Yoo Jun-sang (; born November 28, 1969) is a South Korean actor and singer. Yoo is best known for starring in the Hong Sang-soo films Ha Ha Ha (2010), The Day He Arrives (2011), and In Another Country (2012). He was also praised for his supporting roles in Wide Awake (2007) and Moss (2010), and gained newfound popularity in 2012 because of the TV drama My Husband Got a Family. Aside from film and television, Yoo is also active in musical theatre, notably in The Three Musketeers, Jack the Ripper, and The Days. He is also one of the main characters in two seasons of The Uncanny Counter.
Career Yoo Jun-sang graduated from Dongguk University with a bachelor's degree in Theater and Film and a master's degree in Theater Arts. Having kicked off his career in 1995 through SBS's open auditions, Yoo built a stable acting career through films and TV series. He also stars in stage musicals, notably Claws of Angel, The Three Musketeers, Jack the Ripper, Rebecca, Kim Kwang-seok jukebox musical The Days, and Frankenstein. Additionally, Yoo has been a full-time faculty member at the Korea Arts Institute since 2010."유준상" . Nate (in Korean). Retrieved 20 August 2012.
He gave a memorable supporting turn as a cynical prosecutor in 2010's Moss, the blockbuster mystery film based on a popular online comic series. His performance garnered him Best Supporting Actor wins at the Buil Film Awards and Chunsa Film Art Awards. He also won Best Supporting Actor at the Grand Bell Awards for the 2007 medical thriller Wide Awake.
But Yoo is best known as a regular in the films of auteur Hong Sang-soo. He headlined The Day He Arrives in 2011, which netted him the Best Actor prize at the Busan Film Critics Awards. He also starred in Ha Ha Ha, which won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, at which Yoo and his fellow cast members walked the red carpet. When asked to describe the actor, Hong said that "Yoo is... a kind person." [...] I just... like him. I like him a lot. He is someone with a drive that doesn't irritate me. His honesty doesn't irritate me either and I like his energy. His energy has a clean color. And I think he's a lot of help when we work together." The director cast him opposite renowned French actress Isabelle Huppert in Hong's first English-language film In Another Country. He described Huppert as "a real joy" to work with, while she praised him as "kind and charismatic." Yoo was singled out in The Hollywood Reporter review as the film's scene-stealer.
After a five-year absence from television, he returned in the series My Husband Got a Family (also known as Unexpected You) co-starring Kim Nam-joo. The drama was a big hit, it not only consistently topped its timeslot throughout its long run, but ranked number one on the 2012 yearly TV ratings chart. As a result, Yoo enjoyed his biggest surge of mainstream popularity since his debut, landing commercial contracts and gaining the nickname "Nation's son-in-law".
In 2012, he published his memoir titled The Invention of Happiness. Yoo said he began writing diaries back in university when his professor recommended that he try filling up at least one journal each year with personal reflections. The book contained highlights from his 20 years of journaling life—from his days as a college student, moments on the set of several productions to his travels and vacations—as well as poems and sketches made by the actor in his everyday life. He donated all of the proceeds from the book to charity, especially to impoverished children.
For the aerial action blockbuster R2B: Return to Base, Yoo along with the rest of the cast had to undergo months-long physical training for their role as jet fighter pilots. The actors also had to pass mandatory tests for actual pilots to be able to get into the cockpit—in a low-pressure chamber, emergency escape routine, simulated flight as well as training to develop tolerance for acceleration. Yoo reportedly passed out twice before he passed his 6G test, only passing on his third attempt.
Yoo underwent knee surgery after an injury to his cruciate ligament while filming Fists of Legend. The action movie revolved around a group of middle-aged men who fight on a reality show for a cash prize. On December 19, 2013, he released his first album, titled Junes; besides singing, Yoo composed, wrote the lyrics and produced all the seven songs included. Yoo's second album, J N Joy 20: Travel Project One, Just Travel... Walking... and Thinking..., was a collaboration with guitarist Lee Jun-hwa and released on November 13, 2014, followed by his first concert.
Personal life Besides acting, singing and writing, Yoo can also play several musical instruments including guitar, saxophone, violin and the piano. Furthermore, he showcased 20 pieces of his artwork at the Art Asia fair in December 2012.
