Park was born and raised in Seoul. After graduating from the department of drama and film of Chung-Ang University, he started his career as an actor in television drama Sarang. In the film Cambo. In 1987, for his performance as a college student in Youth sketch of Mimi and Cheolsu, he won the best new actor award at the Baeksang Arts Awards. In Chilsu and Mansu, Park gave a brilliant performance in acting as Chil-soo, who leads his life in agony in the society of that time; it created a shock to Korean society. His performance in My Love, My Bride was highly esteemed in the Asia Pacific Film Festival, and Park won the Best actor's award. Park went to the United States in 1992 to enroll in the graduate school of New York University, majoring in acting education. After getting his master's degree, he returned to Korea and appeared in Two Cops, a box office hit, which brought him and Ahn Sung-ki the best actor award at the Grand Bell Awards. His performance as a tough police officer in Nowhere to Hide gave Park the opportunity to appear in a Hollywood film; the film directorJonathan Demme watched this film at Deauville Asian Film Festival, and offered him the role of an Asian villain in The Truth About Charlie, the remake of Stanley Donen's Charade. In 2006, Park played the role of a rock singer in Radio Star. He won the best actor's award of Blue Dragon Film Awards with Ahn Sung-ki, but missed Grand Bell Awards; Only Ahn got the prize. From April 11–17, 2007, the event "Park Joong-hoon Mini Retrospective" was held at Jacob Burns Film Center, presenting six films. It was the first time for an Asian actor retrospective to be held there. During the event, Park had talk sessions with Jonathan Demme and Ahn Sung-ki. Near the end of decade, Park came back into the limelight with Haeundae, Korea's first disaster film that situates itself in a tsunami coming to the popular beach of Busan. Park's wife is Zainichi Korean born in Niigata. He therefore often visits Japan with his family. This experience made his ability to speak Japanese improved. Park is opposed to reducing Screen quota, along with Ahn Sung-ki, Choi Min-sik and others; he became second actor of relay demonstration by actors and film directors, on February 5, 2006.
