Gong Yoo

Gong Ji-cheol, professionally known as Gong Yoo, is a South Korean actor. He has gained widespread recognition for his leading roles across television and cinema. His prominent television projects include the romantic comedy Coffee Prince, the fantasy drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, and the global streaming series Squid Game. On the big screen, he has starred in major features such as the social drama Silenced, the action thriller The Suspect, the zombie hit Train to Busan, and the historical film The Age of Shadows.

Gong was born on July 10, 1979, in Busan, South Korea, to Gong Won and Yoo Myung-joo. His father attended a baseball academy and managed the Lotte Giants. Gong attended Dongin High School and earned a theater degree from Kyung Hee University. A 1996 Korean clan genealogy listed him as a 79th-generation descendant of Confucius with maternal ties to the Gangneung Yoo clan, though he was omitted from a 2009 updated Confucian family tree published in China.

Gong began his career in 2000 as a video jockey on Mnet before making his acting debut in the 2001 television series School 4. Following various supporting roles and a stint hosting Music Camp in 2004, he secured his first main role in the 2005 series Hello My Teacher. After starring in One Fine Day in 2006, he achieved breakout success in the 2007 series Coffee Prince, which established him as a leading actor and a Korean Wave star.

In early 2008, Gong enlisted for mandatory military service, serving in Cheorwon before moving to the Defense Media Agency as an army radio host. Discharged in late 2009, he returned to acting in the romantic comedy Finding Mr. Destiny. He then spearheaded the movie adaptation of the novel The Crucible, released in 2011 as Silenced. The film sparked intense public outcry regarding crimes against minors and disabled individuals, leading the South Korean National Assembly to enact strict legal reforms known as the Dogani Bill. His advocacy extended to public roles, serving as a UNICEF Korea special representative in 2013 and a National Tax Service ambassador in 2014.

Gong expanded his work with the television drama Big in 2012 and played a defected North Korean spy in the 2013 film The Suspect. He experienced a major career resurgence in 2016, starring in the melodrama A Man and a Woman, the massive zombie blockbuster Train to Busan, and the period hit The Age of Shadows. That same year, he starred in the hit fantasy drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, winning the Best Actor award at the Baeksang Awards.

Gong subsequently took on roles in the film Kim Ji-young, Born 1982, the sci-fi thriller Seo Bok, and the feature Wonderland. He also appeared as the Recruiter in the Netflix series Squid Game, repeating the role in its second season. In late 2021, he headlined Netflix's lunar sci-fi series The Silent Sea as a team leader. In 2024, Gong starred as a music producer in the mystery melodrama series The Trunk.