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fuckyeahgongyoo · 4 days ago

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Feb 2025 | Gong Yoo Full Interview in W Korea (x) With Lee Ye-jin, Kwon Eun-kyung

In January, you went to Paris to attend the Louis Vuitton 2025 F/W men's collection, right? Did you have any free time besides fulfilling your official schedule?

I think I had about a day and a half of free time. The first day just passed because I was groggy from the jet lag, and on the other day, I walked around a bit. I did some offline shopping for the first time in a while, and if I saw a pretty café, I would sit in front of it and have a cup of coffee. While walking, I saw a shop that didn't look ordinary, so I went in. It turns out that the owner of that concept store is a world-renowned art director who also owns a well-known beauty brand. I heard that information from an acquaintance later on. While I was looking around, someone was making small talk next to me, and I thought, "Is this the owner?" but it turns out that person was the art director.

When celebrities come and go from a venue, there are fans waiting outside, cheering them on. Have you ever thought for a moment, because of the decibel level, "Is there a K-pop musician around near me?"

Yeah, I thought that at first too. If the people gathered there weren't specifically there to see me, I wondered if I would wave at them and then we would both feel awkward. But then I heard them calling out "Gong Yoo!" amidst the cheers, and it felt nice. These days, there are many foreigners who speak Korean well, right? When I first heard someone call out "Oppa!" I thought I must have misheard. I felt that fans came to the last show too, but this time the response was unprecedented.

It must be because the "Ddakji Man" from Season 2 appeared right in front of them, right? At the Louvre Museum, where the Louis Vuitton show was held, you walked by and made a gun shape with your fingers and pretended to shoot yourself in the head. It was quite a cute moment, unlike in the drama.

I felt that the reactions were much hotter, probably because the work had just been released. It's always surprising and delightful to meet a character from a show you enjoyed in real life. While walking and greeting him, I suddenly thought I should do something, and that gesture just popped into my mind.

Last November, when the Netflix series "The Trunk" was released, you did some promotional activities with Seo Hyun-jin, right? Did you have a chance to comment on "Squid Game" during that time?

I haven't had a separate interview. Even during the "Trunk" promotion period, it was a time when we couldn't mention "Squid Game," which was set to be released in December. Now I can talk about it.

There must have been many people waiting for Gong Yoo's story. Have you looked up reactions or reaction videos about the so-called "Ddakji Man" from Season 2?

Hmm. Even if you don't intentionally look for them, you can naturally come across related content on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and so on. Yes, there were indeed a lot of videos. Of course, it feels good to receive compliments.

First of all, I'm curious about your thoughts on Episode 1 of Season 2 of Squid Game. The title of Episode 1 is 'Bread and Lottery.' It was an episode for Gong Yoo's character, the Ddakji Man.

There might be parts I missed, but I think the director handled the direction, editing, plot, and so on very cleverly. Even though it's just the first episode of a series, it felt like watching a full-length movie.

Did you watch the series at home as soon as it was released on December 26 last year, or did you get to see it in advance?

After it opened, I watched it with close friends. But I saw the first episode earlier at the world premiere event at DDP. They only screened the first episode there. It was a day full of events, including the production presentation. I remember it being a grand event. Many actors were present at the production presentation. But did Gong Yoo attend that day?

There's a story related to that day. I received an invitation to attend, but I said I wouldn't go. The reason I declined every time there was an event related to this work was that I didn't want to take even a little bit of the spotlight from those who should truly be the main characters. It might have been my overthinking, though. Even during the screening of the first episode, I quietly said I would go and watch, but I kept debating whether to go or not.

But I got a call from the director. I came to DDP early to check various conditions before the screening, and they said that there are things that can't be conveyed through sound, visuals, or even the TV screen. Even in the scene where I play Russian roulette with Jeong-jae sunbaenim, they said they could see all the subtle muscle movements that couldn't be seen even after countless edits. "When would there ever be such an opportunity? It would be great if Kkong could see it on screen," he said. It seems he wanted to show it to me.

