Gong Yoo completes military service

Actor Gong Yoo speaks to reporters and fans as he leaves the Ministry of National Defense
after completing his two year mandatory military service on December 8, 2009.
[Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

Gong Yoo, the heartthrob from 2007 hit TV series "Coffee Prince", returned home for the first time in nearly two years as he completed South Korea's mandatory military service on Tuesday.

"I feel good and relieved, I want to travel and I miss my mother's homemade cooking," the 30-year-old actor told reporters and fans after leaving the Ministry of National Defense where he had served as an officer under the Defense Agency for Public Information Services, a special promotion unit under the ministry.

"I also learned many things about living as a member of an organization and thought a lot about human relationships," the actor said of his military life which started in mid-January last year.

Gong Yoo also thanked his fans for their support while he was serving the country. "The many letters and gifts my fans sent gave me great energy," he said to some 250 fans from Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand who had turned up at the ministry to greet the actor.

Gong Yoo had appeared in several films and dramas since his debut in 2001 but rose to stardom with "Coffee Prince" which won him an award for excellence at the 2007 MBC Drama Awards.

Reporter : Park Kun-ouc kun1112@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr
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