Park So-dam (; born September 8, 1991) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition through her appearances in the film The Priests (2015) and television series Cinderella with Four Knights (2016), Record of Youth (2020), and Death's Game (2023–2024).
She achieved international fame for her role in the 2019 critically acclaimed dark comedy thriller film Parasite, which won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Picture. The actors won the Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Early life and education When Park was in high school, she watched the musical Grease and developed an interest in acting. In 2010, Park enrolled in the School of Drama at Korea National University of Arts. She was a part of the "Legendary Class of 2010," a cohort that included notable peers such as Kim Go-eun and Lee Yoo-young. Actors who are from the same cohort include Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Sung-cheol, Cha Seo-won, and Lee Hwi-jong.
Career
2013–2016: Early career While in university, Park started her career by turning to independent films after being rejected from around seventeen auditions. Her prolific work in independent cinema, which included eight short films in 2013 alone, earned her the nickname "the Jeon Do-yeon of the short film world." By the end of that year, she had appeared in over 15 short films. Park's work also extended to feature films, starring in the Korean Academy of Film Arts production Ingtoogi: Battle of the Internet Trolls and the indie Steel Cold Winter, the latter of which drew notice when it premiered at the Busan International Film Festival.
Park graduated from Korea National University of Arts in February 2014. Park took on small roles in the mainstream films Scarlet Innocence and The Royal Tailor.
She broke into the mainstream in 2015 after making a strong impression with her performance in The Silenced, which nabbed her a win for Best Supporting Actress from the Busan Film Critics Awards. She then featured in box office hits Veteran and The Throne, which led to her casting in the critically acclaimed mystery thriller The Priests. Her role as an evil possessed high school student won her multiple Best New Actress nods and awards.
Park also expanded her filmography to television. She made her debut in OnStyle network's first drama, titled My First Time. Written by Jung Hyun-jung and directed by Lee Jung-hyo, the story follows a group of six young people who gather on a rooftop to escape their problems. Park starred alongside Choi Min-ho, Kim Min-jae, Jung Yoo-jin, Lee Yi-kyung, and Cho Hye-jung. The eight-episode series aired weekly on Wednesdays, starting on October 7, 2015. For her performance, she was nominated for Best New Actress – Television at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.
In 2016, she took the lead role in KBS2's medical drama A Beautiful Mind and tvN's romantic comedy series Cinderella with Four Knights. She then appeared in 2016 revival of the hit play Closer, by Patrick Marber, opposite Bae Seong-woo, Seo Hyun-woo, Kim So-jin, and Kim Seon-ho.
2019–present: Rising popularity through Parasite and career breakthrough In 2019, Park So-dam starred as Ki-jung in Bong Joon-ho's black comedy, Parasite. The film became a global cultural phenomenon, earning the Academy Award for Best Picture and achieving significant box office success in South Korea and internationally. Park's performance as a crafty, whipsmart younger sister of the Kim family was widely praised, with her "Jessica Jingle", a mnemonic, becoming a well-known part of the film. She and the rest of the cast received multiple award nominations for Best Ensemble, and they collectively won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
Later that year, Park began filming the chase film Special Delivery, with principal photography starting on May 29, 2019. In addition to her film work, she appeared on the tvN variety show Three Meals a Day: Mountain Village along with Yum Jung-ah and Yoon Se-ah.
In 2020, Park was cast in the youth drama Record of Youth as an aspiring makeup artist, co-starring with Park Bo-gum. She also participated in the camping variety show Gamsung Camping with Park Na-rae, Ahn Young-mi, Son Na-eun, Solar. Later that year, she returned to the stage to reprise her role in the play The Student and Mr. Henri, which she had previously performed in 2017. In 2021, Park began filming the spy action film Phantom on January 4, with production concluding on May 21. During the film's post-production phase, she was diagnosed with cancer and took a hiatus from acting to focus on her recovery.
Despite her hiatus, two of her films were released. In 2022, three years after her last film appearance, Park starred as a professional delivery driver in the crime action film Special Delivery. Her performance garnered several Best Actress nominations, including at the Baeksang Arts Awards, the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and the Chunsa Film Art Awards. The following year, she appeared in Lee Hae-young's spy action film Phantom as a Korean secretary to a high-ranking Japanese officer in 1933.
Park returned to acting after her recovery, taking on the female lead role in TVING series Death's Game. She portrayed a mysterious entity known as "Death," who punishes a man for his suicide by forcing him to experience 12 cycles of painful death.
In November 2025, Park part ways with Artist Company after 8 years and signed an exclusive contract with The Present Company.
Philanthropy In 2016, Park graced the cover of Big Issue's New Year's issue as a talent donation, supporting the organization's mission to help the homeless achieve self-sufficiency. Two years later, she participated in 2018 Ice Bucket Challenge, a fundraising campaign by the ALS Association aimed to build Korea's first Lou Gehrig's Disease Rehabilitation Hospital.
Personal life In June 2025, it was revealed that Park is the granddaughter of Park Won-sook's cousin.