Last month, Lee Byung-hun, whom I interviewed, also mentioned that Director Hwang Dong-hyuk was very moved that day. Since "Squid Game" was originally intended to be made into a movie, the impact of seeing it on the big screen must have been even greater from the director's perspective.

Yes, it was great. However, since it was an event planned as a kind of fan event, the atmosphere was a bit different from a regular theater screening. It felt like everyone was enjoying the show together. For example, the reactions were immediate and abundant. There were continuous exclamations like "Oh!", "Wow!", "Ugh!"... (laughs). At the end of the Russian roulette game, when I held the gun, the audience kept saying "Oh, oh, oh," and when I shot and died, there was a collective gasp. I could understand why the gasp came, and both the representative and I burst into laughter at the same time. You had a rare and fun group experience. But since it was a bit different from the quiet and focused atmosphere of watching, it must have been hard to fully concentrate on the show.

That's right. At first, I didn't know I was attending, but gradually I could feel the gazes and reactions of those who recognized me. After it all ended, there was a mingling session with the staff. Now, I often find myself in a senior position. So, all the juniors come up to me one by one and say, "Senior, I watched it well." I saw actors from Season 1, including [Jung] Ho-yeon, and some passed by giving a thumbs up with both hands, everyone was sparkling and it was chaotic... Jung-jae sunbaenim came up to me and said, "Gong Yoo should apologize to the other actors, what are the rest of us supposed to do if you do so well from the first episode?" Everyone was grateful and happy to see me, but I felt embarrassed and awkward, not knowing what to do.

The plan to quietly stay for a while, as if you were there and not there, has gone up in smoke. For someone with an extreme 'I' personality, all of that is a shortcut to battery drain.

When I got home that day, I was completely exhausted. It's hard to objectively evaluate one's own acting, isn't it? Many viewers probably felt that "Gong Yoo really seemed to be showing something this time."

My role was to definitely raise the tension in the first episode before the story unfolded. Watching it, I thought I did my part. It was more like, "I didn't cause any trouble, thank goodness." I didn't approach this role with the ambition of "I'll take care of everything." I went into filming knowing that I was a key player in the story. Since my cameo in Season 1, I've thought of myself as a peripheral character in this work. I think I saw my position that way. So, when the work received immense love and attention, I found myself looking at it from a bit of a distance rather than being right in the center. The character of Ddakji Man was interesting, and the process was fun, and that was it. However, he made a strong impression by opening the door to a heavy-laden work. Dressed in a neat suit and speaking in a gentle tone, the man from Season 1, who seemed perfectly fine, reveals a madman's side in Season 2. How did you prepare for such a character? What conversations did you have with the director?

There wasn't any specific discussion with the director before filming. I looked at the script and thought, "Oh? This is interesting, totally crazy!" and tried various things on set. However, there was one significant difference compared to my usual approach to roles. First of all, the character of Ddakji Man is simple and clear. That's very comfortable for an actor. Since the director had clearly defined the character, I just had to follow the script.

And since I only had a supporting role for one episode, it was comfortable not having to think about the entire work. Usually, I have to consider everything from start to finish. I need to keep in mind how my character is intertwined with others, how to deliver lines or maintain attitudes in different scenes, and always maintain that consistency and balance. This time, I only had to focus on my character and my tasks. It felt straightforward, without any distracting thoughts, and it was a light feeling.

In commercial works, actors who take the first credit spot often can't avoid a huge sense of responsibility beyond their acting. But in this case, it seems you really enjoyed the pure fun of acting. Did you need to do some research to find references and recreate them in your own style?

No, I didn't look into that at all. It's not a regular human but a psychopath. There weren't many restrictions on expression and creation. That's why it was a more enjoyable experience. Recently, while chatting with writer Noh Hee-kyung, we mentioned that when playing a character like Ddakji Man, it's not strange to show 120%. Since the audience perceives the character as abnormal, they might accept whatever the actor does, thinking, "That person is really crazy." Normally, I tend to avoid going overboard. I try to show only about 70% or 80% instead of 100%, hoping the rest will be filled by the audience's emotions. This time, I felt free without such concerns or worries, so it was a refreshing experience. It felt like doing freestyle rap or choreography.

