Actor

Gong Yoo

South Korean actor

1979 - today

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His biography is available in 45 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 42 in 2024). Gong Yoo is the 1,360th most popular actor (up from 2,136th in 2024), the 112th most popular biography from South Korea (up from 139th in 2019) and the 9th most popular South Korean Actor.

Actor Gong Yoo is most famous for his charismatic breakout role as the eccentric coffee shop heir Choi Han-kyul in the iconic romantic comedy drama Coffee Prince (2007), which skyrocketed his popularity across Asia, followed by his legendary portrayal of the immortal goblin Kim Shin in the fantasy hit Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (aka Goblin, 2016–2017), and his chilling cameo as the enigmatic Recruiter (the ddakji-flipping salesman) in Netflix's global phenomenon Squid Game (2021–2025), while also earning acclaim for intense film performances in the zombie apocalypse blockbuster Train to Busan (2016) as the devoted father Seok-woo, the historical thriller The Age of Shadows (2016), and the social drama Silenced (2011). He has continued starring in projects like The Trunk (2024), Wonderland (2024), and upcoming Netflix series such as Tantara (set for late 2026) alongside Song Hye-kyo. Something surprising about him is that his stage name "Gong Yoo" is a combination of his father's surname "Gong" and his mother's "Yoo," which also means "share" in Korean, inspiring him to live a life of sharing positivity, and he never intended to become an actor—he initially pursued it casually after university while working as a model and VJ, yet became one of Korea's most respected and versatile leading men.

Memorability Metrics

1.3M

Page Views

Past 12 months

64.20

HPI

Historical Popularity Index

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Among Actors

Among actors, Gong Yoo ranks 1,360 out of 13,578. Before him are Basil Rathbone, Rakhee Gulzar, Melvyn Douglas, Lyudmila Gurchenko, James Remar, and Rosanna Arquette. After him are Leif Erickson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Laura Linney, Rachel Félix, Tina Aumont, and Mimi Rogers.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1979, Gong Yoo ranks 20. Before him are Luke Evans, Tawakkol Karman, Nicolas Anelka, Jason Momoa, Júlio César, and Caitriona Balfe. After him are Diego Milito, Michael Owen, The Game, Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, Eric Abidal, and Rosamund Pike.

Others Born in 1979

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In South Korea

Among people born in South Korea, Gong Yoo ranks 112 out of NaN. Before him are Lee Jong-wook (1945), Hong Myung-bo (1969), Jisoo (1995), Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (1922), Chung Hong-won (1944), and Han Seung-soo (1936). After him are Kim Soo-hyun (1988), Jeong Mong-ju (1337), Andrew Yeom Soo-jung (1943), Yi Un (1897), V (1995), and Jungkook (1997).

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Among Actors In South Korea

Among actors born in South Korea, Gong Yoo ranks 9. Before him are Ma Dong-seok (1971), Lee Min-ho (1987), Kim Hye-ja (1941), Song Joong-ki (1985), Song Hye-rim (1937), and Kim Young-ok (1937). After him are Kim Soo-hyun (1988), Lee Sun-kyun (1975), Soon-Tek Oh (1932), HoYeon Jung (1994), Hyun Bin (1982), and Song Hye-kyo (1981).

South Korean born Actors

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