In 1987, he began acting as a child in the KBS year-end special Tappuri. In 1990, he drew attention as a “genius child actor” in the daily drama Seoul Ttukbaegi.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 12, when he appeared in both Seoul Ttukbaegi and Hyung, he won child actor awards at both the Baeksang Arts Awards and the KBS Drama Awards, and his name became known.
In 1997, he began his singing career in the mixed duo Will. In 1998, he appeared in the film Zzang with Cha In-pyo and Jang Hyuk. In 1999, he played Jo Suk-ho in KBS2 School 1.
In 2000, he began appearing in the sitcom MBC New Nonstop opposite Jang Na-ra. In 2001, he started in hip-hop in earnest with “Guri Bangbang” from his first album, Yangdonggeun AKA Madman. In 2002, he played the pickpocket Go Bok-su, who is told he has a terminal illness, in MBC Ruler of Your Own World.
In 2003, he played the violent-crimes detective Bang Je-su in the film Wild Card, which drew 1.57 million viewers nationwide. In 2004, he played Choi Bae-dal in the film Fighter in the Wind. In 2007, he released his fourth album. In 2008, he enlisted for active duty.
He was discharged at the end of his term in 2010 and returned that year in the film Grand Prix. In 2011, he played Sun Dong-yol in the film The Perfect Game. In 2012, he played the superhero Heuk-cheol in OCN Hero, returning as a drama lead after five years.
In 2013, a son was born, and he appeared in the film Days of Wrath. In 2014, he took part in Mnet Show Me the Money 3 as a producer. In 2017, he played the genius robot developer Choi Go-bong in MBC Borg Mom. In 2018, he appeared in JTBC The Third Charm.
In 2021, he played the director of a mental care center in TVING Emergency. In 2022, he appeared in Watcha The King of the Desert. In 2023, he played Jung Joon-hwa, a North Korean soldier with superpowers, in Disney+ Moving.
In 2024, he played Yong-sik in Netflix Squid Game season 2. In 2025, he appeared in season 3 as well. In 2026, he voiced the young David Yonggi Cho in the documentary film The Young David Yonggi Cho.
Yang Dong-geun (born Jun 1, 1979) debuted as a child actor in 1987, the year he turned 8, in the KBS special Tappuri, and became known in 1991, the year he turned 12, when he won child actor awards at both the Baeksang Arts Awards and the KBS Drama Awards. In 2024, the year he turned 45, he played Yong-sik in Netflix Squid Game season 2.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Began acting as a child in Tappuri. He also appeared that year in MBC Three Families Under One Roof.
Source 01 · Herald Business (Korean) · Do you know method acting? · opens in a new tabSource 02 · TV Report (Korean) · Who is Yang Dong-geun, about to leave the bachelors’ ranks · opens in a new tabAppeared with Joo Hyun and drew attention as a “genius child actor.” TV Report writes that this drama and Hyung in 1991 put Yang Dong-geun among the ranks of child stars.
Source 01 · Herald Business (Korean) · Do you know method acting? · opens in a new tabSource 02 · TV Report (Korean) · Who is Yang Dong-geun, about to leave the bachelors’ ranks · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Ohmynews (Korean) · Before Ma Dong-seok, there was this detective · opens in a new tabIn the year he appeared in both Seoul Ttukbaegi and Hyung, he won child actor awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the KBS Drama Awards, and his name became known.
Began his singing career as a member of Will, a mixed-gender dance duo. He later became established as a rapper under the name YDG.
Source 03 · TV Daily (Korean) · Diverging paths of So Ji-sub and Sulli · opens in a new tabAppeared in Yang Yun-ho’s film Zzang with Cha In-pyo and Jang Hyuk.
Source 04 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · [Sunday movie] Zzang · opens in a new tabPlayed Jo Suk-ho, a talker who livens up the school.
Source 05 · MyDaily (Korean) · Teacher Yang Dong-geun vs. student Yang Dong-geun · opens in a new tabBegan appearing in the youth sitcom New Nonstop opposite Jang Na-ra. It ran for 422 episodes until May 2002.
Source 01 · Herald Business (Korean) · Do you know method acting? · opens in a new tabSource 06 · YTN (Korean) · Interview with Park Kyung-lim on Again, Twenty · opens in a new tabStarted in hip-hop in earnest with the title track “Guri Bangbang.”
Source 02 · TV Report (Korean) · Who is Yang Dong-geun, about to leave the bachelors’ ranks · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Seoul Economic Daily (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun confirmed for Show Me the Money 3 · opens in a new tabPlayed Go Bok-su, a pickpocket told he has a terminal illness. Ratings were in the 15–20% range, but it drew a devoted following.
