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Gong Yoo appeared on the latest episode of Pinggyego, the popular South Korean talk show hosted by the famous variety show host Yoo Jae-suk, on Friday, September 29, 2023. During the Chuseok special episode, the Train to Busan actor opened up about his struggle with anxiety after the international success of his drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, released in 2016.
Following the popularity of his drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Gong Yoo admitted to experiencing anxiety. In response to a question regarding whether he has ever felt nervous, Gong Yoo said that he has twice, once in his twenties and once in his thirties.
"Of course. I'm not sure how you'll take this, but I think I experienced it once in my twenties and once in my thirties," Gong Yoo said.
The actor admitted that even though Guardian: The Lonely and Great God was a huge hit and he was happy with how well it did from a financial standpoint, there were times when he felt completely alone, was unable to wake up, and was unable to enjoy the spotlight.
"I don't think I can explain clearly why I was anxious. For example, 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' did very well, but I wasn't happy. I was happy it did well, but apart from that, there was a time when I felt so empty and I couldn't wake myself up. It's not that the work was hard or that it went well, I wasn't able to enjoy the spotlight when projects were a success." Gong Yoo said.
"It feels like I'm not grateful": Gong Yoo opens up about his anxiety for the first time during his interview with Yoo Jae-suk
Further in the episode, Gong Yoo clarified that it wasn't easy to share about his anxiety, emphasizing that it was difficult to state this freely. The 44-year-old actor then shared that, after such a trying experience, his perspective on others around him evolved.
"It's hard to say this openly. It should be a time when other people would be so happy they feel like they're floating in the clouds, but if I say that my heart felt strange, it feels like I'm not grateful. After going through a hard time like that, the way I look at people around me changed. I felt like I was more nosy in that I didn't want them to go through the same hurt." He said.
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God won praise from the critics and spread like wildfire throughout South Korea. Numerous accolades were bestowed upon the series, including the Grand Prize (Daesang) for author Kim Eun-sook and the Best Actor Award for Gong Yoo at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards.
In its time slot, the drama routinely had the highest cable television audience numbers. Its last episode had the second-highest rating in Korean cable television history, with an 18.680% nationwide audience share, according to the Nielsen paid platform. It achieved ratings above 20% and became the first cable K-drama to ever achieve that feat.
"HIS POWER IS CRAZY": Fans were enthralled to see Gong Yoo on the Chuseok special episode of Pinggyego
The 44-year-old stunning actor is renowned for his roles in the television dramas Coffee Prince, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, The Silent Sea, and Squid Game, as well as the films Train to Busan, The Age of Shadows, and Silenced, among others.
Fans flooded social media with tweets about the latest episode and rushed to X (formerly Twitter) to swoon over the star.
The plot of the globally acclaimed K-drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God revolves around Kim Shin, a distinguished military commander from the Goryeo Dynasty who is cursed to live on after death. In spite of his painful history, he transforms into an eternal goblin who uses his talents to serve others and is benevolent.
To break away from the curse of immortality, he waits for the one who can draw out the sword stuck in his chest, and as per folklore, only the goblin’s bride can do it. By happenstance, Kim Go-eun, a jovial high school student, summons the Goblin, and their lives become intertwined when she turns out to be the Goblin’s bride.
In the famous K-drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Gong Yoo starred opposite Kim Go-eun who is well-known for Little Women and Yumi Cells. The drama also starred actor Lee Dong-wook who is known for the well-acclaimed Tale of the Nine Tailed.
