Park Jeong-ja (Korean: 박정자, born March 12, 1942) is a South Korean actress. She made her debut as a theater actor in 1962. She became the first actress to receive the Lee Hae-rang Theatre Award in 1997, a prominent Korean theater award. She is also the only actress to have won the Dong-A Theatre Award for Best Actress three times: for her lead role as Ondal's mother in Where and How Shall We Meet? (1971, 7th edition); and for supporting roles as the second wife in The Egg and the aunt in A Country as Far as the Sky (1986, 22nd edition), as well as Monique in Women in Crisis (1987, 23rd edition).
Park Jeong-ja has also achieved significant recognition as a film actress. She received the Grand Bell Awards for Best Supporting Actress twice: in 1975 for director Kim Ki-young's The Promise of the Flesh, and in 1985 for director Jeong Jin-woo's The MA-NIM. Her other notable film appearances include Growing Generously, Anemone, and Widow's Dance.
Since its establishment in 2005, Park Jeong-ja has served as chairman of the board of directors for the Korea Activist Welfare Foundation, supporting medical and living expenses for theater practitioners. In 2007, the government awarded her the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit. In 2008, She was granted membership in the National Academy of Arts of Korea.
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Early life and education
Park Jeong-ja, the youngest of five children, was born on March 12, 1942, in Sorae Port, Namdong District, Incheon, Korea, Empire of Japan. Her father was a native of Incheon, while her mother originated from Ganghwa Island. Her Japanese name was Masako (正子). Her father selected Chinese character "Baaljeong (正)" as the middle character for her name. Reflecting on her name, Park later commented, "It is uncommon for a woman's name to include the character 'Baaljeong.' However, I believe that 'brightness' has been a guiding force in my life, bringing me to where I am today."
During her childhood in Seaside Town, she was surrounded by salt farms and narrow-gauge trains. Her father ran a brewery wholesale business called Cheonil Sanghoe in Sorae Port and also served as the village head. In the wake of Korea's liberation in 1945, her family moved to Sinheung-dong, Incheon, settling in a Jeoksan House previously occupied by Japanese residents. However, that same year, her father fell ill and died. Following his death, Park Jeong-ja's family relocated to Yongsan, Seoul. There, her mother opened a textile factory to support her five children.
It was in Seoul that Park first encountered the world of theater. In April 1950, she witnessed the play "Wonsullang" at Bumin-gwan, a theater then located where Seoul City Hall now stands. She was able to attend plays thanks to her older brother, Park Sang-ho, who worked as a research student at Shinhyup Theater Company. In that era, television was non-existent, and radios were only found in one out of every ten households, making the opportunity to attend live theater a privilege.I saw my first play when I was nine years old (Korean Age). In April 1950, before the June 25 Incident occurred, at the theater now called Bumin-gwan. My brother appeared in a minor role in 'Wonsulang' written and directed by Yoo Chi-jin (柳致眞, 1905-1974). I was ecstatic. Even now, I still remember that scene. Kim Dong-hoon (金東勳) plays the lead role of Won-sullang, Kim Seon-yeong (金仙英) plays Jin Dal-rae, the girl who follows Won-sullang, and Baek Seong-hee (白星姬) plays the princess who is Won-sullang's fiancée. Kim Sun-young was a North Korean actress during the June 25 Uprising. She was short, had a sonorous voice, and was an impressively tall actress.Following the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, on June 25, Park Jeong-ja's older brother fled to Daegu with the Shinhyup Theater Company. He enlisted locally and participated in consolation performances as a member of the military art corps. Meanwhile, her mother took her four young daughters to seek refuge in her hometown, Ganghwa Island. After the January 4, 1951, retreat, her family relocated again, this time to Jeju Island. Park distinctly recalls embarking on a US military ship, the LST, from Wolmido to Jeju Island. During their stay, her mother frequently traveled between Jeju, Daegu, and Mokpo, buying and selling various goods to make a living. These memories have led Park to consider Jongdal-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju, as another hometown. She occasionally visits to reminisce about those days, especially when she misses her mother.
