Though many Western audiences first learned of Gong Yoo when he played the charming recruiter in Squid Game, he’s actually a veteran A-list actor in South Korea and one of the most recognizable faces of Hallyu (aka the Korean Wave). 

Gong Yoo, whose real name is Gong Ji-chul, started out as a model before landing his first entertainment gig as a VJ for the South Korean K-pop channel Mnet in 2000. He made his acting debut in the 2001 TV series School 4 as a suave student who made girls swoon with his piano-playing skills, killer smile and confident demeanor. Maybe it was his soothing voice, adorable face or obvious ease on camera — or, more likely, a combination of all three — that made viewers take notice of his rising star. 

Over the next several years, he was a supporting actor in various films and TV series and hosted the live music show Music Camp before scoring his first leading role in the SBS K-drama Hello My Teacher in 2005. A highly versatile actor, Gong Yoo has portrayed a wide range of characters throughout his decades-long career, from courageous, self-sacrificing protagonists and goofy romantic leads to kickass action heroes — and everything in between. His gentle masculine charm and effortless charisma have made him one of South Korea’s most sought-after actors. 

As if this six-foot-tall heartthrob couldn’t be any more perfect, it turns out he’s charitable as well. Beloved by his fans for his humble, down-to-earth personality and generosity, he was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2013 to promote children's rights around the world and, more recently, donated 100 million Korean won (roughly $84,000) to COVID relief efforts. And here’s a fun fact: He’s part of a Korean clan that originated in China and descended from Confucius.

So whether you’re just discovering the wonderful world of Korean entertainment or have long been a hardcore K-drama fan, check out some of Gong Yoo’s most notable films and shows. You’ll understand why audiences across the globe have fallen in love with this multitalented actor.

The Silent Sea Trailer | Season 1

The Silent Sea (2021)

Netflix’s The Silent Sea, based on director Choi Hang-yong’s 2014 short film The Sea of Tranquility, is South Korea’s first attempt at a sci-fi thriller series set in space. In the not-too-distant future, Earth is dying and a team of astronauts are tasked with retrieving mysterious samples from an abandoned lunar research station. Shortly after embarking on the mission, however, the crew members are mysteriously killed one by one as they race against time to uncover the moon’s deadly secrets. Gong Yoo plays the fearless captain who risks his life multiple times to ensure his crew’s safety.

Squid Game (2021)

This K-drama needs no introduction: The dystopian survival thriller topped Netflix’s Top 10 in more than 90 countries and is the platform’s most-watched series ever. Gong Yoo’s character, a seemingly friendly salesman who recruits unwitting debt-ridden people into the deadly games for a shot at an enormous cash prize, set off a slew of social media memes. 

Goblin (aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) (2016-2017)

Written by the Shakespeare of K-romance Kim Eun-sook (Secret Garden, Heirs, Descendants of the Sun, Mr. Sunshine), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, better known simply as Goblin, is another milestone K-drama that boosted the visibility of Hallyu. It became a cultural phenomenon in South Korea (and beyond) upon its release and remains one of the highest-rated TV shows in the country’s history. Gong Yoo portrays a 939-year-old dashing and world-weary goblin who’s cursed to wander the earth until he can find his fated human bride — the only one who can put an end to his immortality. Gong Yoo may be at his dreamiest in Goblin, for which he won Best Actor at the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards (South Korea’s Golden Globes) and became South Korea’s most popular leading man. The show was also widely praised for its soundtrack and sparked international fashion trends.

The Age of Shadows (2016)

Though South Korea has produced a ton of movies and series about the Japanese colonial era and the Korean independence movement, The Age of Shadows is one of the more successful works that deals with this dark history. It was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil, A Tale of Two Sisters, A Bittersweet Life) and stars the legendary actor Song Kang-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, The Host), Han Ji-min (The Fatal Encounter, Capital Scandal, Yi San), Shin Sung-rok (My Love from Another Star, Vagabond, Kairos), Heo Sung-tae (Squid Game, The Fortress, The Silent Sea) and, of course, Gong Yoo (as the leader of the Korean resistance). The Age of Shadows was selected as South Korea’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Oscars.

