Jo Jeong-ik (born 21 January 1983), better known by his stage name Yoo Gun, is an American-born

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

n actor.

Early life

Jo Jeong-ik was born in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Korean American Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian Americans ...

parents. He came to

in the 1990s as a teenager. He is a first cousin of

coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs, leaps and trills. The term '' coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component o ...

Sumi Jo Sumi Jo, OSI (; ; born 22 November 1962) is a South Korean lyric coloratura soprano known for her Grammy award-winning interpretations of the bel canto repertoire. Life and career Early life and education Jo was born Jo Su-gyeong in Changw ...

Career

Under the

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

Yoo Gun, he began his entertainment career in 1997 as a singer in South Korean

boy band A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...

Oppa. Yoo rose to popularity through his first leading role in the 2006

television drama In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or docudrama, semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humour, humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms t ...

'' Hello, God!'' ( 안녕하세요 하느님); he played a mentally challenged character based on "Charlie" in the novel ''

Flowers for Algernon ''Flowers for Algernon'' is a short story by American author Daniel Keyes, later expanded by him into a novel and subsequently adapted for film and other media. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of ''T ...

''. Supporting roles followed in the comedy films ''

Dasepo Naughty Girls ''Dasepo Naughty Girls'' (; lit. "Dasepo Girl" or "Multi-cell Girl") is a 2006 South Korean musical comedy film. It is based on the popular webtoon ''Dasepo Girls'' by B-rate Dalgung (Chae Jeong-taek), which has also been adapted into a TV series. ...

'', ''

Project Makeover ''Project Makeover'' (; also known as ''Operation Makeover'' or ''Go Go Sister'') is a 2007 South Korean film. In an online poll conducted by web portal Daum, Korean netizens named ''Project Makeover'' as the worst film of 2007. Plot Na Jung-j ...

'', '' Mission Possible: Kidnapping Granny K'', and ''

My Mighty Princess ''My Mighty Princess'' (; lit. ''The impossible female student'') is a 2008 South Korean film directed by Kwak Jae-yong. Synopsis Kang So-Hwi is a college student and martial artist who possesses super-human strength and supernatural agility th ...

''. Yoo underwent six months of martial arts training for his next leading role in the action drama ''Fight'', which aired on cable in 2008. Besides appearing in the TV series ''Bad Couple'', ''Can't Stop Now'', and ''

Prosecutor Princess ''Prosecutor Princess'' () is a 2010 South Korean television series starring Kim So-yeon, Park Si-hoo, Han Jung-soo and Choi Song-hyun. It aired on SBS from March 31 to May 20, 2010 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes. Plot Afte ...

'', he also made his theater debut in 2010 in the stage play ''Thief's Diary''. In 2011, he renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to serve in the South Korean army. Yoo enlisted as an ordinary soldier in March 2011, and was later transferred to the Defense Media Agency in October 2011, where he took over as DJ of the military radio program ''This is Friends FM Yoo Gun''. He also appeared on the KFN (Korean Forces Network) TV program ''March'' in 2012. After his discharge in December 2012, Yoo quickly resumed his career, appearing on the travel program ''

The World is Delicious ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' ( 오감만족 세상은 맛있다) in an episode about

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, followed by a cameo on the melodrama ''

That Winter, the Wind Blows ''That Winter, the Wind Blows'' () is a 2013 South Korean romantic melodrama television series starring Jo In-sung and Song Hye-kyo. A gambler and con man (Jo) pretends to be the long-lost brother of a blind heiress (Song), but these two damag ...

''. Yoo then headlined the

KBS1 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...

daily drama ''

Sincerity Moves Heaven ''A Tale of Two Sisters'' () is a 2013 South Korean television daily drama starring Park Se-young, Lee Hae-in, Yoo Gun, and Park Jae-jung. It aired on KBS1 from April 29 to November 1, 2013, airing every Monday to Friday at 20:25 for 135 episo ...

'' in 2013.

Filmography

Note: the whole section is referenced.

Television series

* ''

Graceful Friends ''Graceful Friends'' () is a South Korean television series starring Yoo Jun-sang, Song Yoon-ah, Bae Soo-bin, Han Eun-jung, Kim Sung-oh, Kim Hye-eun, Jung Suk-yong, Lee In-hye, Kim Won-hae and Kim Ji-young. It aired on JTBC from July 10 to Septe ...

