On April 12, 2026, viewers across South Korea tuned in to SBS’s popular variety show My Ugly Duckling to find veteran actor Park Joong-hoon in the guest seat, candidly sharing stories about his milestone 60th birthday and the family he holds dear. The episode quickly became a talking point, not just for Park’s trademark wit and warmth, but for the rare glimpse it offered into his private world—one shaped by a philosophy of parenting that’s as unconventional as it is heartfelt.
Park, whose career has spanned decades and inspired many, kicked off the broadcast with a laugh as he recounted the behind-the-scenes of his recent birthday celebration. Despite explicitly telling friends and family not to bring gifts or cakes, he found himself showered with both. "I told everyone not to bring anything, but they all did," he said with a chuckle, according to OSEN. Among the surprises, one guest even brought a traditional Korean gold bar—a gift that drew both amusement and appreciation from the actor. "Honestly, when I received it, it felt pretty good," Park admitted, his genuine delight shining through.
The conversation soon turned to his children, whose lives and careers became a focal point of both pride and reflection. Photos of the three—each inheriting Park’s distinctive features—flashed across the screen, prompting a chorus of compliments from the show’s hosts and panelists. “They’re beautiful,” one remarked, while another noted, “Your son looks just like you!” as reported by Seoul Shinmun.
But it wasn’t just their looks that impressed. Park’s eldest son is now an AI education consultant, the second child works as an IT designer, and the youngest daughter recently graduated from the University of California—a set of achievements that led many to praise Park’s “successful parenting.” The actor, however, was quick to deflect credit, instead offering insight into his unique approach. "I tend to let my kids do what they want," he explained, a sentiment echoed repeatedly throughout the broadcast. "It’s not neglect; it’s about giving them autonomy." According to Money Today, Park elaborated, "Parents can’t control everything. They have to experience things themselves to truly learn."
This philosophy was put to the test when his eldest son, now 30, volunteered for an eight-month military deployment in South Sudan, a region known for its danger and instability due to ongoing civil war. Park recalled his initial worries but ultimately supported his son’s decision. “He wanted to go, so I agreed,” Park said, making a clear distinction between mere permission and genuine support. As NEWSIS reported, he explained, “I didn’t just allow it—I supported it because it was his choice.”
Park’s belief in experiential learning came under playful scrutiny from the show’s MCs. Shin Dong-yup, always ready with a hypothetical, asked, "What if your daughter brings home a man who seems like a scammer? Would you still give her autonomy?" Fellow host Seo Jang-hoon upped the ante, suggesting the man might even be jobless and in debt. Park, momentarily flustered, stood his ground. "That’s still her decision," he replied. He went on to invoke Shakespeare, saying, "If Romeo and Juliet had been left alone, they would’ve broken up on their own." The audience burst into laughter, but the message was clear: Park trusts experience, not parental intervention, to teach life’s hardest lessons.
Beyond parenting, the episode highlighted Park’s remarkable memory for names—a trait that’s become legendary on film sets. Inspired by fellow actor Chow Yun-fat, Park makes it a point to learn and remember the names of hundreds of staff members on each project. "The basic of any human relationship is calling someone by their name," he said, according to OSEN. This practice, he believes, fosters respect and camaraderie, values he holds as dearly as those he instills at home.
Family, for Park, is not just a source of pride but a partnership of equals. He described his children not as extensions of himself, but as individuals living their own lives. "They’re not living my past—they’re living as people of their own era," he shared on air, as Cheonji Ilbo noted. "When you see them that way, you can be friends." This attitude, coupled with his wife’s influence, seems to have shaped the family’s dynamic. Park met his wife—a third-generation Korean-Japanese woman—while studying in New York. Their relationship, he once recalled, was built on serendipitous meetings and the challenge of communicating in English, which, he said, "actually made us talk things out more slowly and prevented long arguments." The couple married in 1994 and have maintained a family-centered life ever since.
The broadcast also offered lighter moments, particularly when Park recounted the birthday gift his children gave him: a bundle of cash worth one million won. The presentation was as memorable as the amount. "I pulled on the string and the money came out, just like bursting a wrapping cloth," he said, drawing laughter from the studio. Watching a video of fellow actor Kim Seung-soo preparing a similar surprise for his own mother’s 80th birthday, Park couldn’t help but reminisce about the joy his children’s gesture brought him. "It felt amazing," he said, his smile infectious.
Park’s openness about his family has only recently become public. In 2024, he shared images of his children for the first time on television, expressing his respect for their choices and their lives. The renewed attention from this latest appearance has reignited public interest in the actor’s private life and parenting style. As NEWSIS and Money Today both observed, Park’s story resonates with many parents wrestling with the balance between guidance and autonomy in a fast-changing world.
The episode closed with Park and MC Shin Dong-yup exchanging playful banter, their easy rapport adding levity to the evening. For all the laughter and light-hearted moments, it was Park’s steadfast belief in his children’s independence—and his willingness to support them, even when their choices led them far from his own path—that left the deepest impression.
It seems that for Park Joong-hoon, the real measure of success is not found on the stage or screen, but in the lives and happiness of those closest to him.