Park Won-sook pushes back on retirement rumors: 'Roles are scarce, but I haven't quit'

Actor Park Won-sook has dismissed rumors that she has retired from the entertainment industry.

On Friday, Park posted a video titled "The truth behind Park Won-sook's retirement rumors" on her YouTube channel, answering questions from subscribers.

Asked about her acting work, Park said she felt a lingering sense of regret now that things had wound down. "Looking back, I wish I had been more proactive," she said.

Park also explained her hesitation about returning to acting. "I can't say I ever slacked off — I always gave it my best with a joyful heart," she said. "What I'm afraid of is that the drive I once had is gone, and I might end up doing it half-heartedly."

She went on to say that roles for actresses her age had become increasingly scarce. "There just aren't many parts available for us anymore," she said. "If 100 offers used to come in, now it's hard to get even one or two."

"It's not retirement," Park said. "It's not retirement, but I feel like what I've done is enough."

On her seven-year run on the KBS2 variety program "Bak Wonsuk-ui Gachi Bapsida," a co-living reality show, she said, "Seven years was plenty."

"It was a program where celebrities with glittering careers could comfortably open up about their failures and behind-the-scenes stories," Park said. "It received so much love, and that is more than enough for me."

Park made her debut in 1970 as a second-cohort talent recruit at MBC. She appeared in numerous dramas over the decades, including "Han Jibung Se Gajok," "Geudae Geeurigo Na," "Toji," "Baengnyeonui Yusan" and "Dear My Friends." In recent years, she has stepped back from broadcasting, running a cafe in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, and staying in touch with fans through YouTube.