Gong Yoo

Gong Ji-cheol (; born July 10, 1979), better known by his stage name Gong Yoo, is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television dramas Coffee Prince (2007), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016–2017), The Silent Sea (2021), and Squid Game (2021), and the films Silenced (2011), Train to Busan (2016) and The Age of Shadows (2016). His stage name is a combination of his father's family name "Gong" and of his mother's family name "Yoo". Early life and education Gong was born Gong Ji-cheol on July 10, 1979, in Busan, South Korea. Gong's father attended Busan Sango, a baseball academy, and was a manager of the Lotte Giants from 1983 to 1985. Gong attended Dongin High School, and pursued undergraduate studies at Kyung Hee University's Department of Theater and Film. In 2017, it was revealed that Gong Yoo is a descendant of ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, and is part of the 79th generation among Confucius's descendants originated from the Gokbu Gong clan. An Korean edition of Gong family's genealogy book, published in 1996, records Gong Yoo's detailed genealogy. However, as of 2009, while thousands of members from the Gokbu Gong clan are included in the 5th revision of Confucius' family tree, Gong Yoo and his relatives are not listed in this official genealogy book.