SBS
Demonic. Devilish. These are certainly not the typical adjectives one would use to describe Park ShinHye’s roles. At least, not until “The Judge From Hell.”
“The character Kang BitNa is a type of character I’ve never played before,” she explains in an interview with “Vogue Hong Kong.” “Her way of expression is different from the roles I’ve done so far, she likes very flashy things and has a different personality, so that’s what attracted me to this role.”
What is Kang Bitna’s Fate? The Loss of Demonic Power in ‘The Judge from Hell’ UnfoldsQuick ReadsOct 25, 2024
In this fantastical courthouse K-Drama, Park ShinHye impresses as Kang BitNa, a demon possessing the body of a human judge. She is fiercely determined to condemn those who have shamelessly inflicted suffering on others. With soul-piercing purple eyes, a razor-sharp wit, and her signature eyebrow raises, Park ShinHye’s cunning portrayal promises to leave a lasting impression.
SBS
1. Common Thread in Past Roles
Since her debut at the age of 13 in “Stairway to Heaven” (2003), Park ShinHye has been praised for her wholesome and honest acting methods. Fans that have followed her journey are bound to notice an undeniable similarity between her previous characters.
After her early teenage roles in “Tree of Heaven” and “Prince Hours,” Park ShinHye took on the challenge of a dual role as twin brother and sister in the drama “You’re Beautiful.” Go MiNyeo, an aspiring nun, is forced to take her twin brother’s place as an idol, a part of the band A.N.Jell. She amassed a dedicated fan base after this portrayal of the doe-eyed, adorable sister, showcasing magnetic chemistry with co-star Jang KeunSuk.
Park ShinHye cemented her place as a romantic heroine in the following years through some of her more well-known dramas. In the 2011 drama “Heartstrings,” she played Lee GyuWon, a traditional Korean music student who falls for the lead singer of a rock band Lee Shin, played by her former “You’re Beautiful” co-star Jung YongHwa of C.N. BLUE. She was quite literally “the girl next door” in the drama “Flower Boys Next Door,” in which she portrayed an introverted copy editor whose life takes a turn after meeting her lively next-door neighbors.
In 2013, Park ShinHye landed one of her most pivotal roles as Cha EunSang in “The Heirs,” also known as “The Inheritors.” A hardworking daughter of a housekeeper with a speech disability and student finds herself in a love triangle between Kim Tan, the heir to the Jeguk Group portrayed by Lee MinHo, and Choi YoungDo, Kim Tan’s stubborn rival played by Kim WooBin.
Park ShinHye has mastered the portrayal of the shy, innocent girl. A damsel in distress of sorts, but definitely spunky. Whether she is a singer, a writer, a musician, or star student, her character is always brilliant and uniquely talented in her own way. She brings a sense of nostalgia to the screen whenever viewers watch her performances. Often experiencing love for the first time, even if forbidden, audiences vicariously navigate with her through her “first life.”
2. A Shift in Roles Leading To “The Judge from Hell”
After Cha EunSang, the pinnacle of her teen roles, there was a noticeable shift in her roles afterwards, headed towards significant character arcs, mature characters and new genre shifts. Following “The Heirs,” Park ShinHye brought reporter Choi InHa to life in “Pinocchio,” acting alongside Lee JongSuk. Dark secrets of both the world of journalism and their family history drive the story and leave viewers pondering if their romance will survive.
“The Doctors” (2016) was Park ShinHye’s first taste of leading a medical role before her recent return in “Doctor Slump.” Her cunning, charismatic nature along with action-packed sequences caught the audience’s attention. She continued diving into new genres, particularly action and thriller, for several of her next projects, including “Heart Blackened,” and “#Alive.” “Memories of the Alhambra” became popular due to its fantasy elements integrated into a thriller. The actress garnered the attention of many K-Drama fans, curious about her and the illustrious Hyun Bin’s interactions and how she would perform in a role unlike any of her previous ones.
Her venture into thriller and action continued through her roles in “The Call” (2020) and “Sisyphus: The Myth” (2021). Park ShinHye excels in “The Call” as Kim SeoYeon, a woman that receives a call from Oh YoungSook, who lives in the same house as SeoYeon — except she is calling from 1999. The situation becomes increasingly dangerous and complicated for SeoYeon as she gets more entangled with YoungSook’s life, carrying out requests and watching her past, present, and future alter in real time. The suspense was palpable, and unsuspecting viewers watched with bated breath for the next surprise in the story.
“Sisyphus: The Myth” stars Cho SeungWoo, who plays the CEO of an engineering company. He meets Park ShinHye’s character, a mysterious, skilled combatant from the future. Together, they must save the world from a nuclear war.
3. Return To The Screen
After a three year hiatus, the actress made her return to the screen with a romantic comedy and an iconic reunion with “The Heirs” co-star Park HyungSik in “Doctor Slump.”
“Actors often feel a lot of pressure during filming, but when I was on set with Park Hyung-sik, I immersed myself in the fun of the filming process,” Park ShinHye shared with “Vogue Hong Kong.”
Embracing the classic enemies-to-lovers trope along with themes of mental health struggles, the fun filled and heartwarming drama eventually rose to the top of Netflix’s non-English TV series category, a fan favorite in 2024.
Her supporters have watched her bloom from a blithesome young actress to becoming an established name in the industry whose talent contains multitudes. She has breathed life into various beloved characters, spanning across several genres. With the finale of “Judge From Hell” already released on Nov. 2, many await Park ShinHye’s next move.
Her statement from an online press interview for “The Call,” comes to mind: “As I grow older year by year, the range of emotions that I can express have been neatly piling up one by one, and I felt like I burst that balloon that’s been inflating.” She has assured fans in the past that she has much more to reveal to the public. Her capacity to continuously evolve as a master of the art proves that Park ShinHye is indeed one of Korea’s most versatile actors.
Did you enjoy watching “The Judge From Hell?” What role do you want to see her take on next?