Career
Beginning as voice actress
Park's passion for acting motivated her to pursue a career in voice acting, as radio was the primary form of entertainment before widespread television access. In 1963, during her third year of university, Dong-A Broadcasting was established and announced open recruitment for voice actors. Despite fierce competition—approximately 150 applicants per position—Park applied. She successfully passed the first, second, and third rounds of exams. However, a university prohibition on students appearing in broadcasts created a dilemma, and Park ultimately chose to drop out.
During her time as a voice actor, Park worked alongside classmates and other theater actors who also ventured into radio voice acting, including Sami-ja, Jeon Won-ju, and Kim Moo-saeng. She also collaborated with established theater actors like Jang Min-ho and Na Ok-ju. This experience helped her further develop her theater acting skills, including improving her pronunciation.
Upon the request of university president Kim Gap-soon (1914–2005), Park continued to practice theater with students after work and perform on stage. In 1964, they staged Federico García Lorca's play Blood Wedding at the National Theater of Korea in Myeongdong. It was during this period that she met director Kim Jeong-ok, who later became her lifelong theater companion. Kim Jeong-ok was a prominent director from the Minjung Theater. In addition to teaching and directing at The Ewha Womans University College of Liberal Arts Theater Department (이화여대 문리대 연극부), he was also a professor of Theater and Film Studies at Chung-Ang University.
Career as member of Jayu Theater
In 1966, Kim Jeong-ok and Lee Byung-bok established Jayu Theater, inviting actors from the "Minjung Theater" such as Na Ok-ju, Kim Hye-ja, Ham Hyun-jin, and Choi Sang-hyun as founding members. Na Ok-ju recommended Park to join. Park agreed, pleased to work in the same troupe with Kim Jeong-ok. Subsequently, the company expanded its roster to include actors Kim Yong-rim, Yoon So-jung, Kim Gwan-soo, Choi Bul-am, Moon Oh-jang, and even film director Kim Hong-sik.
In March 1966, they gathered at "Hyangwon," a renowned restaurant in Jingogae. Following the founding meeting, with Lee Byung-bok as the representative, Jayu Theater was officially established on April 29. Jayu's inaugural performance was The Feast of the Followers, an Italian farce by Eduardo De Filippo (original title: Poverty and Nobility) about poor servants disguising themselves as nobles. At Kim Jeong-ok's suggestion, Jayu Theater initially planned to stage Friedrich Dürrenmatt's The Physicists. However, due to its difficulty and philosophical nature, they changed the play to The Feast of the Followers. With less than a month until the performance date, they felt pressure and urgency. They rehearsed tirelessly in Lee Byung-bok's reception room in Jangchung-dong. Despite the challenging start, the performance was well-received, particularly for the actors' strong acting. This successful production marked the beginning of Jayu Theater's journey.Like the saying 'There must be a small hill for a cow,' I, too, had a definite small hill in my life. Established in June 1966, the theater company called "Jayu" (Freedom) has one of the longest histories in the Korean theater industry. To me, Jayu was not just a simple hill, but a place that felt like home. Jayu was the starting point where I, Park Jeong-ja, an aspiring actress, could have the space and time to become a star in the theater world.During her time with Jayu, Park participated in notable productions including The Feast of the Followers, The Diver Ashore, Murder Fantasy, Marius, The Medal of the Dead, Song of the Sad Cafe, Confessions for a Black Prostitute, Where and What Will We Become?, Couple Practice, and approximately 30 other works.
After years on stage with Jayu, some productions intertwine with Park's personal history, notably Where and How Shall We Meet?, written by Choi In-hoon and directed by Kim Jeong-ok. In the original 1970 production at Myeongdong National Theater, and its 1974 and 1986 revivals, Park portrayed On Dal's Mother. Throughout the play, she remained silent until her son, On Dal, died in battle and her daughter-in-law, Princess Pyeonggang, lost her life opposing the rival political faction. Left alone onstage, she delivered a soliloquy, saying, "Is it snowing...? Why is he so late?" It was during this production in 1970 that Park received her first Dong-A Theatre Award. During the 1974 performance, Park took to the stage in her final term of pregnancy. In an early scene where she had to lie on the floor upon meeting the princess, she worried the fetus might shift. The baby moved so much that she was concerned about such an occurrence. In the dressing room, she gasped for breath, barely making it onto the stage to endure each day's performance.
