On December 5, 2024, Gong Yoo addressed a resurfaced controversy during an interview celebrating the release of Netflix’s The Trunk. The interview took place amid ongoing public unrest following South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024—the first since 1979, after the assassination of Park Chung Hee.
The controversy stems from a 2005 fashion magazine interview in which Gong Yoo listed Park Chung Hee—the third president who seized power in the May 16 coup of 1961—among his top three “most admirable men,” alongside his father and Michael Jordan. This comment has resurfaced in light of the recent political turmoil, drawing criticism and renewed scrutiny.
Addressing the issue, Gong Yoo said, “Whenever political issues arise, I feel like I, as a public figure, am being used politically,” adding, “I’ve never expressed my intentions or opinions, yet interpretations are added to my words on platforms like YouTube, making it feel like I’m being categorized or labeled.”
He continued, “Since it doesn’t reflect my true feelings, I didn’t feel the need to respond at the time. But after more than 20 years in the industry, and seeing everything resurface now—and I’ve experienced quite a lot of situations—as a person, I sometimes feel disillusioned by these situations.”
The actor stressed, “I didn’t live like that, and that’s not who I am.” He elaborated, “It was over 20 years ago, in my mid-twenties, when I was immature and not careful with my words. It wasn’t even an in-depth interview but rather a written Q&A for a fashion magazine.
A single sentence has followed me for two decades, resurfacing whenever an issue arises.” Gong Yoo emphasized, “What’s clear is that I have never lived with a flawed understanding of history or a lack of ethical or moral awareness.
That’s a fact,” continuing to address the recent issue, “Regarding the recent events, I watched with the same frustration and anger as everyone else.” The actor also recounted his experience during the declaration of martial law.
“I was at my desk, studying for another project, when colleagues from ‘The Trunk’ started sending frantic messages in our group chat. I turned on the TV and began watching the live broadcast. What unfolded felt like something out of a movie—completely unreal. I never thought I’d experience something like this in my lifetime.
Like everyone else, I stayed awake, anxious, until it was lifted.” Meanwhile, The Trunk follows the unraveling of a secretive marriage service after a mysterious trunk washes ashore, entangling a couple in its web of intrigue. Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin star as a couple navigating a bold “contract marriage.”
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