South Korean actress Park Ji-hyun shared details about her upbringing, acting struggles and her father's fight against stomach cancer during a heartfelt appearance on tvN's popular talk show "You Quiz on the Block".
Per TenAsia, the actress appeared on the 345th episode of the program, which aired on Wednesday, where hosts discussed her academic achievements and family background. Park revealed that she scored 900 points on the TOEIC English proficiency exam while still in middle school and later graduated from the prestigious Chuncheon Girls' High School before enrolling in the Department of Spanish at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Despite her strong academic path, Park said she had long dreamed of becoming an actress.
"I wanted to enter the theater and film department," Park said on the show. "When I thought about what I truly wanted to become, I realized I wanted to act."
She explained that her parents initially worried about the uncertainty of an entertainment career and encouraged her to pursue a more stable educational path. However, after entering university, Park decided to take a leave of absence during her freshman year to fully pursue acting.
Park also reflected on the emotional toll of auditioning for parts over and over again before breaking into the industry. According to the actress, she attended more than 100 auditions while struggling with self-doubt and anxiety about her future.
"It was difficult because there was no clear standard for improvement," she said, describing the loneliness she experienced while chasing her acting dream.
The actress drew attention for discussing her extreme preparation for her role in the upcoming Netflix series "Eun-jung and Sang-yeon", in which she portrays a terminally ill character.
Naver reported that Park said she fasted for nearly three weeks, surviving mostly on water and coffee, in an attempt to better understand the physical suffering of someone facing death.
"I felt like my esophagus and stomach were sticking together," she recalled. "My body became thinner, but my face swelled up." The actress added that she often cried for hours before filming emotionally demanding scenes.
Park also spoke candidly about her father, a doctor who previously underwent surgery after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. She said his experience deeply influenced her understanding of the character she portrayed in the drama.
"When I asked him what the pain felt like, he told me that if it were not for his family, he would have wanted to die," Park said. "At that moment, I understood my character's feelings."
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