Park Jeong-ja (, born March 12, 1942) is a South Korean actress. She made her debut as a theater actor in 1962. She became the first actress to receive the in 1997, a prominent Korean theater award. She is also the only actress to have won the for Best Actress three times: for her lead role as Ondal's mother in Where and How Shall We Meet? (1971, 7th edition); and for supporting roles as the second wife in The Egg and the aunt in A Country as Far as the Sky (1986, 22nd edition), as well as Monique in Women in Crisis (1987, 23rd edition).

Park Jeong-ja has also achieved significant recognition as a film actress. She received the Grand Bell Awards for Best Supporting Actress twice: in 1975 for director Kim Ki-young's The Promise of the Flesh, and in 1985 for director Jeong Jin-woo's The MA-NIM. Her other notable film appearances include Growing Generously, Anemone, and Widow's Dance.

Since its establishment in 2005, Park Jeong-ja has served as chairman of the board of directors for the Korea Activist Welfare Foundation, supporting medical and living expenses for theater practitioners. In 2007, the government awarded her the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit. In 2008, She was granted membership in the .

Early life and education Park Jeong-ja, the youngest of five children, was born on March 12, 1942, in , Namdong District, Incheon, Korea, Empire of Japan. Her father was a native of Incheon, while her mother originated from Ganghwa Island. Her Japanese name was Masako (正子). Her father selected Chinese character "Baaljeong (正)" as the middle character for her name. Reflecting on her name, Park later commented, "It is uncommon for a woman's name to include the character 'Baaljeong.' However, I believe that 'brightness' has been a guiding force in my life, bringing me to where I am today."

During her childhood in Seaside Town, she was surrounded by salt farms and narrow-gauge trains. Her father ran a brewery wholesale business called Cheonil Sanghoe in and also served as the village head. In the wake of Korea's liberation in 1945, her family moved to Sinheung-dong, Incheon, settling in a Jeoksan House previously occupied by Japanese residents. However, that same year, her father fell ill and died. Following his death, Park Jeong-ja's family relocated to Yongsan, Seoul. There, her mother opened a textile factory to support her five children.

It was in Seoul that Park first encountered the world of theater. In April 1950, she witnessed the play "Wonsullang" at Bumin-gwan, a theater then located where Seoul City Hall now stands. She was able to attend plays thanks to her older brother, , who worked as a research student at Shinhyup Theater Company. In that era, television was non-existent, and radios were only found in one out of every ten households, making the opportunity to attend live theater a privilege.I saw my first play when I was nine years old (Korean Age). In April 1950, before the June 25 Incident occurred, at the theater now called Bumin-gwan. My brother appeared in a minor role in 'Wonsulang' written and directed by (柳致眞, 1905-1974). I was ecstatic. Even now, I still remember that scene. Kim Dong-hoon (金東勳) plays the lead role of Won-sullang, Kim Seon-yeong (金仙英) plays Jin Dal-rae, the girl who follows Won-sullang, and Baek Seong-hee (白星姬) plays the princess who is Won-sullang's fiancée. Kim Sun-young was a North Korean actress during the June 25 Uprising. She was short, had a sonorous voice, and was an impressively tall actress.Following the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, on June 25, Park Jeong-ja's older brother fled to Daegu with the Shinhyup Theater Company. He enlisted locally and participated in consolation performances as a member of the military art corps. Meanwhile, her mother took her four young daughters to seek refuge in her hometown, Ganghwa Island. After the January 4, 1951, retreat, her family relocated again, this time to Jeju Island. Park distinctly recalls embarking on a US military ship, the LST, from Wolmido to Jeju Island. During their stay, her mother frequently traveled between Jeju, Daegu, and Mokpo, buying and selling various goods to make a living. These memories have led Park to consider Jongdal-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju, as another hometown. She occasionally visits to reminisce about those days, especially when she misses her mother.

After three years of war, an armistice was declared, and Park's family returned to Incheon. She transferred to the 4th grade at Parkmun Elementary School, continuing her education in her hometown until the beginning of the 6th grade. During her time at Parkmun Elementary School, each grade had only one class, and all students were female. The school was situated within Dapdong Cathedral, leading her to spend significant time in the church's front yard. She also appeared in a Sunday school play, which led her to wonder why such an enjoyable activity occurred only once a year on Christmas. After returning to Seoul, Park engaged in various activities during her middle and high school years at Jinmyeong Girls' Middle and High School. She participated in oratory, choir, and Korean dance. The stage became her calling, and she embraced every opportunity to perform, showcasing her talent and dedication.

During her university entrance exam preparations, Chung-Ang University established a Theater and Film Department. Park, however, chose not to apply, instead unexpectedly pursuing Journalism at Ewha Womans University. In her freshman year, Park intentionally avoided theater, deeming her prior experiences sufficient. She found university theater somewhat juvenile and uninteresting, thus neither auditioning nor participating. By her sophomore year, however, theater's pull became irresistible. In 1962, during her second year, Park auditioned for Jean Racine's Phèdre, produced by The Ewha Womans University College of Liberal Arts Theater Department (이화여대 문리대 연극부). A series of humbling experiences followed: despite her confidence in securing the lead role of Phaedra, Park was cast as Panov, a maid with only 16 lines. Her onstage stiffness and a mistake led to a scolding from director.