He married actress Hong Eun-hee in 2003, and they have two sons named Yoo Dong-woo and Yoo Min-jae. Dong-woo appeared in the 2011 short film Modern Family.
On the talk show Healing Camp, he spoke about his love for his widowed mother, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhagic stroke in 2011.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 Tell Me Something Kim Gi-yeon 2000 Nightmare Jung-wook 2001 Go Back, Red Peter's Confession 2003 Show Show Show San-hae 2005 Wedding Campaign Hee-chul 2007 Wide Awake Kang Wook-han 2009 Like You Know It All Mr. Go Where is Ronny... In-ho 2010 Ha Ha Ha Bang Joong-sik Moss Prosecutor Park Min-wook 2011 The Last Blossom Kim Geun-deok List short film The Day He Arrives Seong-jun 2012 In Another Country Lifeguard R2B: Return to Base Lee Cheol-hee Touch Park Dong-sik Adventures in Zambezia Tendai the Peregrine Falcon (voice, Korean dubbed) 2013 Nobody's Daughter Haewon Joong-sik Fists of Legend Lee Sang-hoon 2014 The Target Song Gi-cheol 2015 A Matter of Interpretation Detective Angry Painter Painter Right Now, Wrong Then Ahn Seong-gook The Map Against The World Heungseon Daewongun 2017 Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds Dead firefighter 2019 Hotel by the River Byung Soo 2022 Honest Candidate 2 President of the Republic of Korea Special appearance The Boys Choi Woo-seong Premiere at BIFF2025My Favorite Love StoryjamesSpecial appearance
Television series Year Title Role Notes 1994 Kka-chi-ne 1995 Agatha Christie 1996 Expedition of Men MBC Best Theater: "Man Opening the Refrigerator Door" Jae-min When the Salmon Returns Han Jae-joon 1997 Wedding Dress MBC Best Theater: "Tricycle" Min-soo MBC Best Theater: "Until You Fall Asleep" Man 1998 Hope Inn Sunday Best: "April Concerto" Joon-ho I Love You, I'm Sorry Stranger Beom-soo White Nights 3.98 Kim Jin-seok 1999 Young Sun Yoon Je-hyuk We Saw a Lost Little Bird Sunday Best: "A Thirty-one-year-old's First Kiss" Cello Park Ki-tae The Last War Kim Tae-joong Goodbye My Love Song Dae-ho Magic Castle Lee Poong-jin 2000 Butcher's Daughter The Full Sun Kang Min-ki 2001 How Should I Be? Na Ki-chan Life Is Beautiful Nam Jung-woo Fox and Cotton Candy Bong Kang-chul 2002 Affection Jo Byung-soo Inspector Park Mun-su Park Mun-su 2004 The Woman Who Wants to Marry Shin Joo-ho 2005 Toji, the Land Kim Gil-sang Young-jae's Golden Days Eom Joong-seo 2007 Catching Up with Gangnam Moms Seo Sang-won 2012 My Husband Got a Family Bang Gwi-nam/Terry Kang 2013 The Secret of Birth Hong Gyung-doo My Love from the Star Section chief Yoo Cameo (Eps. 2–3) 2015 Heard It Through the Grapevine Han Jeong-ho 2016 Working Mom Parenting Daddy Lee Moon-han Cameo Pied Piper Yoon Hee-Sung 2017 Distorted Lee Seok-min 2019 Liver or Die Lee Poong-sang 2020 Graceful Friends Ahn Goong-chul 2020 The Uncanny Counter Ga Mo-tak Season 1–2 2021 The Penthouse: War in Life Jung Doo-man Cameo, Season 2 2022 Alchemy of Souls Park Jin 2025 We Will Replace the Trip Oh Sang-sik
Music video appearances Year Title Artist 2003 "Can't I?" Wheesung 2007 "Oh, You Beautiful Woman" Yoo Jun-sang
Stage Concerts +Concert performances Year Title Role Theater Date English Korean 2011 Lee Young-mi concert 이영미 콘서트 Singer Rolling hole May 6, 2011
