CELEBRITY PROFILE: GONG YOO

Real Name: Gong Ji Cheol

Nickname: Kkong (English Translation: Small Head)

Motto: “I would not fight an impossible fight”. “Always play to win”.

Citizenship: South Korean
Birthplace: Busan, South Korea
Age: 28
Date of Birth: July 10, 1979
Western Astrological Sign: Cancer
Chinese Astrological Sign: Sheep
Chinese Astrological Element: Earth

Height: 184 cm (6 ft. 2 inches)
Weight: 74 kg
Blood Type: A
Marital Status: Single

Religion: Catholic
Family: Dad, Mom, 1 Older Sister
Hobbies, Interests: Exercising, Watching Movies, Listening to Music, Hanging Around and Goofing Around with his Manager
Sports: Basketball, Body-building
Expertise: Speaking English, Basketball, Singing
Favorite Music: Hip-Hop, R&B
Favorite Musicians: CB MASS, Kim Bum Soo
Favorite Actors: Oh Ji Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Choi Min Suk, Yoo Oh Sung

His Strength (According to him): Honesty, Humility
His Weakness (According to him): Indecisiveness, Pessimism
Likes: Honest, bubbly, happy, down-to-earth people
Dislikes: Inconsiderate people, Whiners
Ideal Partner: Pure, innocent, but sexy woman

Education:
Nakmin Elementary School (Busan)
Nae Sung Middle School (Busan)
Dong In High School (Busan)
Kyung Hee University (Seoul)

Major in College: Theater
Major in Post-graduate Studies: Performing Arts

Occupation: Actor, Model, VJ
Talent Agency: Sidus HQ

TV SERIES:
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (MBC, 2007) He plays Choi Han Kyul, a happy-go-lucky guy who happens to be the heir of a big food company. To reform him, his grandmother decided to put him in-charge of co-managing a dilapidated and filthy coffee shop on the verge of bankruptcy. For starters, Han Kyul decided to change the image of the coffee shop, have an all-male staff and hire Go Eun Chan (played by Eun Yun-He) who he mistook for a boy. He starts to develop feelings of love for Eun Chan.
One Fine Day (MBC, 2006) He plays Seo Gun.
Hello, My Teacher (SBS, 2005) He plays Park Tae-In.
Kim Sung-Joon Meets Lee Yoo-Jung (Internet Drama, 2003)
Screen (SBS, 2003) He plays Kim Joon-Pyo.
Flying Saucer (MBC, 20030 He plays Ki Jin.
20 Years (SBS, 2003) He plays Soo Jung.
Hard Love (KBS, 2002) He plays Sun Kyung Chul.
Whenever (KBS, 2002) He plays Park Chan Ho.
School 4 (KBS, 2001) He plays Hwang Tae Young.
You Cannot Stop Them (SBS, 2001)
Teenage Sitcom Gol Bang Yee (SBS, 2000)

MOVIES:
Ryu ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon (2007)
She’s on Duty (2005)
S Diary (2004)
Superstar Mr. Gam (2004)
Spy Girl (2004)
My Tutor Friend (2003)

ENDORSEMENTS:
Cantata
Cass Beer
Demi Soda
Fanta
Hanapos
Hanaro Telecom
Hang Ten
Joripong
LG
Nong Shim Big Bowl
O-Hui Cosmetics
Rami Cosmetics – Zio
Shin Ramen
SK Telecom
Vidal Sassoon

AWARDS:
Male Excellence Award (The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince), MBC Drama Awards 2007
Best Actor (Mini-series Category), MBC Actor Award 2006
New Rising Star Award, SBS Drama Awards 2003

INTERESTING FACTS:
He started out as a VJ on MNet back in 2001. He was still using his real name then. At that time, somebody suggested that he drop Gong from his screen name which he declined because he wants to keep his family name. Gong Yoo, his current screen name, was chosen by him and is a fusion of his parents’ last names (Gong is his dad’s last name. While Yoo is his mom’s last name).

He was nicknamed Kkong, which literally means small head, because as a child he had a relatively small head compared to his body.