Starting in 1962, Park actively participated in three plays during her university years. The following year, she performed in The House of Bernarda Alba, directed by Heo Gyu (許珪, 1934-2000). She received rave reviews for her role as an 80-year-old woman, with one critic commenting that "college plays threaten established plays." These experiences laid a solid foundation for her career, largely due to the unique nature of The Ewha Womans University College of Liberal Arts Theater Department (이화여대 문리대 연극부). It functioned beyond a typical club or departmental project, embodying a "college of arts play" concept. Performances occurred at prestigious venues like the Drama Center and Myeongdong Art Theater, not just the university auditorium. Renowned professional directors guided the productions, resulting in significant acclaim.

Career

Beginning as voice actress Park's passion for acting motivated her to pursue a career in voice acting, as radio was the primary form of entertainment before widespread television access. In 1963, during her third year of university, Dong-A Broadcasting was established and announced open recruitment for voice actors. Despite fierce competition—approximately 150 applicants per position—Park applied. She successfully passed the first, second, and third rounds of exams. However, a university prohibition on students appearing in broadcasts created a dilemma, and Park ultimately chose to drop out.

During her time as a voice actor, Park worked alongside classmates and other theater actors who also ventured into radio voice acting, including Sami-ja, Jeon Won-ju, and Kim Moo-saeng. She also collaborated with established theater actors like Jang Min-ho and Na Ok-ju. This experience helped her further develop her theater acting skills, including improving her pronunciation.

Upon the request of university president Kim Gap-soon (1914–2005), Park continued to practice theater with students after work and perform on stage. In 1964, they staged Federico García Lorca's play Blood Wedding at the National Theater of Korea in Myeongdong. It was during this period that she met director Kim Jeong-ok, who later became her lifelong theater companion. Kim Jeong-ok was a prominent director from the Minjung Theater. In addition to teaching and directing at The Ewha Womans University College of Liberal Arts Theater Department (이화여대 문리대 연극부), he was also a professor of Theater and Film Studies at Chung-Ang University.

Career as member of Jayu Theater

In 1966, Kim Jeong-ok and Lee Byung-bok established Jayu Theater, inviting actors from the "Minjung Theater" such as Na Ok-ju, Kim Hye-ja, Ham Hyun-jin, and Choi Sang-hyun as founding members. Na Ok-ju recommended Park to join. Park agreed, pleased to work in the same troupe with Kim Jeong-ok. Subsequently, the company expanded its roster to include actors Kim Yong-rim, Yoon So-jung, Kim Gwan-soo, Choi Bul-am, Moon Oh-jang, and even film director Kim Hong-sik.

In March 1966, they gathered at "Hyangwon," a renowned restaurant in Jingogae. Following the founding meeting, with Lee Byung-bok as the representative, Jayu Theater was officially established on April 29. Jayu's inaugural performance was The Feast of the Followers, an Italian farce by Eduardo De Filippo (original title: Poverty and Nobility) about poor servants disguising themselves as nobles. At Kim Jeong-ok's suggestion, Jayu Theater initially planned to stage Friedrich Dürrenmatt's The Physicists. However, due to its difficulty and philosophical nature, they changed the play to The Feast of the Followers. With less than a month until the performance date, they felt pressure and urgency. They rehearsed tirelessly in Lee Byung-bok's reception room in Jangchung-dong. Despite the challenging start, the performance was well-received, particularly for the actors' strong acting. This successful production marked the beginning of Jayu Theater's journey.Like the saying 'There must be a small hill for a cow,' I, too, had a definite small hill in my life. Established in June 1966, the theater company called "Jayu" (Freedom) has one of the longest histories in the Korean theater industry. To me, Jayu was not just a simple hill, but a place that felt like home. Jayu was the starting point where I, Park Jeong-ja, an aspiring actress, could have the space and time to become a star in the theater world.During her time with Jayu, Park participated in notable productions including The Feast of the Followers, The Diver Ashore, Murder Fantasy, Marius, The Medal of the Dead, Song of the Sad Cafe, Confessions for a Black Prostitute, Where and What Will We Become?, Couple Practice, and approximately 30 other works.

After years on stage with Jayu, some productions intertwine with Park's personal history, notably Where and How Shall We Meet?, written by Choi In-hoon and directed by Kim Jeong-ok. In the original 1970 production at Myeongdong National Theater, and its 1974 and 1986 revivals, Park portrayed On Dal's Mother. Throughout the play, she remained silent until her son, On Dal, died in battle and her daughter-in-law, Princess Pyeonggang, lost her life opposing the rival political faction. Left alone onstage, she delivered a soliloquy, saying, "Is it snowing...? Why is he so late?" It was during this production in 1970 that Park received her first . During the 1974 performance, Park took to the stage in her final term of pregnancy. In an early scene where she had to lie on the floor upon meeting the princess, she worried the fetus might shift. The baby moved so much that she was concerned about such an occurrence. In the dressing room, she gasped for breath, barely making it onto the stage to endure each day's performance.