career breaks are something many women worry about, whether by choice or not. But I want to tell them this: 'Your very existence and value do not disappear. Wherever you are, there is definitely a path for you, and I hope you never grow exhausted.' I hope they see it not as losing their value, but as a time to share love with the children who need them. And I hope they never give up on their dreams. I did not, and everyone can do it."

Finally, Park Bo-kyung said, "I remember my husband once winning an award and then trying hard to return to his roots on set. Now I understand that feeling too. The older an actor gets, and the more awards they win, the more they need to work harder and do better. They also have to keep the tension that comes from expectations in mind. I do not want to forget the way my husband went back to his roots after winning and enjoyed being on set again. He also kept telling me to hold on to that beginner's mindset, things like gratitude and trusting my colleagues. So I just said, 'Yes, senior.'" She concluded, "My husband Jin Seon-kyu and I have started our 'day one' today, but the Blue Dragon Series Awards have become my first love, one I will cherish for a long time. I will treasure this first love and continue to work harder as actress Park Bo-kyung."

Jiyoung Cho, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.