[HanCinema's News] Park Ji-young Gathers Attention for Motherly Roles

At the age of 55, Park Ji-young is a bit young to be so thoroughly typecast as a mother character, but the actress has been doing such work for quite some time. Her earliest role in the modern era in the 2004 television drama "Toji, the Land" as a mother despite only being 37 at the time. It's a part which Park Ji-young plays quite convincingly, as fans are learning with "Love Next Door" where Park Ji-young plays the mother of Jung So-min's character.

Advertisement

What gives Park Ji-young such strong dimensions in her motherly performances is that despite the stereotypical reputation of such roles, Park Ji-young frequently injects jealousy and fury into her acting. Indeed, before "Love Next Door" deals with its lead characters at all, they are introduced via their mothers by proxy as they bicker and brag about the accomplishments of their children. When Jung So-min's character experiences a fall from grace, her motherly relationship immediately becomes fraught.

Ironically, much of the tone of this role may be closer related to Park Ji-young's role in the horror mystery drama "Revenant" than "Little Women" though it was in the latter drama that Park Ji-young played more of a standard mother role. Park Ji-young is frequently scary and unpleasant in "Love Next Door" yet this neither diminishes her impact as a mother nor does it belittle motherhood itself. Park Ji-young merely represents the complex obligations of parenthood humorously yet seriously.

Despite her age, Park Ji-young is also keeping busy. She'll have yet another motherly role in the family drama "Iron Family" later this month as a daughter-in-law and mother who has taken control of a familial laundromat. "Love Next Door" had ratings of 6.788% in its sixth episode. "Iron Family" will premiere on KBS this coming September 28th and will run for thirty-six episodes.

Written by William Schwartz