Pahul Nanra, New Delhi

Paving his way into the cinema industry, this iconic actor Gong Yoo is considered to be one of the most handsome and talented eligible bachelors of South Korea out there. Actor and model Gong Yoo has definitely left an impression on us and reached a new level of popularity after starring in hit movies and dramas like, “Train to Busan”, “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”, and “Coffee prince.” In his many years of acting, this South Korean heartthrob has never failed to woo the audience with his striking good looks, charismatic personality and impeccable acting skills. Also, who wouldn’t notice that this 41 year old actor simply ages like fine wine, still maintaining his charm.

Let’s get into his top four movies that are a must watch if he has piqued your interest!

Silenced (2011)

Silenced is a South Korean movie released in the year 2011 based on the novel The Crucible by Gong Ji-young starring Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi. The story is based on true events that took place at Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing-impaired, where young disabled and deaf students became victims of repeated sexual and physical assaults by the faculty members over a long period in the early 2000s. The plot portrays Gang In-ho (Gong Yoo) as the newly appointed art teacher at Benevolence Academy, a school for hearing-impaired children.

Despite his gloomy past he is extremely warm towards the children and enthusiastic in teaching them, however all the students are distant and quite aloof. Seeing Gang In-ho’s sincerity the children soon open up and share the ugly truth of the faculty members and horrific incidents that they have been silently enduring all along. In-ho decides to fight for the children’s rights and expose the crimes being committed at the school, he teams up with human rights activist Seo Yoo-jin, but they soon realize the school’s principal and teachers, and even the police, prosecutors and churches in the community are trying to cover up the truth and bribe their way to get light sentences. 

This film created a tremendous impact on society that there was a public uproar to reopen the cases of the faculty members and even tighten the laws regarding child abuse. Gong Yoo’s acting brings strong emotions on the surface and the seriousness of the film can be comprehended easily. The unspeakable incidient is presented in such a cinematic language that every frame speaks for itself, a must-watch film that will open your eyes and m ake you see the harsh reality of the world that we live in.

Train to Busan (2016)

Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan released in 2016 is the most purely entertaining zombie film of the recent times. One of the most iconic films of Gong Yoo, the plot mostly takes place on a train to Busan as an unforeseen zombie apocalypse breaks out in the country, threatening the safety of the passengers. The movie is packed with an amazing cast no matter what the role, big or small surely leaves an impression on the minds of the audience. Gong Yoo plays Seo Seok-woo, a fund manager who takes this train journey to Busan along with his daughter, the others cast includes Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, his pregnant wife, along with a school basketball team and Choi Woo-shik, a high school student and baseball player who is going to Busan for a baseball. They all set for a train journey to Busan which turns into everybody’s nightmare!

The film is packed with great action and is an entertaining and thrilling take on zombie genre along with a strong emotional core, sure to have you bawling your eyes out at certain scenes. If you haven’t already seen this masterpiece, now is the time to give it a chance! 

Finding Mr. Destiny (2010)

Finding Mr. Destiny released in 2010 tells the story of Ji-woo played by Im Soo-jung who is unable to forget a youthful affair during her solo trip to India. Being stuck on her first love, Ji-woo rejects an eligible suitor, this act immensely frustrates her father who is worried she would never get out of her first love’s spell and end up living single for the rest of her life. He persuades her to seek help from an agency that specializes in tracking down first loves, however the main problem is she only knows his name, Kim Jong-wook.

The agency is run by our very own Gong Yoo, who is depicted as a young gullible male with goofy charm. Gi-joon (Gong Yoo) is extremely passionate about his work and is determined to find Ji-woo’s first love. Will working together spark an unexpected feelings in them or will Ji-woo wait for her first love patiently? If you have watched Gong Yoo in manly, dark, tall, and handsome characters give this movie a shot to see his goofy and adorable.

S Diary (2004)

S Diary released in 2004 is a South Korean romantic comedy about a woman who gets dumped by her boyfriend with a final note that he was only ever interested in a physical relationship rather than a lasting one. She decides to go through her old diaries to relive her old memories and this triggers Jin-hee’s (Kim Sun-a) curiosity on whether all her past lovers truly ever loved her or had the same reason for dating as her ex-boyfriend. She checks back on her previous boyfriends, Ku-hyeon (Lee Hyun-woo), a cantor with strong religious beliefs, a macho college lover Jeong-Seok (Kim Su-ro), and a young inexperienced Yoo-in (Gong Yoo) who makes a living as a wandering artist. Her dissatisfaction with their response leads her to plan revenge on them, a fun twist to the story which will surely have you laughing out loud. Gong Yoo’s character is shown as one of the past lovers and not a lead, but this movie should be on your list if you want to watch his lively and amusing acting or explore his earlier works as well. 

Let us know in the comment section if you liked our recommendations and if you have already seen any before! You can also let us know your favorite characters and roles played by Gong Yoo.