In 2000, the year he turned 21, he entered show business when he was selected in Mnet’s VJ open recruitment. In 2001 he made his debut as an actor, playing Hwang Tae-young in KBS2’s School 4. He earned the nickname Candy Boy for appearing with a lollipop in his mouth.
In 2004 he made a special appearance as the pitcher Park Chul-soon in the film Superstar Mr. Gam. In 2005 he played an older-woman-younger-man couple with Gong Hyo-jin in SBS’s Hello My Teacher. In 2006 he played Seo Gun in MBC’s One Fine Day and won the acting award in the miniseries category at that year’s MBC Drama Awards.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 28, on July 2, he appeared in MBC’s Coffee Prince as Choi Han-kyul. Its rating started with 12.9 percent and reached 27.8 percent for the final episode, number 17. In December he won the male excellence award at the MBC Drama Awards with Lee Joon-gi.
In 2008 he entered the Army training center in Nonsan to begin his military service. In 2009 he was discharged. In 2010 he returned to the screen in the film Finding Mr. Destiny, opposite Im Soo-jung.
In 2011 he played Kang In-ho in the film Silenced, and at the end of the year won the Popular Star Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. In 2012 he played Seo Yoon-jae in KBS2’s Big. In 2013 he showed his action skills as Ji Dong-chul in the film The Suspect.
In 2016 he released A Man and a Woman, Train to Busan and The Age of Shadows in quick succession, and Train to Busan became the year’s first 10-million film. In December he appeared in tvN’s Goblin as Kim Shin. In January 2017, Goblin ended with 20.5 percent, and in May he won best actor in TV at the Baeksang Arts Awards.
In 2019 he played Jung Dae-hyun in the film Kim Ji-young, Born 1982. In 2020 he donated 100 million won to stop the spread of COVID-19. In 2021 he appeared in succession in the film Seo Bok and in Netflix’s Squid Game and The Silent Sea.
The year he turned 45, he made a special appearance as the AI Seong-jun in the film Wonderland, and also appeared in Netflix’s The Trunk and Squid Game season 2. In 2025 his casting in Netflix’s Tantara was confirmed. In 2026 he finished shooting that drama.
Gong Yoo (born Jul 10, 1979) debuted as an actor in 2001, the year he turned 22, in KBS2’s School 4, and became known on Jul 2, 2007, the year he turned 28, as Choi Han-kyul in MBC’s Coffee Prince. In 2017, the year he turned 38, he won best actor in TV at the Baeksang Arts Awards for Goblin.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
After starting broadcast work in 1999 as a clothing brand model, he was selected the next year in Mnet’s VJ open recruitment.
Source 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab Not confirmed in news reports.After small parts in a sitcom, he made his formal debut playing Hwang Tae-young in this drama. He earned the nickname Candy Boy for appearing with a lollipop in his mouth.
Source 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The date of the first broadcast could not be confirmed.He played the pitcher Park Chul-soon in a film based on the Sammi Superstars, the last-place team in the first season of the pro baseball league. Director Lee Won-seok said on a broadcast that he cast him because of Lee Beom-soo’s recommendation, his baseball skills and the influence of his father, who worked for the Lotte Giants.
Source 03 · Financial News (Korean) · Korean films heat up the fall theaters · opens in a new tabSource 04 · TV Report (Korean) · Banggoseok 1yeol: behind the scenes of Gam Sa-yong and Perfect Game · opens in a new tabHe played an older-woman-younger-man couple with Gong Hyo-jin.
Source 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The broadcast date could not be confirmed.He played Seo Gun, a character from Australia, and won the acting award in the miniseries category at the MBC Drama Awards for the work.
Source 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab Not confirmed in news reports, so this rests on Wikipedia and Namuwiki.He played Choi Han-kyul in the drama, which first aired on the 2nd. Its rating, as measured by AGB Nielsen Media Research, started at 12.9 percent and reached 27.8 percent for the final episode, number 17.
He won the male excellence award with Lee Joon-gi at the ceremony at MBC Open Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.