Musical Year Title Role Theater DateRef. English Korean 1995 Foes of Women 1998 Grease 2001 The Play Love & Luve 2004 Two Men 2005 Passion of the Rain 2007 Claws of Angel Il-du/Idu 2008 The Life Sonja 2008–2009 The Happy Life Beom-jin 2009 The Three Musketeers 삼총사 D'Artagnan Chungmu Art Hall Grand Theatre May 12 - June 21 2009–2010Jack the Ripper 살인마 잭 Anderson Universal Art Center November 13, 2009 – January 31, 2010 Yeungnam University Cheonma Art Center Grand Hall, Daegu December 24 – 26, 2009 2013Rebecca레베카Maxim DeWinterLG Arts CenterJanuary 12–March 31Those Days그날들 Cha Jeong-hakDaehakro Musical Center Main TheaterApril 4–June 30 Rebecca 레베카 Maxim De Winter Daegu Gyeongnam Art Center April 9–13 Gimhae Cultural Center Maru Hall April 19–21 Busan Cultural Center Grand Theater May 11–12 Cheonan Arts Center Main Theater May 25–26 Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center Aram Theater June 1–2The Days그날들 Cha Jeong-hak Daejeon Arts Center Art Hall July 5–7 Daegu Gyeongnam Art Center July 19–21 Gyeonggi Arts Center Main Theater August 2–4 Centum City Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall August 15–18 Ansan Culture & Arts Center Haedoji Theater August 23–25 2014 Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein 2015 2014–2015The Days 그날들 Cha Jun-hakDaehangno Musical Center Grand TheaterOct 21–Jan 18, 20152015Seongnam Art Center Opera HouseMarch 21–22 Incheon Culture and Arts Center Grand Performance HallFeb 7–8Daegu Keimyung Art CenterApril 4–5Jeju Art CenterMay 30–31 2015 Robin Hood Robin Hood2015 Robin Hood 로빈훗 Robin Hood D Cube Link Art Center January 23 - March 29 Seongnam Art Centre Opera HouseApril 19 - May 252016The Days그날들 Cha Jun-hakChungmu Art Center Grand TheaterAug 25–Nov 3Daegu Keimyung Art CenterNov 12–13Centum City Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall BusanDec 2–4Gyeonggi Arts Center Grand Theater SuwonDec 10–11Guri Art Hall Cosmos Grand TheaterDec 16–17GS Caltex Yeulmaru Grand Theater YeosuDec 23–252017The Days그날들 Cha Jun-hakSeongnam Art Center Opera HouseJan 21–22Seoul Arts Center Opera TheaterFeb 7–March 5 2017 Ben Hur Judah Ben Hur 2018 Barnum P.T. Barnum 2018–2019Those Days그날들 Cha Jun-hakCentum City Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall BusanDec 23–30Daejeon Arts Center Art HallJan 5–6Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall BusanFeb 22–May 6Gyeongsangnam-do Culture and Arts Center Grand Performance Hall GuriJune 7–8 2021 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2023Those Days그날들 Cha Jun-hakSeoul Arts CenterJuly 12 to September 3
Theater +Theater play performances of OhYearTitleRoleVenueDateEnglishKorean 2018 Doosan Humanities Theater 2018 Altruism - Nassim 두산인문극장 2018 이타주의자 - 낫심 Doosan Art Center Space111 April 10–29
Discography Album information Track listing Oh, You Beautiful Woman 1 track from Lee Eun-ju: Only One Released: February 16, 2007 Label: Mnet Media, CJ Music Don't Turn Off the Lights 1 track from Love Tree Project: Namoo Actors Charity Project Released: January 8, 2010 Label: Ode Music, KT Music Gray City / I Hate This City 2 tracks from Jack the Ripper cast recording Released: August 9, 2010 Label: M Musical Company, Windmill Media, Mirrorball Music Ce Song 1 track from My Husband Got a Family OST Released: August 17, 2012 Label: The Groove Entertainment, LOEN Entertainment Junes Album Artist: Yoo Jun-sang Released: December 20, 2013 Label: CJ Music Travel Project One: Just Travel... Walking... And Thinking... Album Artist: J N Joy 20 (Yoo Jun-sang, Lee Joon-wha) Released: November 17, 2014 Label: Mirrorball Music
Bibliography Year Title Publisher ISBN 2012 The Invention of Happiness Yolimwon
Ambassadorship Public Relations Ambassador for the Park Kyung-ri Literature Awards (2022)
Accolades Awards and nominations