Works with Sanullim Theater
Park first work with director Lim Young-woong CEO of Sanullim Theater, was play in 'A Country As Far As the Sky'. She acted alongside Jeon Jeon-song, Joo Ho-seong, Jo Myeong-nam and Baek Seong-hee. In January 1986, Park won her second Dong-A Theatre Award for her performance.
In 1986, Lim Young-woong planned Korean adaptations of Simone de Beauvoir's play Women in Crisis to commemorate the first anniversary of Sanullim Theater's opening. As CEO Lim sought an actress for the female lead, he asked Park for recommendations. Park suggested Kim Hye-ja and Kim Min-ja, but both were unavailable. Park then recommended herself. CEO Lim initially rejected the idea, expecting a more established actress, which wounded Park's pride. Eventually, CEO Lim approached her, handed her the script, and suggested she join the production.
The play was a success. From the VIP performance on March 30, the response was exceptional. Lee Byeong-bok, CEO of Jayu Theater Company, told director Lim, "Thank you for making Park Jeong-ja a woman." From the next day, housewife audiences flocked to Sanullim Small Theater. Audiences reacted strongly to lines spoken by Cho Myeong-nam, who played her husband, and when Park Jeong-ja's character complained, many housewives sobbed. The play's popularity was such that it was covered in the social section of newspapers rather than the cultural section. Park described it as a work that drew a large audience and marked a significant moment in Korean theater. For her role as Monique, Park received the Dong-A Theatre Award, Baeksang Arts Award, and Seoul Drama Critics Group Award, achieving a triple crown in the theater industry.
However, that year coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Jayu Theater Company, which chose Where and How Shall We Meet?, based on Choi In-hoon's work, for its commemoration. A strained relationship developed between two prominent Korean theater directors, Kim Jeong-ok and Lim Young-woong, as neither wanted to relinquish Park. Park stated that the clash between the two directors made her feel trapped, marking it as the most challenging moment in her career. Women in Crisis continued to play to packed houses daily throughout the summer. While an unprecedented hit had emerged after a long time, its lead actress was contemplating stepping down, torn between the two theater companies. After much negotiation, Park chose Jayu's production. Women in Crisis continued its run with a change in its lead actress. Kim Jeong-ok avoided making eye contact with Park for sometime, but he finally praised her after her first performance saying that Park shines onstage.
Other activities
In May 2005, the Theater People's Welfare Foundation was established, with Park assuming the role of its inaugural president. The is to support the stability of actors' lives in retirement and scholarship programs for their children. Initially hesitant about creating an organization for the theater, Park was eventually persuaded by her colleagues. Park also believed that she had benefited greatly from theater and should contribute back to the theater community.
Personal life
Park Jeong-ja met her future husband through her friend Lee Ji-seon, a reporter for Women Donga. Lee Ji-seon sought Park's help to organize a consolation performance for a military unit in Gangwon Province, where her brother, Lieutenant Lee Ji-song, was stationed. During Lieutenant Lee Ji-song's break from duty, Park and Lee Ji-seon met to discuss the upcoming performance. Alongside their colleagues Choo Song-woong and Ham Hyun-jin, members of the theater group Jayu, they passionately planned and performed the play Friendship. This collaboration and shared experience forged a deep bond, leading to a relationship between Park and Lieutenant Lee Ji-song.
The couple faced opposition from both families due to their four-year age gap, with Park being older. Lee's mother, in particular, strongly objected to their relationship. She was concerned about Lee's career transition from interior design to the advertising industry, believing his decision was solely motivated by his desire to marry Park. This intensified her worries about the perceived instability of his profession. Despite this familial opposition, Park and Lee remained steadfast, marrying in 1972 when Park was 30 and Lee was 26. They had a son and a daughter during their marriage.
In 1973, after graduating from the Department of Western Painting at Hongik University, Lee Ji-song entered the advertising industry. He worked as a commercial director at Manbosa, Yonhap Advertising, Sejong Culture, and Cheil Worldwide, among other companies like Bravocon and Young Age. He became known for creating successful commercials, including one for Ghana Chocolate.