'' (JTBC, 2020) * '' 365: Repeat the Year'' (MBC, 2020) (cameo, ep. 1–2) *''

I Wanna Hear Your Song ''I Wanna Hear Your Song'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Yeon Woo-jin, Kim Se-jeong, Song Jae-rim and Park Ji-yeon. It aired on KBS2 from August 5 to September 24, 2019. The series ranked among the Top 10 highest ranking ...

'' (KBS2, 2019) *'' The Last Empress'' (SBS, 2018–2019) *'' Sweet Enemy'' (SBS, 2017) *'' Dr. Frost'' (OCN, 2014) *''

Hotel King ''Hotel King'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Lee Dong-wook, Lee Da-hae, Im Seulong, Wang Ji-hye, Lee Deok-hwa and Kim Hae-sook. It aired on MBC from April 5 to July 27, 2014 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:45 for 32 episo ...

'' (MBC, 2014) *''

Steal Heart ''Steal Heart'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Kim Ok-vin and Lee Hee-joon. It aired on JTBC from May 19 to November 11, 2014, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:50 ( KST) time slot for 50 episodes. Synopsis Kang Yoo-na (Kim Ok-b ...

'' (jTBC, 2014) *''

A Tale of Two Sisters ''A Tale of Two Sisters'' (; lit. "Rose Flower, Red Lotus") is a 2003 South Korean psychological horror-drama film written and directed by Kim Jee-woon. The film is inspired by a Joseon Dynasty era folktale entitled Janghwa Hongryeon jeon, which ...

'' (KBS1, 2013) *''

'' (SBS, 2013) ( cameo, ep. 4) *''

Drama Special ''KBS Drama Special'' () is a South Korean anthology series created and broadcast by KBS2, with each episode having a different story, cast, director and scriptwriter. The format is based on its predecessor ''Drama City'' and MBC's Best Theater. ...

'' "Texas Hit" (KBS2, 2010) *''

'' (SBS, 2010) *''Can't Stop Now'' (MBC, 2009) *''

Drama City Drama City (''Deurama Siti'', 드라마 시티) is the KBS to broadcast via KBS2TV in a collection of usually single episode short dramas, shown weekly. Each episode is a different story, and the cast changes every week. 1984's "Drama Game" ...

'' "LoveForSale.com" (KBS2, 2008) *''Fight'' (tvN, 2008) *''Here He Comes'' (MBC, 2008) *''Bad Couple'' (SBS, 2007) *''Hello, God!'' (KBS2, 2006) *''

Something About 1% ''Something About 1%'' () is a South Korean TV drama that was broadcast on Sunday mornings for 26 episodes from July 6, 2003, to December 28, 2003. Its central characters are played by film star Gang Dong-won and Kim Jung-hwa of SBS's 2002 TV dr ...

'' (MBC, 2004)

Film

* ''Insane'' (2016) *''Where are To Go?'' (2013) *''

'' (2008) *''Mission Possible: Kidnapping Granny K'' (2007) *''

'' (2007) *''

'' (2006)

Variety show

*함 사세요 (MBC Every 1, 2009) *''Yoo Gun's Love Fighter'' (Mnet, 2007–2008)

Music video

*''As a Man, Not a Friend'' (

Lee Seok-hoon Lee Seok-hoon (born January 6, 1972) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Lee began his directorial debut with the high school comedy '' See You After School'' (2006), followed by romantic comedy ''Two Faces of My Girlfriend'' (20 ...

, 2013) *''Love Actually'' (JJ, 2007) *''Handkerchief'' (

Kim Dong-wan Kim Dong-wan (; born November 21, 1979) is a South Korean entertainer, known as a member of South Korean boy band Shinhwa. He has been acting since 2002, and has starred in television dramas such as ''A Farewell to Sorrow'' and ''Children of Hea ...

, 2007)

Theater

*''Crash Course in Love'' (2010) *''Thief's Diary'' (2009)

References

External links

Yoo Gun
at Star Fox Entertainment
Yoo Gun Fan Cafe
at Daum * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yoo, Gun 1983 births Living people Male actors from Arizona Former United States citizens South Korean male television actors South Korean male film actors South Korean male stage actors Seoul Institute of the Arts alumni L&Holdings artists