Yeo Jin-goo

Yeo Jin-goo is a South Korean actor who began his screen career as a child performer. After earning early recognition in youth roles in films such as A Frozen Flower and series like Giant, he gained the nickname "Nation's Little Brother." He later established himself as an adult leading actor across television dramas and feature films, earning prominent industry accolades.

Born on August 13, 1997, in Gwanak District, Seoul, Yeo is the older of two brothers. Expressing an early desire to appear on television, he received support from his parents to take acting lessons. He attended Namgang High School, graduating in 2016, and subsequently enrolled at Chung-Ang University to study in the Department of Theater.

Yeo made his professional acting debut at age eight in the 2005 film Sad Movie, securing the role out of 150 applicants despite having no prior acting experience. In 2006, he appeared in the drama I Want to Love and the historical series Yeon Gaesomun. He earned his first accolade, the Best Child Actor award at the SBS Drama Awards, for depicting younger counterparts of lead characters in the 2008 series Iljimae and Tazza. He took on further youth roles in Giant in 2010, as well as Warrior Baek Dong-soo and Deep Rooted Tree in 2011.

His broader public recognition expanded in 2012 through his performance as a young crown prince in the period drama Moon Embracing the Sun, which achieved broadcast ratings over 40 percent. That same year, he appeared in the melodrama Missing You, winning the Best Young Actor award at the 2012 MBC Drama Awards for both projects. In 2013, he starred as the lead character in the action thriller Hwayi: A Monster Boy. His portrayal won him Best New Actor honors at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, where he became the youngest male recipient at sixteen, and the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. He also joined the sitcom Potato Star 2013QR3 that year.

In 2015, Yeo starred in the film Shoot Me in the Heart, the Korean War feature The Long Way Home, and his first television lead role in the vampire series Orange Marmalade, which earned him a KBS Drama Award for Best New Actor. He followed these with projects including the historical drama The Royal Gambler in 2016, winning an SBS Excellence Award, as well as the science fiction series Circle, the period film Warriors of the Dawn, a special appearance in 1987: When the Day Comes, and the romance series Reunited Worlds in 2017.

Yeo expanded his television work with the romantic comedy My Absolute Boyfriend, filmed in 2018 and broadcast in 2019. In 2019, he portrayed dual roles in the historical drama The Crowned Clown, earning a nomination for Best Actor – Television at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards, and starred in the fantasy series Hotel del Luna. He made guest appearances in the 2020 drama Start Up, followed by a leading role in the 2021 psychological thriller Beyond Evil and a hosting role on the competition show Girls Planet 999.

In 2022, Yeo played a chef in the drama Link: Eat, Love, Kill and returned to cinema in the film Ditto. He signed with J-Full Entertainment in May 2023. The following year, he portrayed his first antagonist as a plane hijacker in the disaster film Hijack 1971.