Interview on 'Respect for Park Jeonghee' summoned again during martial law... Gong Yoo "Feels like being used"

Past Interview Mentioning 'Respect for Park Jeonghee'
"Did Not Have a Wrong Historical Consciousness"
"Same Mind as Others"

Actor Gong Yoo. Management Soop Instagram

Following President Yoon Seok-yeol's declaration of martial law, as the six opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion and a vote looms, actor Gong Yoo mentioned that he felt "politically exploited" regarding his past remarks.

On the 5th, Gong Yoo attended an interview related to the Netflix original 'Trunk' at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where he addressed the controversy over his past statements. He said, "Rather than feeling wronged, I felt that I was being used for some political issue or situation," adding, "I never expressed my intentions or opinions, but they were exaggerated on platforms like YouTube, making it seem as if I was lining people up." He continued, "Of course, it is uncomfortable. Since my true feelings are not like that, I did not feel the need to respond," and confessed, "Having worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, I have experienced various situations, and there were times when I felt disillusioned as a human being because of these issues." Furthermore, he said, "Twenty years ago, I didn't really know what the entertainment industry was like. When I was less thoughtful and less cautious than now, I did a written interview with a fashion magazine," and added, "I did not live with a distorted sense of history or ethics. Like everyone here, I have been watching with the same feelings about what happened just two days ago."

Actor Gong Yoo named former President Park Chung-hee as a person he respects in a past interview with a fashion magazine. Online community

Previously, in a 2005 interview with a fashion magazine, Gong Yoo answered the question "Who do you think is the coolest man?" with "My father, Michael Jordan, and former President Park Chung-hee." After the interview content spread online, netizens expressed concerns about Gong Yoo's historical awareness. Former President Park was South Korea's 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th president and a figure symbolizing military dictatorship. His remarks gained renewed attention following President Yoon's declaration and lifting of martial law. This martial law was the first issued in 45 years since former President Park was assassinated by Kim Jae-gyu, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, in 1979.

Meanwhile, Gong Yoo, born in 1979 in Busan, debuted in the entertainment industry in 1999 as a model for the clothing brand 'STORM.' He solidified his position as an actor by appearing in dramas such as 'School 4,' 'Coffee Prince,' 'Goblin,' and films including 'My Tutor Friend,' 'Finding Mr. Destiny,' 'Silenced,' 'The Suspect,' 'Train to Busan,' and 'The Age of Shadows.'