Train to Busan (2016)

South Korea’s first zombie blockbuster, Train to Busan became a global sensation upon its release in 2016 and made Gong Yoo an international movie star. He plays a divorced father who must save himself and his daughter while they’re trapped on a train in the middle of a zombie outbreak. An emotional and uniquely Korean take on a zombie thriller, Train to Busan will make you scream, laugh and cry in the course of just two hours (make sure you have plenty of tissues). Gong Yoo has admitted in interviews that he was genuinely scared of the zombie actors while filming, which probably made his acting all the more convincing.

The Suspect (2013)

Gong Yoo got ripped for this action-packed film in which he stars as a former North Korean spy who defects to the South to hunt down his wife and daughter’s killer. He finds work as a chauffeur for a wealthy business executive, but when he’s framed for the murder of his boss, he’s forced to run from the law while continuing his quest to avenge his family’s death. Gong Yoo learned the Russian martial art Systema in preparation for his role and even performed his own stunts in the movie. Seriously, is there anything this man can’t do?

Big (2012)

In this hilarious and heartwarming body-swap romcom written by acclaimed K-drama screenwriting duo the Hong sisters, an 18-year-old high school student awakens after a car accident to find himself trapped in the body of his teacher’s 30-year-old fiancé (Gong Yoo). Gong Yoo displays his impressive acting range as he seamlessly morphs from a serious, hard-to-read doctor into a fun-loving adult with the heart and mind of a high schooler. From his dimpled grin to his adorable eye smile and crazy antics, Gong Yoo has never looked cuter. If you ever wanted to see how many different facial expressions he’s capable of, then this show is for you. And we get to hear him sing on the drama’s soundtrack.

Silenced (aka The Crucible) (2011)

Before Hwang Dong-hyuk created Squid Game, he directed another graphic tale, Silenced (available on Netflix), which was even more disturbing than the former because the story was based on actual events. Adapted from author (and Gong Yoo’s distant relative) Gong Ji-young’s best-selling novel The Crucible, which exposed the physical and sexual abuse that took place at the Gwangju Inhwa School for hearing-impaired students, Hwang’s landmark film sparked public outrage in South Korea. It led the Korean government to pass a law abolishing the statute of limitations for sex crimes against children and the disabled and increasing the maximum penalty for perpetrators to life in prison. In the movie, which marks his first collaboration with Hwang, Gong Yoo plays a kindhearted art teacher who takes on a new job at a school for deaf children and quickly discovers the horrific abuse they endure at the hands of the faculty and administrators. It was actually Gong Yoo’s idea to create the film — he had been so affected by the novel that he convinced its author and Hwang to turn it into a movie, and the rest is history. Who says movies can’t change the world?

Finding Mr. Destiny (2010)

In this laugh-out-loud rom-com, Seo Ji-woo (Im Soo-jung) can’t get over her first love, Kim Jong-wook. In a desperate bid to track down Mr. Kim, her father enlists the help of Han Gi-joon (Gong Yoo), who heads a dating agency that specializes in finding first loves. As Ji-woo and Gi-joon travel all over South Korea in search of the elusive Kim Jong-wook, Gi-joon finds himself falling for his client. Bonus: Gong Yoo sang the film’s theme song, “Second First Love.” 

Coffee Prince (2007)

Coffee Prince (aka The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince) is a seminal TV series that shaped the trajectory of K-dramas and turned Gong Yoo into a Hallyu star overnight. In his breakout role, Gong Yoo plays Choi Han-kyul, a café owner who develops a crush on his tomboy employee (portrayed by the incomparable Yoon Eun-hye), whom he initially believes is a man, causing him to question his sexuality. The drama was considered revolutionary at the time for addressing homosexuality, a topic that was (and still is, to some extent) taboo in South Korea. South Korea airs more than 100 K-dramas a year, but this one remains a classic. If you’re new to K-dramas, this is a great one to start with — it’s a quintessential example of the earlier days of K-dramas, when romantic comedies were all the rage. Plus, the soundtrack is simply unforgettable.