Source 08 · Ohmynews (Korean) · Even die-hard fans of Ruler of Your Own World were born · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Ruler of Your Own World ends · opens in a new tabPlayed Bang Je-su, a violent-crimes detective. It overlapped with the releases of Memories of Murder and The Matrix Reloaded but drew 1.57 million viewers nationwide.
Source 10 · Ohmynews (Korean) · Before Ma Dong-seok, there was this detective · opens in a new tabPlayed Choi Bae-dal. He took the part after the singer Rain, who had first been cast, dropped out, and the film passed 1.5 million viewers nationwide in two weeks.
Source 11 · Korea Lecturer News (Korean) · Fighter in the Wind · opens in a new tabSource 12 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun, a face that stands out · opens in a new tabReleased his fourth album since the first in 2001.
Source 13 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun’s fourth album aimed at wide appeal · opens in a new tabEnlisted quietly, accompanied only by family and agency staff.
Source 14 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun quietly enlists on the 6th · opens in a new tabWas discharged as a sergeant after 2 years and 19 days.
Source 15 · Edaily (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun discharged after the full term of 2 years and 19 days · opens in a new tabStarred with Kim Tae-hee in a film about horse racing.
Source 16 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Cyrano catches the Chuseok boom · opens in a new tabSource 17 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Kim Tae-hee and Yang Dong-geun’s acrobatic kiss · opens in a new tabIn the film about the matchup between Choi Dong-won and Sun Dong-yol, he played Sun Dong-yol. Cho Seung-woo played Choi Dong-won.
Source 18 · Edaily (Korean) · Interview on The Perfect Game · opens in a new tabSource 19 · Daehan Economic (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun overworked on The Perfect Game · opens in a new tabPlayed the superhero Heuk-cheol, returning as a drama lead after five years.
Source 19 · Daehan Economic (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun overworked on The Perfect Game · opens in a new tabSource 20 · Sports Donga (Korean) · It is Yang Dong-geun in Hero · opens in a new tabA son was born. In October that year his agency said he had already registered the marriage.
Source 21 · Financial News (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun has a son · opens in a new tabSource 22 · Xports News (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun’s side says wedding plans not possible for now · opens in a new tabPlayed Chang-shik.
Source 22 · Xports News (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun’s side says wedding plans not possible for now · opens in a new tabTook part as a producer in the rapper survival show.
Source 07 · Seoul Economic Daily (Korean) · Yang Dong-geun confirmed for Show Me the Money 3 · opens in a new tabSource 23 · Herald Muse (Korean) · Show Me the Money 3, Yang Dong-geun, hip-hop Jesus · opens in a new tab The exact first air date could not be confirmed.Played Choi Go-bong, a genius robot developer.
Source 24 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Borg Mom premieres on the 15th · opens in a new tabSource 25 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Borg Mom, Park Han-byul and Yang Dong-geun · opens in a new tabAppeared as a couple with Lee Yoon-ji, and the story ended with their marriage.
Source 26 · Ohmynews (Korean) · Legend Pyo Min-su and The Third Charm · opens in a new tabSource 27 · Herald Muse (Korean) · The Third Charm ends, Yang Dong-geun and Lee Yoon-ji marry · opens in a new tabIn a hip-hop medical sitcom, played the director of a mental care center.
Source 28 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Emergency, Kim Hee-jeong’s presence · opens in a new tabSource 29 · Newsis (Korean) · Emergency producer Cho Woo-ri · opens in a new tabAppeared with Jin Goo and Jang Dong-yoon.
Source 30 · Herald Muse (Korean) · The King of the Desert out Dec. 16 · opens in a new tabPlayed Jung Joon-hwa, a North Korean soldier with superpowers.
Source 31 · Korea Lecturer News (Korean) · Moving scheduled on MBC · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Gukje News (Korean) · Moving, Yang Dong-geun as a North Korean soldier with powers · opens in a new tabPlayed Yong-sik, who joins the game to pay off debt from habitual gambling. His mother, Geum-ja, was played by Kang Ae-shim.
Source 33 · ZDNet Korea (Korean) · Why Squid Game 2 is out at 5 p.m. · opens in a new tabSource 34 · SR Times (Korean) · Interview with Yang Dong-geun on Squid Game season 2 · opens in a new tabAppeared in season 3 as Yong-sik.
Source 35 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Squid Game 3 released · opens in a new tabSource 38 · Ohmynews (Korean) · Before watching Squid Game season 3 · opens in a new tabVoiced the young David Yonggi Cho in a documentary film about the pastor’s youth. It drew 20,000 viewers in a week.
Source 36 · Maeil Business (Korean) · The boy who said there was no God · opens in a new tabSource 37 · Economic Review (Korean) · The Young David Yonggi Cho and the Sunday boost · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1987–2026 · 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
Jun 1, 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: 2026.09.29 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.