Source 07 · OSEN (Korean) · Gong Yoo and Lee Joon-gi share the MBC Drama Awards male excellence award · opens in a new tabHe enlisted in the Army and trained at the Nonsan center. On the day he entered, fans, including about 100 Japanese fans, saw him off.
Source 08 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Actor Gong Yoo enters the Army training center · opens in a new tabHe was discharged after two years of service, at the Defense Media Agency in Yongsan, Seoul. He left a greeting for the actor Jo In-sung, still serving, saying he was sorry to leave first.
Source 09 · My Daily (Korean) · Gong Yoo’s discharge remarks to Jo In-sung · opens in a new tabIn his first film after discharge, a romantic comedy based on a musical, he played Han Gi-joon opposite Im Soo-jung.
Source 10 · Sports Today (Korean) · The thriller Buried and the romance Finding Mr. Destiny face off today · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.In the film about sexual abuse at a school for the deaf, he played the temporary art teacher Kang In-ho. It reached 1,590,022 cumulative admissions in eight days.
Source 11 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Author Gong Ji-young appears on MBC News Desk about Silenced · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.He won it with Ko Soo, Choi Kang-hee and Kim Hye-soo at the 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards at the Grand Peace Palace of Kyung Hee University in Seoul. He said he came across the original novel of Silenced during military service, and thanked the 4.7 million people who saw it.
Source 12 · Joynews24 (Korean) · Blue Dragon Popular Star Award, Gong Yoo · opens in a new tabHe played Seo Yoon-jae, a 30-year-old doctor whose soul is swapped with that of an 18-year-old boy in a car accident. It was his return to television five years after Coffee Prince.
Source 13 · Star News (Korean) · First episode of Big · opens in a new tabHe played Ji Dong-chul, a special agent who defected to South Korea after being abandoned by his country and losing his family. On opening day, the 24th, it drew 330,000 admissions.
Source 14 · Asia Economy (Korean) · The Suspect draws 330,000 on its first day · opens in a new tabSource 15 · Herald Economy (Korean) · Gong Yoo’s The Suspect really takes off · opens in a new tabCumulative admissions since release were 2,898,352 through the 4th. It had passed 1 million in three days.
Source 15 · Herald Economy (Korean) · Gong Yoo’s The Suspect really takes off · opens in a new tabA melodrama set in Finland, with Jeon Do-yeon; it was Gong Yoo’s first melodrama. It drew 83,052 admissions on its opening weekend (Feb. 26 to 28) and ranked No. 7 at the box office.
Source 16 · My Daily (Korean) · A Man and a Woman and Pure Love, a bitter opening weekend · opens in a new tabHe played Seo Seok-woo, who gets caught up in a zombie outbreak while taking his daughter to his ex-wife. It had been invited to the Midnight Screenings section at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and drew 872,251 on opening day, the 20th, and 1,437,865 cumulatively including paid previews.
Source 17 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Train to Busan, a hit on its opening day · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.It passed 10 million cumulative admissions on the 7th, 19 days after release. It was recorded as the first 10-million film of 2016 and the 14th Korean film to reach that mark.
Source 18 · Herald Economy (Korean) · Train to Busan passes 10 million on the 7th · opens in a new tabHe played Kim Woo-jin, the leader of the Heroic Corps (Uiyeoldan). The film drew 7.5 million admissions.
Source 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 21 · Edaily (Korean) · Baeksang best actor Gong Yoo, the meaning of his tears · opens in a new tab The release date is from Namuwiki. The 7.5 million figure is from an Edaily article on the following year’s Baeksang Arts Awards.The drama, which first aired on the 2nd, averaged 6.9 percent with a peak of 9.3 percent, the highest first-broadcast rating ever for a tvN drama.
Source 19 · Money Today (Korean) · Gong Yoo and Kim Eun-sook’s Goblin airs, beats Reply 1988 ratings · opens in a new tabThe final episode (16), aired on the 21st, drew 20.5 percent on paid platforms, the highest for any tvN drama.
