Park Jung-sook, from 'Dae Jang Geum' Queen Consort to public official

Park Jung-sook, the actress and broadcaster who left a deep impression as Queen Munjeong in the MBC drama 'Dae Jang Geum,' has revealed her life after leaving the entertainment industry. After concluding her career as an actress and broadcaster, she worked in international organizations and academia and is currently serving as the head of a public institution under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, overseeing women and family policies.

Recently, a video titled "Park Jung-sook, the former 'Dae Jang Geum' actress and MC, chose this path after leaving the entertainment industry | Park Jung-sook, President of the Seoul Foundation for Women & Family" was released on the YouTube channel 'Jo Eun-joo's Q'. During the appearance, Park appeared before the public for the first time in a long while to personally explain her life after acting and the background of her new career path.

Park stated that she is currently serving as the President of the Seoul Foundation for Women & Family, an institution under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and is in charge of policies related to women and families.

"I am currently in charge of overseeing women and family policies for the Seoul Metropolitan Government," she said, adding, "I believe the field of media is a very attractive area with significant social influence."

Reflecting on her broadcasting career, she recalled, "The period I worked in media was not as long as you might think. I was active from 1992 to 2003, and the drama 'Dae Jang Geum' was essentially my last work. It has already been over 20 years."

She explained that after leaving the entertainment industry, she built a new career in a completely different field.

"After that, I served as the head of an international organization and also taught students at a university. Now, I am working as the head of a public institution," Park said with a laugh, adding, "Those seeing me for the first time in a long while might think, 'She has changed so much' or 'So much time has passed.'"

She also spoke in detail about the motivation for finishing her acting career and choosing a new path.

"Originally, I started my work promoting the Daejeon Expo as a promotional ambassador, traveling to many countries around the world to promote the Republic of Korea," Park explained. "Then, while appearing in 'Dae Jang Geum', I encountered another unexpected opportunity."

In particular, she stated that she personally experienced the process of Hallyu (Korean Wave) spreading in earnest as 'Dae Jang Geum' achieved global success.

"Through 'Dae Jang Geum', my face was also known overseas, and Hallyu began to receive global attention. During that period, while taking a break from activities, I thought about how it might be to study abroad," she said.

The experience of staying abroad became a decisive turning point for her career path.

"When I went abroad, I found that many people remembered me as the Queen Consort from 'Dae Jang Geum'," Park revealed. "In that process, I realized that many people understand Hallyu simply as the export of dramas or content."

She continued, "I came to study that Hallyu is not just a matter of the cultural content industry, but a matter of national public policy and an important pillar of cultural diplomacy. Since then, I have become more interested in the fields of cultural policy and public administration."

She also looked back on her days as a broadcaster.

Having entered the broadcasting industry through the live broadcast of the 1993 KBS Daejeon Expo, Park proved her stable broadcasting skills by serving as an MC for various programs, such as SBS 'Start! Morning Wide', EBS 'Scholarship Quiz', and MBC 'Talk Show with Im Seong-hoon'.

In 2003, she played the role of Queen Munjeong in the MBC historical drama 'Dae Jang Geum', leaving a strong impression on viewers both domestically and abroad. After concluding her entertainment activities, she continued her new career in international organizations, educational institutions, and the public sector.

She also shared stories about her private life.

Park married National Assembly member Lee Jae-yeong in 2012 and has a son.

"I married at forty-two and had a child at forty-three," she said calmly. "I met my husband, who was working at an international organization, and married him. After marriage, my husband took the path of a politician. Through that, I also learned a lot about how the world is much more complex and not as easy as one might think."

Leaving behind her public image as an actress, Park has carved out a new life as a policy expert through international organizations, academia, and public administration. Her recent activities are leaving a deep impression and a sense of pleasant surprise on viewers encountering her after a long time.