Health On December 13, 2021, it was revealed that Park had been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer during a regular health checkup, and underwent surgery. On February 7, 2022, Park's agency confirmed that Park had recently recovered from COVID-19.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2013 Steel Cold Winter Ji-yeon Ingtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls Yeon-hee Independent film 2014 The Legacy Eun-seon One on One Coffee delivery girl Scarlet Innocence Chung-yi's friend Bit part The Royal Tailor Yoo-wol 2015 C'est Si Bon Schoolgirl 1 Bit part The Silenced Hong Yeon-deok Veteran The Youngest The Throne Lady Moon The Priests Lee Young-shin 2016 Snow Paths Maria Take Off 2 Lee Ji-hye Cameo 2017 Man of Will Han Yeong-hee Special appearance 2018 Ode to the Goose Innkeeper's daughter The Underdog Bamyi Voice 2019 Parasite Kim Ki-jung / Jessica 2020 Fukuoka So-dam 2022 Special Delivery Eun-ha 2023 Phantom Yuriko 2025The Journey to Gyeongju Yeong-ju
Short film Year Title Role Notes 2013 No More No Less Schoolgirl Most Ordinary Existence Su-jin Death Theatre Schoolgirl 2014 Playgirl Suzi Suzi Inevitable Lee Mi-young 2015 The Vampire Lives Next Door Na-mi from omnibus Color of Asia – Masters Blue Monday's Woman So-dam
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2015 KBS Drama Special:"Red Moon" Princess Hwawan Drama special My First Time Han Song-yi 2016 A Beautiful Mind Gye Jin-sung Cinderella with Four Knights Eun Ha-won 2020 Record of Youth Ahn Jeong-ha 2023–2024 Death's Game Death
Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2019 Three Meals a Day: Mountain Village Cast Member with Yum Jung-ah, Yoon Se-ah 2020 Gamsung Camping with Park Na-rae, Ahn Young-mi, Son Na-eun, Solar
Hosting Year Title Notes 2020 2nd day 34th Golden Disc Awards with Lee Seung-gi 2021 1st day 35th Golden Disc Awards Opening ceremony 26th Busan International Film Festival with Song Joong-ki 2023 37th Golden Disc Awards with Sung Si-kyung, Lee Da-hee and Nichkhun
Radio shows Year Title Role Notes 2022 This is Ahn Young-mi, the date muse at two o'clock Special DJ October 3–4
Theater Year Title Role Venue Date English Korean 2016 Let Me In 렛미인 Eli Seoul Arts Centre CJ Towol Theatre January 21 to February 28 The Medici 2016 더 메디치 2016 Herself Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) August 27 to 28 Closer Alice Ayres (Jane Jones) Yegreen Theater September 6 to November 13, 2016 2017–2018 앙리할아버지와 나 Constance Piponnier Yes 24 Stage 1 Dec 15 to Feb 18 2018 Seongnam Art Centre Ensemble Theatre March 16 to 17 Ulsan Culture and Arts Centre Small Performance Hall April 20 to 21 Daejeon Arts Centre Ensemble Hall May 4 to 5 Centum City Sohyang Theatre Shinhan Card Hall May 26 to 27 Suwon SK Atrium Grand Performance Hall June 1 to 2 2020 Hanam Culture and Arts Centre Small Theatre (Arang Hall) November 6 to 7 Sejong Gugak Centre November 13 to 14 2020–2021 Yes24 Stage 1 December 3 to February 14 2021 Gyeonggi Art Centre Small Theatre, Suwon March 27 to 28 Guri Art Hall Cosmos Grand Theatre, Guri April 17 Gimhae Cultural Centre Hani Hall, Gimhae May 1 Online May 31
Discography Singles Title Year Album "Our Feeling" 2015 My First Time OST
Ambassadorship Honorary Ambassador for Efficient Tourism in Korea (2021)
Awards and nominations + Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result APAN Star Awards 2016 Best New Actress Cinderella with Four Knights 2021 Popular Star Award, Actress Record of Youth Asia Artist Awards 2020 Popularity Award (Actress) Park So-dam Asian Film Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress The Priests Baeksang Arts Awards 2016 Best New Actress – Television My First Time Best New Actress – Film The Priests 2020 Best Supporting Actress – Film Parasite 2022 Best Actress – Film Special Delivery Blue Dragon Film Awards 2015 Best New Actress The Silenced 2016 Best Supporting Actress The Priests 2019 Parasite 2022 Best Actress Special Delivery Buil Film Awards 2015 Best New Actress The Silenced 2016 The Priests Best Supporting Actress Busan Film Critics Awards 2015 Best New Actress The Silenced Cine21 Film Awards 2016 Best New Actress The Priests Chunsa Film Art Awards 2016 Best New Actress 2022 Best Actress Special Delivery Critics' Choice Awards 2020 Best Acting Ensemble Parasite Grand Bell Awards 2015 Best New Actress The Silenced 2022 Best Actress Special Delivery 2016 Best Actress in a Play Let Me InCloser IndieWire Critics Poll 2019 Best Supporting Actress Parasite JTBC 2020 Best Chemistry Award Park So-dam Gamsung Camping KBS Drama Awards 2016 Best New Actress A Beautiful Mind KOFRA Film Awards 2016 Best New Actress The Priests Korean Film Producers Association Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress Max Movie Awards 2016 Best New Actress Rising Star Award Star Night - Korea Top Star Awards Ceremony 2015 Popular Movie Star Screen Actors Guild Awards 2020 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture Parasite Women in Film Korea Awards 2015 Best New Actress The Priests
References
External links