Park In-hwan (born January 6, 1945) is a South Korean actor.
Park In-hwan was born in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, in 1945, as the eldest of three sons and one daughter. In 1964, He enrolled in 6th cohort of Chung-Ang University's Department of Theater and Film. He developed his acting skills there. During the second semester of his third year, he enlisted in the military. While he was serving, his father died from stomach cancer, leading his mother to advise him to transfer to a more practical department for a stable job.
After his discharge, he joined the Gagyo theater troupe in January 1969, beginning his professional acting career. He performed in over 100 plays, including Foolish Fortune-telling, The Traveling Theater Troupe, and Good People. His stage work earned him critical acclaim, including the Best Acting Award at the 1978 Republic of Korea Theater Festival, the Dong-A Theater Award for Best Male Acting in 1981, and the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Male Acting in 1984. He also served as the head of Gagyo for two terms (1979-1984 and 1985-1991).
To support his family, he transitioned into television in 1975 with MBC's 113 Investigation Headquarters. He gained prominence in roles such as Park Sung-chul in Now in Pyongyang and Keitetsu Genso in Five Hundred Years of Joseon Dynasty - Imjin War. He achieved stardom in 1989 as Pil-yong (Wang Lung) in The Wang Lung Family.
His film career began in the 1990s, and he has since maintained an active presence across various media. He consistently emphasizes theater as his foundational acting "hometown." Known for portraying father role (often with Baek Il-seop), he has also played villains. In historical dramas, he typically appears as the main character's father, often with an early retirement from the plot. In 2021, he achieved renewed popularity with his role as Deok-chul, a 70-year-old aspiring ballet dancer, in Navillera.
Park met his future wife, Kim Gil-in, in early summer 1974. Their first meeting was arranged by a mutual theater company friend when Kim, an S Magazine reporter, visited for her magazine feature article. They met again when Kim saw Park perform in Chuncheon, invited by the same friend. Their third encounter was as partners at a Christmas and year-end party at Dobongsanjang. Park initiated their first date, reaching out via their mutual friend. In the spring of 1976, they got married.