# Yang Dong-geun

Yang Dong-geun (Korean: 양동근; born June 1, 1979), also known as YDG, is a South Korean actor and rapper. He started his career as a child actor, drawing attention for his roles in the television shows Seoul Ttukbaegi (1990) and Hyung (1991). He began releasing music as a rapper in 2001, establishing himself as a star of Korean hip-hop. Yang continued acting, gaining popularity for his roles in the television shows New Nonstop (2002) and Ruler of Your Own World (2002). He is best known outside of South Korea for playing Park Yong-sik in the second season of Squid Game (2024).

## Career

His comeback project after being discharged from the military was in film Grand Prix with Kim Tae-hee. He was cast as male lead Lee Woo-suk after Lee Joon-gi had to pull out when the Military Manpower Administration declined his application to postpone enlistment for military service.
On October 18 to November 23, 2008, he acted in the musical Mine with Kangta. It is about the true life story of Lieutenant Lee Jong-myung, who lost his legs in a land mine explosion near the demilitarized zone, in June 2000, when he saved fellow soldier, Sul Dong-seob from the minefield.
In 2016, he and his daughter Yang Joy joined as a member of KBS variety show The Return of Superman.

## Philanthropy

On February 8, 2023, Yang donated 10 million won to help 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, by donating money through the Embassy of Turkey in South Korea.

## Personal life

Yang and his wife Park Ga-ram have two sons and a daughter.
Yang majored in Theatrical Performance at Yong In University.
Yang enlisted for mandatory military service in May 2008 for 21 months of active duty.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1986 | Three Families Under One Roof | | MBC |
| 1987 | Tappuri | | KBS |
| 1989 | Carousel | | KBS1 |
| 1989 | MBC Best Theater: "Crescent Moon and Night" | | MBC |
| 1990 | Seoul Earthen Bowl | Jang Soo-gon | KBS |
| 1991 | Hyung (My Older Brother) | young Dong-hoon | KBS2 |
| 1992 | Gwanchon Essay | | SBS |
| 1995 | New Generation Report: Adults Don't Know | | KBS1 |
| 1996 | Three Guys and Three Girls | | MBC |
| 1999 | School 1 | Jo Suk-ho | KBS2 |
| 1999 | Ad Madness | Hwang Dae-joo | KBS2 |
| 2000 | Drama City: "He Got Off at The Train Station" | | KBS2 |
| 2000 | New Nonstop | Yang Dong-geun | MBC |
| 2000 | 8.15 Drama: "Seongam Island" | | MBC |
| 2001 | The Full Sun | Choi Dong-pal | KBS2 |
| 2002 | Ruler of Your Own World | Ko Bok-su | MBC |
| 2006 | Dr. Kkang | Kang Dal-go | MBC |
| 2007 | I Am Sam | Jang Yi-san | KBS2 |
| 2012 | Hero | Kim Heuk-chul | OCN |
| 2014 | The Three Musketeers | Heo Seung-po | tvN |
| 2016 | My Fair Lady | cameo | KBS2 |
| 2017 | Missing 9 | Yoon Tae-young | MBC |
| 2017 | The Bride of Habaek | Joo Dong | tvN |
| 2017 | Borg Mom | Choi Go-Bong | MBC |
| 2018 | The Third Charm | Lee Dong-jae | JTBC |
| 2018 | My Secret Terrius | Cha Jung-il | MBC |
| 2020 | 365: Repeat the Year | Bae Jung-tae | MBC |
| 2021 | Lost | Woo-nam | JTBC |
| 2022 | Cheer Up | Bae Young-woong | SBS |
| 2022 | The Forbidden Marriage | Jo Seong-gyun | MBC |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2021 | Emergency | Doctor Yang | Medical Sitcom |
| 2021 | Floor | independent actor | Audio drama |
| 2022 | The King of the Desert | Dong-hyeon | |
| 2022 | Connect | musician Z | |
| 2023 | Moving | Jung Joon-hwa | |
| 2024 | Squid Game | Park Yong-sik (Player 007) | Season 2 |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1991 | Super Hong Gil-dong 5 | Dol-yi |
| 1992 | Backpack of Memories of Hae-ryong and Dal-ja | |
| 1998 | Zzang (The Best) | Yang Jong-gu |
| 1999 | White Valentine | Han-seok |
| 1999 | Dance Dance | Soon-do |
| 2000 | Bloody Beach | Jae-seung |
| 2001 | Address Unknown | Chang-guk |
| 2002 | Bet on My Disco | Wang Seok-gi |
| 2003 | Wild Card | Bang Je-su |
| 2004 | The Last Wolf | Choi Cheol-kwon |
| 2004 | Fighter in the Wind | Choi Bae-dal |
| 2006 | Monopoly | Na Kyung-ho |
| 2010 | Grand Prix | Lee Woo-seok |
| 2011 | The Perfect Game | Sun Dong-yeol |
| 2012 | Love 911 | Detective Bang Je-su (cameo) |
| 2013 | Days of Wrath | Chang-shik |
| 2013 | Rough Play | Kang Bin (cameo) |
| 2013 | Black Gospel (documentary) | himself |
| 2020 | Night of the Undead | Dr. Jang |
| 2022 | Yaksha: Ruthless Operations | Chief Hong |
| TBA | Starlight Falls | Craft beer brewery owner |

