'Dae Jang Geum' Empress Dowager Endured the Life of a Politician's Wife Who Is Hated in Reality... "They Hate Me Without Reason," Park Jung-sook Confesses [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Dae Jang Geum' actress Park Jung-sook, who gained fame for her role as Empress Dowager Myeongseong, openly shared the story of her life until she became president of the Seoul Women and Family Foundation.

Recently, a video titled 'Park Jung-sook, Former Actress and MC, Chooses a Path Beyond the Entertainment Industry' was uploaded to the YouTube channel 'Jo Eun-ju's Q'.

In the video, Park Jung-sook appeared with white hair, drawing attention. Her dignified charm stood out, differing from her appearance in 'Dae Jang Geum' alongside Lee Young-ae in 2003.

"The media is extremely attractive and has tremendous influence," Park said. "I worked in the media for only 10 years, from 1992 to 2003, with 'Dae Jang Geum' being my last drama. That was already 20 years ago. Since then, I have served as a representative of an international organization, worked as a university professor, and now work as the president of a public institutional investor foundation. Yet everyone remembers me as the 'Empress Dowager from Dae Jang Geum.' When today's viewers see me, they will likely say, 'You've changed so much,' or 'Time has treated you well,' she joked.

She continued, "My heart is trembling. For the past 20 years, I have worked continuously in public service and civic service areas after leaving the media. In particular, the period I have lived as a representative of an international organization (not as an actress) has been much longer. So it is very pleasant to greet you through the media today," she added.

What prompted her sudden transition from actress to president of an international organization and public institutional investor foundation? Park recalled, "I began my career as a promotional ambassador for the Daejeon Expo, traveling worldwide to introduce Korea. That was in 1993. At that time, when South Koreans introduced themselves abroad, people would respond with 'Konnichiwa' or 'Ni hao.' To make it clear we were Korean, I wore hanbok. Introducing the fact that there is a country called Korea, distinct from Japan and China, was my first job. Even while working in the media, I frequently conducted interviews and played roles to introduce our country to the world. Then, through 'Dae Jang Geum,' I became known worldwide. As Hallyu emerged, I began thinking, 'Perhaps I should take a break and study abroad.' When I went overseas, however, there was so much interest in my role as Empress Dowager from 'Dae Jang Geum' that professors invited me to meals or asked me to introduce Korea."

She continued, "Initially, I pursued graduate studies in public policy at Columbia University. Upon arriving, I discovered many people misunderstood our culture, diplomacy, and Hallyu—specifically about Korea itself. I learned that Hallyu is not merely the export of cultural content but a form of public policy and diplomacy to introduce Korea to the world. Focusing on this, when Ban Ki-moon was serving as Secretary-General of the United Nations, he heard rumors that 'the Empress Dowager from Dae Jang Geum' was at Columbia University. Consequently, he frequently invited me to events whenever possible. This gave me opportunities to meet many people at the UN."

Park stated, "At that time, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) was launched. Bill Gates created an international organization to distribute vaccines to the world's poorest countries. Many people asked me to recommend someone suitable to open GAVI's Korean office. I introduced many individuals, but eventually, they said, 'Why don't you do it yourself?' Thus, I became the Korean representative of GAVI and returned to Korea. After working as the Korean representative for about 10 years, I spent approximately three years with the Smart City Organization. Primarily engaged in international organization work, I have served as president of the Seoul Women and Family Foundation for about one year and eight months (as of May 2026)."

She also candidly discussed professional challenges. Park said, "Looking back now, all difficulties had reasons. I believe my personality is flawed in that after working on something for about five years, if it remains the same, I cannot endure it. Typically, experts advise juniors to work for 10 years before claiming expertise in a field. However, once I become familiar with something for about five years, I strive to incorporate new elements. As a result, I have spent 10 years in broadcasting, 10 years as a professor and in international organizations, and now approaching 10 years in public service. While this is both an advantage and disadvantage, entering new fields often leads existing professionals to question, 'Why is that person doing this work?' Gaining trust becomes extremely difficult. Each time, I feel compelled to work more diligently and achieve results within two or three years. This may help develop me, but being combative and lacking leisure can be negative."

Nevertheless, Park remarked, "Still, it is enjoyable to do new things. In today's era, isn't integration beneficial? Rather than focusing on just one field, identifying key elements, making decisions, and building networks maximizes efficiency. In that sense, I believe I was fortunate enough to ride the wave of this era."

Furthermore, she confessed about her hidden struggles as the wife of a politician while revealing details about her husband, Lee Jae-young, who serves as the chairman of the People Power Party's Gangdong District branch. She married National Assembly member Lee Jae-young, who is five years younger, in May 2012, and they have a son.

Park recalled, "I think I became stronger after marriage. I married at age 42 and gave birth to my son at 43. How late was that? During my active years in broadcasting, the prevailing sentiment in the 1990s was that 'women retire upon marriage.' So I decided not to marry until I had fully succeeded. Then, quite by chance, I met my husband who worked at an international organization."

She continued, "Coincidentally, my husband became a politician after our marriage. As you know, politicians inevitably face opposition; half of the public becomes their enemy due to this structural reality. This was a phenomenon I had never experienced before. It wasn't me who was disliked without reason, but rather people began disliking me simply because my husband is a politician. Through this, I realized, 'Ah, the world is not so simple.' Before, if I worked hard, I would be recognized and applauded. But becoming a politician's wife, no matter how hard I work, some people still dislike me. Since then, I have grounded myself more, broadened my understanding of others, and matured."

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*This content was translated by AI.