[Interview②] Gong Yoo on 'Squid Game 2' Ddakji Man Appearance? Frequent Contact with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

Gong Yoo/Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Gong Yoo (Gong Ji-cheol) cited his appearances in 'Squid Game' and 'The Silent Sea' as the best things he did this year.

In a video interview with Asia Economy on the 30th, Gong Yoo laughed, saying, "When filming 'The Silent Sea,' no one expected domestic content to cause a syndrome and become such a huge sensation."

In 'Squid Game,' which was released on the online video streaming service (OTT) Netflix on September 17 and gained immense popularity worldwide, Gong Yoo made a special appearance as the "Ddakji Man" who proposes playing ddakji (Korean paper tile game) to Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), attracting attention.

Gong Yoo supported director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who directed 'Squid Game,' based on their connection from 'Silenced' (2011). He laughed, saying, "I made a cameo to help the director, but I ended up receiving help myself."

When asked about the best thing he did this year, he answered, "Filming 'Squid Game' and 'The Silent Sea.'"

Recently, director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that he is planning seasons 2 and 3 of 'Squid Game.' Will Ddakji Man appear again?

When asked about the possibility of appearing, Gong Yoo laughed heartily, saying, "I don't really know either." He added, "I am still close with the director and we often keep in touch."

He continued, "The director contacted me when he returned to Korea and was in self-quarantine after finishing work in the U.S. That was the last contact, but he didn't share any specific details with me."

He added, "I don't know how things will proceed," and said, "Similarly, I will decide whether to appear after reading the script."

He also said, "After the Netflix work, many overseas fans sent reactions in various languages through social network service (SNS) accounts. Although longtime fans opposed me opening an SNS account, I created one for overseas fans. I also received opinions through handwritten letters. I didn't want SNS for a long time either, but I think I have let go a little. I want to communicate honestly with fans."

Meanwhile, 'The Silent Sea' (directed by Choi Hang-yong) is a Netflix series released on the 24th that depicts the story of elite members who embark on a mission to a research base abandoned on the moon in the near future Earth devastated by the depletion of essential resources. Gong Yoo played Han Yoon-jae, the youngest exploration captain of the space agency.