Park Bo-gum recreates Lee Young in royal attire 10 years later

Actor Park Bo-gum appeared as if he had returned to his role as Lee Young from 'Love in the Moonlight,' donning crown prince attire for the first time in 10 years. Although his weight has increased by 11kg over the decade, the moment he put on the royal robes and official hat, his unique aura was revived, summoning memories of that era. It is as if his youthful image from the drama and his mature presence as an actor today have overlapped in a single scene.

On the 16th, Kim You-jung released several photos on her SNS taken with Park Bo-gum, Jinyoung, Chae Soo-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon. It is a gathering of the 'Youthful Five' to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the KBS2 drama 'Love in the Moonlight.'

The most eye-catching figure in the photos was Park Bo-gum. He appeared wearing the crown prince's robes and official hat, reminiscent of when he played Crown Prince Lee Young in 'Love in the Moonlight.' Sitting side-by-side with the members evoked a scene from the drama 10 years ago, and Park Bo-gum even took a selfie himself by holding his phone forward while still in his royal attire.

Although 10 years have passed since the drama first aired, the moment the crown prince's robes and hat—the visual symbols of the character—were added, traces of his image from that time were immediately revived. The sight of an actor re-embodying a character from a representative past work after a long time is more than just a simple memory; it is a moment that confirms the enduring relationship between the actor and the work.

In the KBS2 special program 'Moonlight Drawn Again by Clouds' broadcast on the same day, interesting stories emerged that allowed for a comparison between the cast's past and present.

When Jinyoung, who was eating corn, revealed that his current weight is 66kg, Park Bo-gum asked, "How much do you weigh, hyung?" Upon Jinyoung revealing his weight, Park Bo-gum expressed admiration, saying, "You really managed yourself well."

Then, Park Bo-gum revealed his weight from 10 years ago. He said, "I was 65kg when I filmed 'Love in the Moonlight.'" Regarding his current weight, he confessed, "Lately, it's been going up like 73kg, 74kg, 75kg," before finally revealing, "Actually, I'm 76kg right now."

Since Park Bo-gum, who was 65kg when playing Crown Prince Lee Young 10 years ago, revealed he is now 76kg, it is an 11kg change if looking only at the numbers. However, there is no need to interpret this simply as a "change in appearance that could not overcome time." It is a natural process for an actor in his mid-20s to experience changes in physical condition and lifestyle as he enters his mid-30s, and one cannot judge an actor's appearance or health status based solely on the single metric of weight.

Rather, what should be noted in this reunion is the "character's time" rather than the numbers. 'Love in the Moonlight' gained great popularity when it aired in 2016 by depicting the love between Crown Prince Lee Young and Hong Ra-on against the backdrop of the Joseon period. Park Bo-gum strongly imprinted his presence on the public by playing Crown Prince Lee Young, a character possessing both playfulness and charisma.

In particular, Lee Young is a character considered a major turning point in Park Bo-gum's acting career. Immediately after gaining attention as Choi Taek in 'Reply 1988,' he took the lead role in 'Love in the Moonlight,' solidifying his position as a youthful star. His neat appearance, which pulled off the *hanbok* and royal court costumes, combined with his restrained emotional expression and romantic acting, formed the powerful image of "Crown Prince Park Bo-gum."

Since then, Park Bo-gum's field of activity has expanded rapidly. He has broadened his range from modern dramas like 'Encounter' and 'Record of Youth' to films, variety shows, and even stage performances, and recently, he has been active as an actor who handles diverse characters and genres rather than staying within his past youthful star image.

The fact that Park Bo-gum has worn the crown prince's attire again after 10 years carries more meaning than a simple costume event. This is because it is a device that most intuitively shows that the actor of the past and the actor of the present are the same person. What remains more strongly than detailed changes in the face or fluctuations in weight is the actor's image formed through the character.

'Moonlight Drawn Again by Clouds' also remains for the cast not just as a past work, but as a work through which they shared a period of their acting lives. Park Bo-gum, Kim You-jung, Jinyoung, Chae Soo-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon greatly increased their public recognition through the work, and even 10 years later, the reunion itself becomes a hot topic, showing that the influence of the work continues.

In particular, the scene where Park Bo-gum wears the crown prince's attire and takes a selfie with the members was a moment where "the past" and "the present" were recorded simultaneously. While he stood before the camera as a crown prince 10 years ago, he is now an actor recording real memories alongside his fellow cast members.

The weight change can be viewed in the same context. The shift from 65kg to 76kg is clear, but that number alone cannot evaluate the changes of a decade. The slim silhouette required of a young actor in his 20s is not the same as the range of roles and images available to an actor in his 30s. An actor's physical changes can fluctuate based on the requirements of a role or naturally follow the passage of time and lifestyle.

Rather, in the scene where Park Bo-gum laughed while saying, "It's been going up like 73kg, 74kg, 75kg," one could see his comfortable attitude toward both his past and present self. Instead of trying to match his present to his past numbers, he is embracing the natural flow of time.

Above all, the image of the 65kg Park Bo-gum from 10 years ago and the 76kg Park Bo-gum of today appearing together in the same crown prince attire symbolically represents the time 'Love in the Moonlight' has shared with its actors and viewers.

Youth may pass, but characters do not disappear. An actor moves forward into the next stage while carrying that character with them. For Park Bo-gum, Lee Young remains a part of his memory, but he is no longer just the actor from that time; he is the Park Bo-gum who has lived through it.

This is why seeing him in royal attire after 10 years is so meaningful. While the 11kg difference might be the first thing people notice, the photo truly evokes not a change in weight, but the face of the youth who defined an era.