In front of people trembling with fear, he enjoys sadistic games and even plays Russian roulette, where he could die, without any hesitation. Did you perhaps feel a thrill?

Since I was embodying the character of Ddakji Man, I was able to express it very boldly. I felt exhilarated. It was exciting and thrilling. I even thought, "Was there a lot of anger in my heart?" (laughs). I borrowed the character to express it, but maybe there was something built up deep inside me.

While engaging in actions that are hard to even imagine, did something unknown to yourself get unleashed?

It's not that I didn't know; in fact, I do (laughs). I probably did. If I dig deep, there would be cynicism or remnants towards the world within me. I would have felt vicarious satisfaction by venting my anger while wearing the character's clothes.

There was an idol singer who once talked about the strange thrill they felt when they tried acting. They said they felt a catharsis by doing things they normally wouldn't or shouldn't do through acting.

Yes, I think keep acting to get that taste.

The person who first gets up close to the actor's face within the frame is the cinematographer, right? They sometimes capture a moment and think, 'Wow, I just saw something incredible.'

Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong is really good at his job. Since we've worked together on and , he knows me well. After filming a scene where I stomped on bread on the floor at Tapgol Park, he quietly approached me and said, "Wow, you really look like a madman." It was my first day of shooting. The perceived temperature was around 38°C, right? Before I could do anything, I was sweating so much in my suit that my underwear got soaked as soon as I got out of the makeup van.

Mr. Gong Yoo, you are quite close with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, with whom you also worked on "The Crucible," right? What kind of person is he?

He has a mischievous side. You wouldn't believe how well he can tease people. He's really annoying, you know? When we meet, we undermine and mock each other (laughs). We have that kind of rapport. We tease each other back and forth. At the same time, he is definitely a reliable adult to me. There's a fundamental respect I have for him. Among all his qualities, what I like most is his logical and rational side. Just because he's a smart adult doesn't mean he just pushes his opinions. I believe he will always persuade me rationally, which makes it easier to interact with him. He is also very frugal, which resonates with me. Our relationship seems to be more than just that of a director and an actor. I understand the director's intention when he said he wanted to see a two-shot of Gong Yoo and Lee Jung-jae while making Season 1. Why wouldn't he? Even if Gong Yoo's screen time is very limited, he wanted him to exit with a strong impact.

For example, if I were to die unexpectedly in a game, it would be interesting, right? I thought that was the true essence of a cameo. It's cool too. But the director said, "It doesn't seem right to use Gong like that," so that's how it turned out. Ultimately, I think they used me very appropriately and effectively in Season 1.

Does the director actually call Gong Yoo "Kong"?

Yes. After the production of Season 2 was confirmed, he asked to meet one day. He said, "Kong, I have an idea for the story in my head, and Season 2 should ultimately start through Ddakjinam. Nothing else comes to mind. It makes sense realistically." I replied, "I'm not going to do it. I don't think I can."

At some point in the back-and-forth, Kkong had the upper hand, right? The director set the stage from the beginning with the justification that Ddakji Man had to be in it.

Yes, you laid it all out (laughs). After that, he kept saying to me, "Kkong, I've written the whole story, but if you say you won't do it later, it won't work out. It'll be a big problem." You know, if we had to completely revise a story that was already set, it would be a huge issue. I teased him for a while, pretending I wouldn't do Season 2, just like always (laughs). Of course, it was an easy decision for me from the start. There was no reason not to do it. Regardless of whether the work was successful or not, I participated willingly because it was a call from someone I liked and respected during Season 1. The content about Ddakji Man for Season 2 was all contained on a single piece of paper. Was he fully satisfied with Gong Yoo's acting?

