Park Min-young has spent two decades playing women who know exactly what they want. Now, the South Korean star is saying the same rule applies off-screen. In a new interview, the 40-year-old actress opened up about her decision to prioritize acting over marriage and explained why she believes no one should be judged for the path they pick. The conversation arrives just weeks before her new office romance drama, Nine to Six, premieres worldwide on Prime Video.
The Quote That Says It All
Speaking to HT City in an exclusive interview, Park Min-young did not hesitate when the topic of marriage came up. She framed the choice as deeply personal, shaped by generation, circumstance, and individual priorities.
“For a woman, having a child is a whole new stage. So I think everyone has a different perspective, and we have to respect their thoughts. As for me, I chose the other way. I really love my acting career, and I chose this path. But I think everyone’s choices should be respected for whatever they are.”
The actress, who turned 40 in March 2026, said her views are shared by many in her age group. She described a generation that is deeply career-focused and increasingly open about the trade-offs that come with marriage and family.
“Whenever I talk to my friends of the same age — Generation M as we are called — they are very different from Generation Z. We are very focused on our careers, and if we get married, there are a lot of opportunities we could get, but seriously, you can just leave it there.”
A Career Built on Playing Women With Agency
Park Min-young is not new to conversations about female independence. Her filmography is packed with characters who hold their own in the workplace and in relationships. From What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim to Marry My Husband and Siren’s Kiss, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in Korean office rom-coms.
She told HT City that this was not always easy. Early in her career, roles where female characters had real drive were hard to find.
“When I first debuted, it was quite hard to find roles where the female characters were driven and had that much agency. I was quite hungry for those parts and roles. When I finally got to play a role like that, it felt like a sense of responsibility to make sure that it would be a success, so that other similar shows and parts could follow.”
That early hunger turned into a steady run of leading roles. The actress said she chose those parts deliberately and that the industry gradually responded with more offers of the same kind.
Inside Her New Role in Nine to Six
The timing of Park Min-young‘s comments is not random. Her new series, Nine to Six, places her in a story that mirrors the very themes she discussed.
She plays Kang Yi-ji, a senior manager in the legal department at a company called Chronic Motors. The character is practical, ambitious, and has spent years putting professional success ahead of romantic relationships. Love and marriage are, in Yi-ji’s view, little more than temporary emotional impulses.
The series is a Korean adaptation of the 2021 Chinese drama The Rational Life. It follows Yi-ji as two very different men enter her carefully organized world: a younger, warm-hearted intern played by Yook Sung-jae of BTOB, and a cautious senior executive played by Go Soo.
Park Min-young said she approached the role with the same care she brings to every character.
“For Yi-ji, I put together a look that was effortless, with hair and a wardrobe that were practical and wearable. But most importantly, relating to the character is paramount, even before one starts performing and living the character. I thought that, for me at this point in my life, it was very appropriate to play Yi-ji.”
When and Where to Watch Nine to Six
Nine to Six is a 12-episode series produced for the South Korean broadcaster SBS. It premieres on November 25, 2026, at 9 PM KST on SBS. For global viewers, the show will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.
Here is the release information for key regions:
- South Korea: November 25, 2026 on SBS at 9 PM KST
- United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia: Streaming on Prime Video from November 25, 2026
- India: Streaming on Prime Video from November 25, 2026
- Global: Available in over 240 countries and territories via Prime Video
The drama also stars Joo Hyun-young and Kim Mi-kyung. It is directed by Lee Hyung-min and Oh Song-hee, with a screenplay by Choi Ji-oh.
A Different Kind of Romance Story
Nine to Six is not a conventional love triangle. The series uses the workplace as a backdrop to explore career ambition, personal independence, and the pressure to maintain a successful professional identity. The Korean adaptation takes the themes of the original Chinese drama and places them inside South Korea’s corporate culture.
For Park Min-young, the role is a natural extension of the characters she has been drawn to for years. The difference this time is that the conversation around her own life has caught up with the stories she tells on screen.
Her Previous Comments on Marriage and Career
This is not the first time Park Min-young has addressed the marriage question. In 2022, while promoting the drama Forecasting Love and Weather, she said that marriage would not stop her from acting.
“Even if I get married, I will continue to pursue an acting career. This mindset has never changed in me. People often say that I have reached the age of marriage, but in this era, my age is not yet the age to get married. Now is the working age.”
Four years later, her position has not changed. The difference is that she is now stating it with the clarity of someone who has made peace with the choice.
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What Park Min-young Wants Viewers to Take Away
The actress did not frame her choice as a rejection of marriage or family. She framed it as a decision that belongs to her, just as other decisions belong to other women. The core of her message is simple: respect the choice, even when it looks different from your own.
“I think everyone has a different perspective, and we have to respect their thoughts.”
Nine to Six premieres on Prime Video on November 25, 2026. The series will be available in more than 240 countries and territories, with new episodes rolling out for global subscribers.
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