Ryu Jun-yeol Wiki, Age, Biography, Height, Girlfriend, Family, Images, And More
Ryu Jun-yeol (; born September 25, 1986) is a South Korean actor, activist, and photographer. Ryu began his acting career in independent films before breaking out with his breakthrough role in the critically acclaimed television series Reply 1988 (2015-2016), the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history at the time, which earned him several Best New Actor Awards in South Korea. Since then, he has starred in box-office hits such as The King (2017), A Taxi Driver (2017), Little Forest (2018), Believer (2018), Money (2019), The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019), and The Night Owl (2022).
Throughout his career, Ryu has received numerous honors, including nominations for the Baeksang Arts Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, Buil Film Awards, Chunsa Film Art Awards, London East Asian Film Festival, and New York Asian Film Festival. Ryu is a social and environmental activist in addition to his film work. Forbes Korea named him one of the most powerful celebrities in South Korea for three years in a row, ranking fourteenth in 2017, thirty-sixth in 2018, and eleventh in 2019.
Childhood and education
Ryu was born in Suwon, South Korea, on September 25, 1986. He is the eldest, with a sister two years his junior. He received a scholarship to the University of Suwon, where he majored in film. Ryu worked as a pizza delivery person, a day laborer, an after-school tutor, and other odd jobs while attending university. Ryu was conscripted before making his acting debut. He was appointed as a public officer in 2007 and served until 2009.
Career
2012-2014: The Beginning
Ryu began acting in short films and independent film productions in 2012 before landing a small role in the 2013 feature film INGtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls.
Rising popularity and breakthroughs in 2015-2017
Ryu first gained attention in 2015 for his breakout performance in his debut feature film, Socialphobia, which earned him the Rising Star award at the KAFA Film Festival as well as nominations from the Chunsa Film Art Awards. Later that year, Ryu rose to prominence as a cast member in the popular teen drama Reply 1988, alongside Lee Hye-ri, Park Bo-gum, Go Kyung-pyo, and Lee Dong-hwi. His portrayal of one of the main characters, Kim Jung-hwan, earned him numerous awards, including Best New Actor in TV at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards in 2016.
Ryu appeared in the coming-of-age film One Way Trip and the crime thriller No Tomorrow in 2016. The same year, he co-starred in the romantic comedy Lucky Romance with Hwang Jung-eum.
Ryu appeared alongside Jo In-sung and Jung Woo-sung in the 2017 political crime drama film The King, which became the seventh highest-grossing South Korean film of the year and earned him the Best New Actor in Film award at the 53rd Baeksang Arts Awards. The same year, he co-starred in the biopic A Taxi Driver alongside veteran actors Song Kang-ho and Yoo Hae-jin, which went on to become the highest-grossing Korean film of the year and the twelfth highest-grossing South Korean film in history. Ryu co-starred in the legal thriller Heart Blackened with Choi Min-sik and Park Shin-hye.
2018-present: Prominence in film and prominent roles
Ryu appeared in the critically acclaimed drama film Little Forest with Kim Tae-ri in 2018, as well as the crime action film Believer with Cho Jin-woong. Believer was a box-office success, becoming the first Korean film to gross more than $5 million in 2018. In South Korea, it was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year.
Ryu appeared in the action thriller film Hit-and-Run Squad with Gong Hyo-jin directed by Han Jun-hee, the crime film Money with Yoo Ji-tae, and the historical action film The Battle: Roar to Victory with Won Shin-yun in 2019. All three films did well at the box office, with The Battle: Roar to Victory and Money finishing as the fifth and ninth highest grossing Korean films of the year, respectively. Ryu's consistent success on the big screen has earned him a spot on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity for two years in a row, 36th in 2018 and 11th in 2019.
Ryu made his small screen comeback after five years in 2021 with JTBC's "Tenth Anniversary Special Project," a Hur Jin-ho melodrama television series Lost with Jeon Do-yeon.
Ryu starred in Choi Dong-sci-fi hoon's action fantasy film Alienoid in 2022, reuniting with Kim Tae-ri. The film will be released in July 2022. Despite the film's commercial failure, critics praised Ryu's performance. Ryu reteamed with Yoo Hae-jin in the historical thriller film The Night Owl in November.
Upcoming roles Ryu will co-star with actress Chun Woo-hee and actor Park Jeong-min in the psychological thriller drama Money Game, directed by Han Jae-rim.
