Gong Yoo has been in the industry for over two decades and has solidified his position as one of the top actors from South Korea. Over the years, he has appeared in several hits like Coffee Prince and Silenced which have established him as a versatile and talented actor.
Gong Yoo's rise to global fame with Train to Busan, Goblin and Squid Game
Train to Busan
Train to Busan is a zombie thriller film which was released in 2016. It tells the story of passengers going from Seoul to Busan towards a survivor camp as the world is plagued by a zombie outbreak. The film is enlaced with zombie horror and human emotions.
Unlike Train to Busan, Gong Yoo plays a very different character. He appears as the cold and lonely fantastical being who once was a warrior. His character Kim Shin goes through an evolution which spans centuries. He goes through everything from loneliness to finding love and losing it.
Through Goblin, Gong Yoo proved that he can not only pull off serious emotional scenes but also heart-touching romantic moments as well as comedy. While he appeared as a great warrior in the scenes depicting the past, he also showed his acting chops as a man falling in love and the fear of loss.
This drama contributed greatly towards making Gong Yoo a well-known name among K-drama fans.
Squid Game
Squid Game is a survival drama about a group of people who enroll to play a game, winning which promises great fortune. But the illusion of it all shatters when the realities of what it means to lose are revealed. Squid Game Season 2 has also been confirmed by Netflix which is expected to release by the end of 2024.
Gong Yoo plays the mysterious man who meets the lead character at the train station and asks him to play the game. Though Gong Yoo made a small guest appearance in the series, it did not go unnoticed by the fans. His scene with Lee Jung Jae made rounds on the internet as viewers appreciated his performance in that short scene.
It will be interesting to see how Gong Yoo will make a return in Squid Game Season 2.