The director isn't the type to give compliments easily. He's not someone who expresses himself sweetly. But he did contact me occasionally. For example, he showed the footage of my earlier scenes to [Lee] Byung-hun on set. It seemed like he wanted to brag about how well it turned out (laughs). He said, "Isn't the scene great? Didn't I do well?" and Byung-hun praised him, saying it was a face he had never seen from Gong Yoo before. Another time, he contacted me while having drinks with the editor. The editor said, "Gong Yoo did so well, I really want to convey this to you," and that's why he contacted me. "Everyone says Gong Yoo did well." That's indirect speech, isn't it? (laughs). You’re cute, you know?

Whenever the director shared such anecdotes, he would talk about them at length, but I would just respond nonchalantly with things like, "It's an honor for me" or "That's great" (laughs). Anyway, he really boosted my self-esteem like that.

As your career progresses and your influence grows, the criteria for choosing projects become more refined. I don't want to ask you to explain those criteria. I just want to hear an example of a project that drew you in when you read the script.

When I read the script for "Trunk," I felt this way about the character Jeong-won: "So rigid and pitiful." That's how it started. When I thought about why that empathy arose, I realized that similar processes often occurred when choosing other projects. There are aspects of a person that don't necessarily show on the surface. To put it grandly, it's like a deep abyss that only I know. If there's a part that touches that abyss, I usually end up doing the project. The moment I feel a bit of kinship, the answer of "I'm doing this project" is almost already decided. There are procedures to follow and a need for caution, so I don't say it right away. There are points that quickly draw you in like ink spreading in water, and it was the same with Jeong-won.

There seems to be an instinctive attraction. It's when you find yourself drawn to a work or character before you even start analyzing it.

Since I have to articulate that instinctive part into words, I often share my thoughts based on my own experiences. And naturally, my preferences also reflect in the works I choose. Love is an endlessly used theme, isn't it? You can talk about love as a beautiful wrapping, but you can also delve deeply into its darker aspects.

"The Trunk" is a work that resonates with my tastes as both an audience member and a viewer. It's a kind of fantasy, and it can be somewhat melancholic, but I was delighted by the fact that love could be expressed in such a way. You don't come across works like this easily. From the production company to everyone involved, we all shared the same sentiment, which is why the work came into being. Even without saying a word, we understood each other's feelings. In short, we came together with like-mindedness to create it (laughs).

A few months before the release of "The Trunk," I interviewed Seo Hyun-jin, and she mentioned that she was drawn to the 'ambiguity' of the script. She said it was the first time she received a script with so much blank space. Even after the filming wrapped up, the lingering impact of the work was still strong, which was impressive.

I felt this during the process of making the work, but I really noticed it while doing promotional activities with Seo Hyun-jin. Our perspectives and sensibilities regarding the work were quite similar. While filming various content, we often ended up discussing different aspects of the work. Listening to each other’s thoughts, we got to know more about each other. We often remarked, "Isn’t it amazing?" For instance, when we sat side by side for interviews, the answers we each thought of in response to the questions were almost identical. It seemed that our similarities brought us together for the work.

I don't think the driving force for moving forward as an actor is just about the success of a project like a box office hit. In a past interview, you mentioned feeling quite confused for a while after "Goblin." It's the same for office workers; after a certain point, they experience a sense of monotony. I'm curious about where and how you found the motivation to overcome such a period.

I think I've felt something similar to monotony, but I don't remember it being that severe. When I'm exhausted and struggling, it's important to find a way to recover. Ultimately, it seems that the 'project' is at the center. The project can be a factor that makes me feel like I can't go on anymore and makes me want to leave, but at the same time, it's also the project that makes me feel alive again, thinking, "Acting is the most fun."

In life, there is a shared existence where you inevitably have to be somewhat aware of others' gazes, and due to my personality as a human being, there are lives I can't experience myself. When I act within a work, I can do it without being bound by any of that. Through the character, I can shout, hit the wall with my fist, and curse. In various ways, I get to do things I can't or wouldn't do. It seems like repeating that gives me new energy. Whether it's vicarious satisfaction, exhilaration, or a sense of achievement, it might be what keeps me going in this job.

