Biography
Who is Ryu Jun-yeol?
Early life and education
Ryu Jun-yeol was born on September 25, 1986, in Suwon, South Korea. He grew up with a sister who is two years younger than him. Before starting his professional acting career, he served his mandatory military duties as a public officer from 2007 to 2009.
He attended Youngduk Middle School and Yeongdeok High School. For his higher education, he studied film at the University of Suwon. While completing his degree, he worked various part-time jobs, including serving as a pizza delivery person and an after-school teacher for children.
Acting career and breakthrough
Ryu began his path in the industry through independent projects, such as the 2015 film Socialphobia. This debut feature earned him a Rising Star Award at the KAFA Film Festival. His popularity grew significantly after he appeared in the family drama Reply 1988. This role won him a Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actor in 2016.
Following this success, he starred in several major motion pictures. He appeared in The King, A Taxi Driver, and Believer. The film Believer became a significant hit, marking the first Korean movie to exceed five million admissions in 2018. He also took part in the action films The Battle: Roar to Victory and Money.
In recent years, he has worked on diverse projects like the sci-fi film Alienoid and the Netflix series The 8 Show. He is also set to appear in the upcoming drama Mousetrap. His work has consistently placed him on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list, specifically in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Photography and environmental work
Beyond acting, Ryu Jun-yeol has a strong interest in environmental protection. He began campaigning for these causes in 2016 while filming Youth Over Flowers: Africa. He has donated money to Greenpeace on multiple occasions, including support for the Save the Arctic campaign and relief for Australian wildfires.
He even spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in regarding the reduction of plastic packaging. In 2019 and 2020, he spent time in Los Angeles, California. During this period, he studied at the University of California, Los Angeles and practiced photography. He even hosted a photo exhibition in Seoul in 2020 titled Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood.
Birthday and age
Ryu Jun-yeol was born on September 25, 1986, which makes Ryu 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Ryu shares the date with 79 other famous people.
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