Source 20 · Newsis (Korean) · Goblin clears the “magic 20 percent wall” · opens in a new tabHe won for Goblin at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards at COEX Hall in Seoul. In 2016 he had released A Man and a Woman, Train to Busan (11.56 million) and The Age of Shadows (7.5 million) in quick succession.
Source 21 · Edaily (Korean) · Baeksang best actor Gong Yoo, the meaning of his tears · opens in a new tabHe played Jung Dae-hyun, the husband of the lead played by Jung Yu-mi.
Source 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Namuwiki (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The release date is from Wikipedia and Namuwiki.It passed 3 million cumulative admissions at 3:10 p.m. on the 9th.
Source 22 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 passes 3 million in 18 days · opens in a new tabHe gave 100 million won to the Community Chest of Korea (Sarang-ui Yeolmae). His agency said the money would go to infection prevention and support for vulnerable groups.
Source 23 · Newsis (Korean) · Gong Yoo and Kang Ho-dong donate 100 million won to stop the spread of COVID-19 · opens in a new tabHe played Min Gi-heon, a former intelligence agent, opposite Park Bo-gum. It opened on Tving and in theaters at the same time.
Source 24 · News1 (Korean) · Gong Yoo and Park Bo-gum’s Seo Bok draws 70,000, No. 1 at the box office · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.He made a special appearance as the game broker, the character known in English as the Recruiter, in this series of nine 60-minute episodes, released on the 17th.
Source 25 · Joynews24 (Korean) · Squid Game, hint of season 2 from Gong Yoo and Lee Byung-hun? · opens in a new tabSource 31 · News1 (Korean) · Squid Game 2 director: the Recruiter, Gong Yoo, overpowered Lee Jung-jae, the performance of a lifetime · opens in a new tabIn this series, released worldwide at 5 p.m. on the 24th, he played Han Yoon-jae, the leader of an expedition to a lunar research base.
Source 26 · Newsis (Korean) · Behind-the-scenes stills released for The Silent Sea · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.He made a special appearance as Seong-jun, who monitors AI humans restored with artificial intelligence after death, and the film drew 82,874 on opening day, the 5th. Director Kim Tae-yong said he created the character inspired by Gong Yoo.
Source 28 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Special appearances: Gong Yoo in Wonderland and Lee Jong-suk in The Architect · opens in a new tabSource 27 · Joynews24 (Korean) · Box office chart: Wonderland, over 80,000 on day one, No. 1 · opens in a new tabThis series, about a secretive marriage service and also starring Seo Hyun-jin, was released on the 29th.
Source 29 · Star News (Korean) · The Trunk released today (the 29th) · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Gong Yoo (actor) · opens in a new tab The role name is from Wikipedia.He appeared again as the Recruiter in season 2, released on the 26th, and right after its release Netflix headquarters’ official X profile changed to “GONG YOO.” Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he cast him again after working with him on Silenced, and that Gong Yoo called it his first villain role.
Source 30 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Squid Game 2 finally out today · opens in a new tabSource 31 · News1 (Korean) · Squid Game 2 director: the Recruiter, Gong Yoo, overpowered Lee Jung-jae, the performance of a lifetime · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Edaily (Korean) · Korea’s Hannibal Lee Byung-hun and Netflix shout-out Gong Yoo: who wins Squid Game 2 · opens in a new tab Director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s remarks are from an interview held on Jan. 2, 2025 and reported on Jan. 5. The time of the change to Netflix’s X profile is reported only as right after the release.He was confirmed in the cast of writer Noh Hee-kyung and director Lee Yoon-jung’s new work, with Song Hye-kyo, Kim Seol-hyun, Cha Seung-won and Lee Ha-nee. It is set in the Korean entertainment world of the 1960s to 1980s.
Source 33 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Song Hye-kyo and Gong Yoo in the period drama Tantara · opens in a new tabHe finished about a year of shooting. The news came when Song Hye-kyo shared word of the last day on her social media.
Source 34 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Song Hye-kyo and Gong Yoo finish a year-long shoot · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2000–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Film & TV · South Korea
Jul 10, 1979 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1979: the year of the event minus 1979, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.22 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.