South Korean actress Park Ji-hyun has reached a new milestone in her career by becoming the first Korean actress nominated for an acting award at the International Emmy Awards. She has been shortlisted in the Best Performance by an Actress category for her role as Cheon Sang-yeon in the Netflix drama You and Everything Else.
The nomination was announced by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences as part of the 54th International Emmy Awards. This year, the awards have 64 nominees across 16 categories representing 22 countries. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in New York on November 23.
Park is competing against Belgium’s Mona Mina Leon for Holy Sh!t, Mexico’s Bárbara Mori for Lucca’s World and British actress Sheridan Smith for I Fought the Law. Her nomination marks the first time a Korean female performer has been recognised in the International Emmy acting categories.
The achievement comes after Park’s performance in You and Everything Else drew attention for the emotional complexity of her character. The Netflix series follows Ryu Eun-jung, played by Kim Go-eun, and Cheon Sang-yeon, played by Park, whose friendship changes over several decades.
The two women grow up together but their relationship is far from simple. Affection, admiration, jealousy and resentment repeatedly pull them closer and push them apart. The story follows their lives from their younger years into adulthood, exploring how relationships change with time, circumstances and personal choices.
Park’s role required her to portray Sang-yeon across different stages of her life. Her character is introduced as talented and ambitious, while the story gradually reveals the emotional pressures shaping her relationship with Eun-jung. The drama also tackles difficult themes, including terminal illness and assisted dying, giving the central friendship an increasingly serious emotional dimension.
Released on Netflix in September 2025, You and Everything Else has also collected recognition at other award ceremonies. The series won Television Drama of the Year and Best Screenplay at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards in May. It also received the Best Creative award at the Global OTT Awards in June.
The International Emmy nomination adds another international achievement to the show’s journey. It also brings fresh attention to Park, who has worked steadily across television and film since making her acting debut in 2017 with Saimdang, Light’s Diary. Her subsequent credits include The King in Love and the crime thriller The Chase.
Park’s nomination is particularly notable because Korean actors have previously reached the International Emmy acting categories, but no Korean actress had done so before her. Jang Hyuk became the first Korean actor nominated for an acting award in 2011 for The Slave Hunters. The late Lee Sun-kyun was later nominated in 2022 for his performance in Apple TV+ series Dr. Brain.
South Korea has also made its presence felt through Korean television productions. KBS historical romance The King’s Affection became the first Korean drama to win an International Emmy when it took the Telenovela award in 2022. Other Korean productions have since received nominations across different categories.
The 2026 International Emmy nominations have brought another Korean production into the spotlight. Disney+ medical thriller Hyper Knife, starring Park Eun-bin and Sul Kyung-gu, has been nominated in the TV Movie/Mini-Series category. It will compete against productions from Spain, Brazil and the United Kingdom.
The double recognition reflects the wider international reach of Korean content. Korean dramas, films and performers have steadily built audiences outside South Korea, with global streaming platforms helping K-dramas reach viewers across different markets.
The International Emmy Awards are separate from the US-based Primetime Emmy Awards. Established in 1973, the International Emmys recognise television programmes produced primarily outside the United States. The awards cover programmes and performances from across the world.
Park will now head into the final stage of the awards race with her first International Emmy acting nomination already secured. The ceremony will take place in New York on November 23, where the winner of the Best Performance by an Actress award will be announced.
Whatever the final result, Park Ji-hyun’s nomination has already created a new milestone for Korean acting at one of international television’s major award platforms. Her performance as Sang-yeon has also given You and Everything Else another moment in the global spotlight.
