2016–present: Mainstream popularity
In 2016, Park starred in the youth historical drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth alongside Go Ara and Park Hyung-sik, playing a young man of low birth, who becomes a legendary Hwarang warrior in the Silla period.
Park found success in the 2017 KBS2 romance comedy drama, Fight for My Way, where he played Ko Dong-man, a former taekwondo player with a painful past, who struggles to find his success as a mixed martial arts fighter, alongside Kim Ji-won. The television series was a major hit in South Korea and topped ratings in its time slot.
The same year, he played his first big-screen leading role in the action-comedy Midnight Runners with Kang Ha-neul. Park won the Best New Actor award at major film award ceremonies such as the Grand Bell Awards and the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. In 2018, Park starred in the romantic comedy drama What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, playing a narcissistic vice-chairman of a major corporation who falls in love with his secretary, played by Park Min-young. The series was a hit and Park received positive reviews from critics for his performance, being dubbed the "master of romantic comedy" by the Korean press.
In 2019, Park starred in the action horror film The Divine Fury in the role of a martial arts champion with divine powers. The same year, Park served as the special juror for the Asiana International Short Film Festival. He also made a guest appearance in the Oscar-winning movie Parasite (2019). In 2020, Park starred in JTBC drama Itaewon Class, based on the webtoon of the same name. He played an owner of a bar-restaurant who successfully expands it into a franchise. The drama was a success, and was praised for its interesting story development and colorful performances. For his role, Park was nominated for Best Actor - Television at 56th Baeksang Arts Awards In 2023, he starred in the sports film Dream as a soccer player turned coach named Yoon Hong-Dae, directed by Lee Byeong-heon, and disaster-thriller film Concrete Utopia directed by Um Tae-hwa. He made his Hollywood debut, appearing in the MCU film The Marvels as Prince Yan of Aladna.
Park starred in the romance drama series Surely Tomorrow opposite Won Ji-an which premiered in JTBC in 2025.