Additional works
Philanthropy
Ryu is a dedicated environmentalist. Ryu became interested in environmentalism while filming Youth Over Flowers: Africa in 2016 and began to campaign for environmental protection. Ryu was reported to have donated $10 million to Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organization, in December 2018. Since 2016, he has made regular contributions to various campaigns, including Save the Arctic. In response to the Australian wildfires in 2020, Ryu made yet another donation to Greenpeace and used his Instagram account to advocate for animal protection and immediate action to combat climate change.
Ryu spoke about environmental protection and the Greenpeace campaign to reduce plastic packaging in a video conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in 2021. In 2019, they returned to the DMZ Peace Trail to commemorate the first anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration.
Photography
Ryu took a brief break from acting and relocated to the United States of America, where he lived in Los Angeles for several months from mid-2019 to early 2020 under the alias Anthony. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles as part of a study abroad program. In addition to his studies, he did photography and vlogging in his spare time. He started a YouTube mini-vlog series called 'Ryu Jun Yeol's: Reportage' (Korean: ") that chronicled his life in Los Angeles. Ryu held his first photo exhibition in Seoul in November 2020, titled "Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood," which featured photos he took while living abroad.
Private life
Ryu has been dating singer and actress Lee Hye-ri since late 2016. They met on the set of Reply 1988, where he played the second lead who fell in love with his childhood best friend.
Ryu is a football fanatic. He is best friends with Tottenham Hotspur player Son Heung-min and has taken part in promotional activities for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea. Ryu competed in a five-a-side match against Argentine footballers Diego Maradona and Pablo Aimar before the official U-20 World Cup draw in Suwon.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|
| English | Korean |
|---|
| 2012 | Nowhere | 나우웨어 | A boyfriend | Short film |
|---|
| 2013 | INGtoogi: The Battle of Internet Trolls | 잉투기 | Gym man | Bit part |
|---|
| 2014 | Midnight Sun | 미드나잇 썬 | Yong-hoon | Short film |
|---|
| One-minded | 동心 | Club Dude |
| People in a Hurry | 급한 사람들 | Jae-hyun |
| Economic Love | 경제 사랑 | Ji-hoon |
| Son Na-rae Rescue Operation | 손나래구출작전 | Hyun-woo |
| 2015 | Socialphobia | 소셜포비아 | Yang-ge |
|
|---|
| Draw | 그리다 | Sang-hoon | Short film |
| 2016 | Sori: Voice from the Heart | 로봇, 소리 | Seedless strawberry |
|
|---|
| No Tomorrow | 섬. 사라진 사람들 | Ji-hoon |
|
| One Way Trip | 글로리데이 | Ji-gong |
|
| Canola | 계춘할망 | Cheol-heon |
|
| The Boys Who Cried Wolf | 양치기들 | Dong-chul |
|
| 2017 | The King | 더 킹 | Choi Doo-il |
|
|---|
| A Taxi Driver | 택시운전사 | Goo Jae-sik |
|
| Heart Blackened | 침묵 | Kim Dong-myeong |
|
| 2018 | Little Forest | 리틀 포레스트 | Jae-ha |
|
|---|
| Believer | 독전 | Seo Young-rak (Rak) |
|
| 2019 | Hit-and-Run Squad | 뺑반 | Seo Min-jae |
|
|---|
| Money | 돈 | Jo Il-hyun |
|
| The Battle: Roar to Victory | 봉오동 전투 | Lee Jang-ha |
|
| 2022 | Alienoid | 외계+인 | Mureuk |
|
|---|
| The Night Owl | 올빼미 | Kyung-soo |
|
| TBA | Alienoid Part 2 | 외계+인 2부 | Mureuk |
|
|---|
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|
| English | Korean |
|---|
| 2015 | The Producers | 프로듀사 | Joo Jong-hyun | Cameo (Ep. 1–2) |
|---|
| 2015–16 | Reply 1988 | 응답하라 1988 | Kim Jung-hwan | Lead role |
|---|
| 2016 | Lucky Romance | 운빨로맨스 | Jae Su-ho |
|---|
| 2021 | Lost | 인간실격 | Lee Kang-jae |
|---|
Web series
| Year | Title |
|---|
| English | Korean |
|---|
| TBA | Money Game | 머니게임 |
|---|
Television shows
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|
| English | Korean |
|---|
| 2016 | Youth Over Flowers: Africa | 꽃보다 청춘 - 아프리카 편 | Cast member |
|---|
| 2019 | Traveler | 트래블러 |
|---|
Hosting
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|
| 2022 | 27th Busan International Film Festival Opening Ceremony | With Jeon Yeo-been |
|---|
Music video appearances
| Year | Song Title | Artist |
