[FEATURE] From a ‘tearful’ child actor to a promising Hallyu star: The artistic evolution of Park Jihoon

Everyone knows him as the wink boy of WANNAONE. In that one split-second during the first ‘Pick Me’ (나야나) performance of the trainees in Produce 101 Season 2, Maroo Entertainment’s Park Jihoon got the Hallyu community at the palm of his hands.

He’s one of the few contestants of the program who was steadily becoming the talk of the town. He was able to attract enough admirers very early in the show and established a loyal fanbase which helped him to constantly secur a spot not lower than the third rank all throughout the idol project.

Because of this, Jihoon easily won PD 101 S2 in second place and later on debuted as a member of one of Hallyu’s most successful groups by far, WANNAONE.

However, unknown to many non-WANNABLES, Jihoon’s artistic career did not really commence during his legendary wink in ‘Pick Me.’

It actually goes way back—in 2006, to be specific—when he played the role of a poor kid in hit television series Jumong. Jihoon’s realistic portrayal of a pitiful child whose crying could dominate a whole scene captured the hearts of many—all while having the viewers be endeared by his squishy cheeks and cute antics.

His performance in Jumong was followed by a few more dramas, namely: One Thousand & One Nights (2007), The King and I (2007) and Iljimae (2008). In all of these, Jihoon was able to portray his child characters elaborately, precisely, and creatively, despite his then young age. Surely, as a child, Jihoon already has in him what it takes to be a star in his own right!

His A+ crying acts in the mentioned dramas—which were all well-received by both viewers and his fellow artists—paved the way for his guesting in some variety shows in South Korean television. One of which was his famous KM Idol World guesting with one of the idol groups of today which undeniably helped build the solid foundations of Hallyu, YG Entertainment’s Big Bang.

In the show’s episode, Big Bang leader G-Dragon and young Jihoon competed against each other. The dare: whoever gets to cry first, wins. To the astonishment of both the show’s host and the idol group, Jihoon was able to produce tears within seconds. This will, later on, be listed in idol Jihoon’s number of achievements as an artist—being able to beat Hallyu star G-Dragon in a crying game.

Aside from this, Jihoon also appeared in other variety and reality shows; two of which are Star Golden Bell (2008), and the Tooniverse sitcom Just Like That Show (2011). He also has a career in theater which many are unaware of. He was part of the cast of a number of musical theater plays when he was a kid, like The Harmonium in My Memory, Peter Pan, and Radio Star.

This only goes to show how, even as a kid, Jihoon had already proven his natural talent in acting, singing, and dancing. We definitely stan an all-around performer!

In his teen days, Jihoon entered entertainment companies as a trainee aspiring to be an idol. His first entertainment agency was the famed SM Entertainment, which he later on left (due to reasons undisclosed) for Fantagio.

In Fantagio, he trained with members of future idol group Astro but failed to debut with them due to a knee injury before the members of Astro were revealed to the public. He then left Fantagio after some time and finally entered Maroo Entertainment, his current entertainment agency.

Jihoon was under the supervision of Maroo Entertainment when he joined the second season of the prominent idol project program of Mnet, Produce 101, and still is.

It was during this program that he was able to completely show his abilities as an idol performer. Through the number of stages he took part in throughout the show, Jihoon was definitely successful in presenting to the public not only his range of talents (including his being a pro in doing aegyo) but also his different sides both as your everyday person and as a Hallyu star-in-the-making.

He was undoubtedly able to prove that he’s more than worthy to secure a spot in the final group which the show debuted. And so he did. On August 2017, Jihoon debuted as WANNAONE’s lead dancer, sub-rapper, sub-vocalist, and—what goes without saying—one of the group’s visuals.

As the group officially disbanded early this year, Jihoon was expected to embark on his own journey as a solo artist. He, of course, did not disappoint—just a little after the disbandment, Maroo Entertainment announced Jihoon’s first Asia solo fan meeting tour entitled ‘First Edition’ which commenced in Seoul last February 9. It was a huge success, with 7,000 Mays—what Jihoon’s fans are called—and some of his fellow-WANNAONE members in attendance to support Jihoon’s start as a solo artist.

Furthermore, just last February 19, Maroo Entertainment confirmed that Jihoon will officially have his solo debut in March, and that he is already currently doing necessary preparations for it, including the filming of his first solo music video.

Mays are definitely in for many good things this 2019!

Right now, things are still unclear as to what is waiting for Jihoon once he finally enters the Hallyu industry as a solo act. What is certain, though, is the fact that as far as the career from his childhood era until his WANNAONE era is concerned, Jihoon is a promising artist who has a lot to offer his audience. Thus, it is an obvious fact that we should look out for him to see how much better his evolution as an artist will turn out to be!

For now, Jihoon’s Filipino Mays have the chance to witness the talented gem that is Park Jihoon on March 15, Friday, 7 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets will start selling on February 24 at 12 noon, so you better have your savings ready already!