Gong Yoo Reveals His Love For Classics, What You Learn From Hardships, And How All His Roles Are A Part Of Him

Actor Gong Yoo held a photo shoot and interview with GQ magazine and revealed that he enjoys anything with a classic touch, the flexibility between him as an actor and as a person, his daily routine, and more.

Do you like classic things?

I think I’m starting to admire classic things more and not just clothes but also furniture and cars. It’s only after a certain amount of time that passes that we open our eyes to this style. Personally, I prefer basic and classic clothes rather than fancy and excessive clothes. I think classic styles also suit my age as well.

— Gong Yoo

I know this is cliché, but why don’t you age?

I’ve aged quite a bit. You can tell if you look closely (laughs).

— Gong Yoo

Is there something that we gain after enduring hardships?

Filming a movie that is physically difficult is a continuous series of hardships. The reason that I insisted on this was not to show a nice physical but because it was helpful for emotional training for the character. I think this process took up more than half of the expressions of Ji Dong Chul. I was able to see an unfamiliar expression of myself for the first time on the screen.

— Gong Yoo

Actor Gong Yoo and human Gong Ji Chul seem to become more comfortable and flexible over time.

I’m not greedy. Although it’s a very conventional expression, it’s hard to find the words to substitute for this. I think I’ve always said to myself, ‘It’s ok if I don’t do that right now’ and ‘I don’t want to do things in a hurry’’. I think my age right now is the time that these thoughts can be realistically possible.

— Gong Yoo

Now that I have a lot of time and courage, I can do what I really want to do regardless of what people say. In the past, I hated what people would say, but now I don’t care. I began to think that I could be missing out on so many things if cared about what other people thought. I think we can become lighter once we are able to break free from this.

— Gong Yoo

Is there anything that you do to keep your mind from breaking down?

I’m cautious in saying anything because I’ve only lived about half of my life so far, but I think that in the end, all the characters I played are also me. In some ways, people add a fantasy that I have a lot more to show than what I actually have. Personally, I don’t think that I am a broad or deep person, but the way people view me in a positive light gives me the determination to become a better person. I believe that I am organically intertwined with those that love and support me. I am grateful that we are able to grow old together.

— Gong Yoo

It seems as if Gong Yoo has finally found peace between himself as a person and as an actor. Find out more from the interview through GQ’s official website.