### Variety shows

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2014 | Show Me the Money 3 | Producer of "Team YDG" |
| 2016 | The Return of Superman | Himself, with his children |
| 2016 | Unpretty Rapstar 3 | Host |
| 2017 | Law of the Jungle in Komodo | Cast member (Episodes 274–278) |
| 2017 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant as "Columbus" (Episode 125) |
| 2020 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant as "Sergeant" (Episodes 261–262) |
| 2021–present | Master of Life | Narrator |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2005 | Offending the Audience | |
| 2008 | Mine | Kang Bong-tae |
| 2015–2017 | In the Heights | Usnavi |

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
| Title | Album details | KOR | Sales |
| Yangdonggeun a.k.a Madman | Released: July 27, 2001 Label: Star J Format: CD, cassette | 16 | KOR: 68,209 |
| Da Man On The Block!! | Released: May 13, 2002 Label: Star J Format: CD | 30 | KOR: 17,294 |
| Travel | Released: November 25, 2003 Label: Square One Format: CD, cassette | 12 | KOR: 20,373 |
| Mirror (거울) | Released: July 13, 2006 Label: Danal Format: CD | — | |
| But I Give (But I 드려) | Released: October 22, 2007 Label: Kemical Record Format: CD | 22 | KOR: 9,857 |

### Compilation albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | KOR |
| Best of Best | Released: November 9, 2010 Label: Kemical Record Format: CD, digital download | 19 |

### Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | Album |
| "Dog" (개키워) (2010 New Version) | 2010 | 48 | Non-album single |
| "Bandolier" (탄띠) | 2010 | 76 | Best of Best |
| "Perfect Game" (with Skull) | 2011 | 91 | Non-album singles |
| "Just The Two Of Us" (feat. Bizzy and Lee Jung) | 2012 | 18 | Non-album singles |
| "Give It to Me" (feat. Dok2 and The Quiett) | 2012 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Father" | 2013 | 42 | Non-album singles |
| "Jajaja" (feat. Dynamic Duo and Crush) | 2014 | 47 | Non-album singles |
| "Jump Down" (feat. Ivy) | 2015 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Beside Me" (with Code Kunst, Bewhy and Suran) | 2016 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Work Spirit" (작업혼) (feat. Beenzino) | 2016 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Don't Go" (feat. Hash Swan) | 2016 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Casanova" (카사노바) (feat. Babylon and Carlos) | 2017 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Then, Single?" (그럼..누님?) (with Esther Kim) | 2018 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Going Home" | 2019 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Package of Love" (사랑의 택배) | 2019 | — | Non-album singles |
| "That G" (때찌) | 2021 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Count Your Blessings" (with Dbo) | 2025 | — | Non-album singles |

## Ambassadorship

* Public relations ambassador of the global medical volunteer group Green Doctors (2022)

## Awards and nominations

Year presented, name of the award ceremony, award category, nominated work and the result of the nomination :
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1991 | 27th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Young Actor | Hyung | Won |
| 1991 | KBS Drama Awards | Best Young Actor | Hyung | Won |
| 2001 | 21st Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best New Actor | Address Unknown | Won |
| 2001 | MBC Entertainment Awards | Top Excellence Award in a Sitcom | New Nonstop | Won |
| 2002 | MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Ruler of Your Own World | Won |
| 2002 | MBC Drama Awards | TV Actor of the Year (chosen by journalists) | Ruler of Your Own World | Won |
| 2002 | MBC Drama Awards | TV Actor of the Year (chosen by netizens) | Ruler of Your Own World | Won |
| 2003 | 39th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor (TV) | Ruler of Your Own World | Won |
| 2003 | 1st Korea Fashion World Awards | Best Dressed, Film category | — | Won |
| 2004 | 27th Golden Cinematography Awards | Most Popular Actor | Wild Card | Won |
| 2004 | 41st Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Wild Card | Nominated |
| 2006 | 1st Anniversary of the Police Film Festival | Plaque of Appreciation | — | Won |
| 2009 | Award from the Army Chief of Staff | Recipient | — | Won |
| 2017 | MBC Entertainment Awards | Special Award in Sitcom | Borg Mom | Won |
| 2022 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries Romance/Comedy | Cheer Up | Nominated |
| 2022 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Team | Cheer Up | Won |
| 2022 | MBC Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Forbidden Marriage | Nominated |