As long as I live as an actor, the fundamental and essential theme that supports me in life is the work itself. And we often try to break through our familiar routines by finding new hobbies. For Mr. Gong Yoo, it seems that was fishing.

I kept wanting to run away, and my thoughts were tangled up in a complicated mess. Well, you know, there are a lot of simple tests on the internet that you can take for fun, like various syndrome tests. Out of curiosity, I tried it, and it turns out I fit all sorts of syndromes. If you just accept it by saying, 'Oh, that's me,' it actually feels easier. That's why things like MBTI seem to resonate well among people. It seems that depending on the type of MBTI, there are convenient and easy aspects when you just accept someone as 'just that kind of person.' In a YouTube video hosted by Jang Do-yeon, you said, "I don't want to be defined, so I won't reveal my MBTI." If you search for "Gong Yoo MBTI", it only shows "SEXY." Is it still kept a secret?

Well, it doesn't matter anymore. I am an INFJ. Sometimes I get INTJ. The "I" trait is definitely strong, and the N trait seems quite solid as well. I often switch between "F" and "T," but as I get older, the "T" trait becomes stronger. I've learned through experience that living with "T" is much more beneficial than living with "F."

Is this an exclusive scoop? Thank you. So, what is the charm of fishing for you, Mr. Gong Yoo?

I have fond memories of my first experience. It was when I went to Jeju Island with my older brother, who had been fishing for a long time. While he was fishing, I just sat on the rocky shore, staring blankly at the sea, and it felt like the sea was giving me something. It was as if the sea was providing me with the 'time' I desperately needed, a time to just be still and escape my thoughts. And I've always felt like going to Jeju Island was like being in a different country. When you go abroad, you can momentarily forget the worries of your usual place. That's how it started, and after experiencing the thrilling rush of fishing just once, it developed into an obsession (laughs). I have to catch something. I heard that actor Park Byeong-eun is quite the 'expert.' I've seen him on TV catching various things while living in Jeju and delivering them perfectly packaged to his acquaintances.

Ah, he has now left the fishing world.

Did you catch all the fish and then come down the mountain? These days, it seems like you're more into other things than fishing.

In a way, Byung-eun taught me how to fish. It was because of him that I got to know the world of Tai-raba fishing on the boat. There are so many professional fishermen in Jeju. Those people and the captains all recognize Park Byung-eun. They say he has a nice style and a natural sense for using his body.

That brother took good care of people, sending them expensive cuttlefish and Jeju tilefish, or rare species that are hard to find even if you pay for them. Everyone loved him for it. It's wonderful to be able to share and give precious things you caught with your own hands to the people you care about. But he left. A traitor... Yeah, it was about time. It's understandable to get tired after so many years of fishing. He had been fishing for so long, so I can't say anything if he left.

If there's something that Gong Yoo needs right now, what would it be?

I've been maintaining a peaceful state lately. In fact, there was a bit of a storm recently, but I quickly found my inner peace (laughs). Sometimes, a restless wind seems to come and go in an irregular bounce, like a tree that keeps swaying. I don't really feel like I need anything in particular, but, hmm... if I think about it, there is a wind. I wish it would be a bit less noticeable and less visible.

It's fascinating. Seo Hyun-jin used the same expression. The calm state that comes to a sensitive person with their antennae raised must be that precious. If push comes to shove, I could pretend not to hear or see if necessary, but I guess I'm just not the type of person who can do that naturally. However, my overall state right now is like the calm after a wave has passed. Yes, it's just perfect.

#gong yoo #w korea #2025 #so much of the original interview was not included in the official translated version!#so i've included the full interview here translated from korean #of note: gong yoo reported his mbti is infj #also talks a lot about squid game 2 and the trunk #i am once again stunned at the way this man has with his words #and his authentic charm #and his humility #(okay i'll stop with the swooning)#interview: print

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