Actor Gong Yoo’s Political Remarks Come Under Heavy Scrutiny

Actor Gong Yoo recently became a hot topic in the Korean public discourse thanks to his political remarks in a previous interview.

In the interview, the actor was asked who he considered to be the “most admirable man,” and he responded with three names: “My father, Michael Jordan, and Park Chung Hee.” The third name brought the actor under public scrutiny.

Park Chung Hee was the third President of South Korea from 1962 to 1979. He is a polarizing figure in South Korean history, as his Presidential term was characterized by both the unprecedented economic growth of South Korea and a legacy of military dictatorship. Park seized power through a military coup on May 16, 1961, and in 1971, carried out a self-coup, declaring martial law. He also introduced the highly authoritarian Yushin Constitution and periodically suppressed dissent until his assassination in 1979.

Though Gong Yoo’s interview mentioning Park was for the July 2005 issue of Vogue, his comments have resurfaced due to South Korea’s current political scenario. On December 3, KST, the current South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law through a televised speech, only to withdraw it six hours later, owing to fierce pushback from citizens and the opposition.

Despite martial law being lifted, South Korean society is in a state of apprehension and rage, with a majority of citizens demanding the impeachment of the current President. In such a tense situation, Gong Yoo’s resurfaced interview has raised many eyebrows about his moral stance. Fans are questioning whether the actor still admires Park, while some are calling for an explanation from the actor.

Meanwhile, Gong Yoo recently appeared in the Netflix thriller series The Trunk, which was released on November 29, 2024.