More Reason To Love Gong Yoo: Why The ‘Train To Busan’ Star Avoids Social Media

There’s no denying that fans love Train to Busan and Goblin star Gong Yoo. And in case you needed another reason to love the guy, you should know that he is one of very few celebrities who refrains from social media. In an age where the average guy or gal with 100 followers can’t live without social media, could a celebrity just throw away millions of potential fans? If so, wouldn’t that be blasphemy? Well, apparently not for Gong Yoo.

Gong Yoo, it appears, detests social media. The Train To Busan star recently talked about his social media absence during a fan event in Taiwan, Dramafever reports. During the Q&A session, the Goblin star was asked by one of the fans why he was absent in social media, and Gong Yoo had a brilliant response. The actor insisted that he was voluntarily off social media because he was trying to avoid the cultural bandwagon that is sharing selfies or other personal photos online to maintain “fame.”

“First of all, I don’t have SNS accounts because I don’t like taking selfies and photos in general. I like to see things in person rather than capturing them in photo form.”

Gong Yoo further pointed out how much the process of sharing photos on social media involved editing the photos in some way to make them seem more appealing. Gong Yoo particularly dislikes this because he considers it to be very unnatural.

“Also, most of the time these services are used to share photos. So when you show a photo, you have to package and edit it in a certain manner and I don’t like it because it’s unnatural. I don’t like thinking about editing and how this photo could be seen as.”

Of course, not everyone would agree with Gong Yoo. Many people use social media for other reasons. Some may use it to share their opinions or awareness, as well as share breaking news or even to keep authorities in check. But what Gong Yoo has got right is that most of the 2.6 billion smartphone users do use social media to post their own photos or share what’s going on in their personal lives. This is particularly true of most celebrities who, for better or worse, have come to completely rely on these platforms to maintain their fame. All that considered, Gong Yoo, it appears, is indeed a special breed.

Gong Yoo first became famous starring in hit TV shows and films such as 2007’s Coffee Prince and 2012’s Big. The former skyrocketed his career, boosting his fame worldwide and making him a household name in South Korea. His first acting role was in 2001’s School 4.

The South Korean actor has been enjoying a new wave of popularity lately, mostly thanks to the success of his new drama series Goblin. Whether he likes it or not, this has once again put him in the media spotlight, with a lot of people interested in learning more about his personal life. And even though the actor will not be sharing his lifestyle on social media anytime soon, he does occasionally offer glimpses into his life and personal opinions via interviews.

In one recent interview he shared how, at age 37, marriage and parenthood were things that still scared him.

“I have become more and more afraid about marriage and parenting. I think its because I am getting older. Of course, there will be a lot to learn, and I also know that the experience will help in my acting.”

[Featured Image by Pascal LeSegretain/Getty Images]