|---|
| 2014 | "Still I'm by Your Side" | Clazziquai Project |
|---|
| 2015 | 소녀 (A Little Girl) | 오혁 (Oh Hyuk) |
|---|
Discography
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart
positions | Sales | Album |
|---|
KOR
Gaon
[69] |
|---|
| "You" (어떻게) | 2017 | — | — | Mixxxture Project, Vol. 2[70] |
|---|
Awards and nominations
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
|---|
| Asia Artist Awards | 2016 | Best Rookie Award, Actor | Reply 1988 | Won |
|---|
| 2017 | Best Star Award – Actor | A Taxi Driver | Won |
| 2018 | Artist of the Year | Ryu Jun-yeol | Won |
| Popularity Award | Won |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2016 | Best New Actor – Television | Reply 1988 | Won |
|---|
| 2017 | Best New Actor – Film | The King | Won |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2017 | Best New Actor | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
|---|
| Buil Film Awards | 2017 | Best Supporting Actor | The King | Nominated |
|---|
| Chunsa Film Art Awards | 2016 | Best New Actor | Socialphobia | Nominated |
|---|
| 2018 | Best Supporting Actor | A Taxi Driver | Nominated |
| Director's Cut Awards | 2023 | Best Actor in film | The Night Owl | Nominated |
|---|
| Fashionista Awards | 2016 | Best Fashionista - TV Division | Ryu Jun-yeol | Won |
|---|
| 2017 | Best Fashionista – SNS Division | Nominated |
| Golden Cinema Film Festival | 2019 | Cinematographers’ Choice Popularity Award | Believer | Won |
|---|
| InStyle Star Icon | 2016 | New Generation Actor Award | Socialphobia, Reply 1988 | Nominated |
|---|
| KAFA FILMS | 2015 | Rising Star | Socialphobia | Won |
|---|
| Korean Cable TV Awards | 2016 | Rising Star | Reply 1988 | Won |
|---|
| Korea First Brand Awards | Special Award for Figure | Ryu Jun-yeol | Won |
|---|
| Korea Minister of Health and Welfare | 2017 | Suicide Prevention Contribution Award | Won |
|---|
| Korea World Youth Film Festival | 2018 | Popular Actor Award | Little Forest | Won |
|---|
| Korea Youth Film Festival | 2019 | Best Actor Award | Money, The Battle: Roar to Victory | Won |
|---|
| London East Asia Film Festival | Rising Star Award | Money | Won |
|---|
| Max Movie Awards | 2016 | Best New Actor | Socialphobia | Won |
|---|
| Rising Star | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Lucky Romance | Nominated |
|---|
| Best New Actor | Won |
| New York Asian Film Festival | 2019 | Star Asia Rising Star Award | Money | Won |
|---|
| The Seoul Awards | 2017 | Best New Actor (Film) | The King | Won |
|---|
| tvN10 Awards | 2016 | Made in tvN, Actor in Drama | Reply 1988 | Nominated |
|---|
| Rising Star Award, Actor | Won |
| Wildflower Film Awards | 2016 | Best New Actor / Actress | Socialphobia | Nominated |
|---|
State honors
Name of country, year given, and name of honor
| Country Or Organization | Year | Honor Or Award |
|---|
| South Korea[note 1] | 2019 | Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's Commendation |
|---|
Listicles
Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement |
|---|
| Cine21 | 2021 | Actors that will lead Korean Video Content Industry in 2022 | 6th [note 2] |
|---|
| Forbes | 2017 | Korea Power Celebrity | 14th |
|---|
| 2018 | 36th |
| 2019 | 11th |
Ryu Jun-yeol Biography
| Name | Ryu Jun-yeol |
| Nickname | None |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 25-Sep-1986 |
| Age in 2023 | 37 |
| Birth Place | Suwon |
| Country | South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Height | 1.83 (m) |
| Weight | Unknown (KGs) |
| Profession | Actor |
| Height | In Centimeters: 183 cm.
In Meters: 1.83 m.
In Feet Inches: 6'0" |
| Weight | In KG: Not known
In Pound: Not known |
| Eye Color | - |
| Hair Color | - |
| Marital Status | Yet to update |
Some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about Ryu Jun-yeol.
- What is the Net Worth of Ryu Jun-yeol?
The Net Worth of Ryu Jun-yeol is $1.5 Million.
- What is the Height of Ryu Jun-yeol?
The height of Ryu Jun-yeol is 1.83.
- Where is the birthplace of Ryu Jun-yeol?
The birthplace of Ryu Jun-yeol is Suwon
- What is the Date of Birth of Ryu Jun-yeol?
The birthday of Ryu Jun-yeol is on 25-Sep-1986.
- Is Ryu Jun-yeol Married?
The marital status of Ryu Jun-yeol is: Yet to update.
