Throughout the mid-1990s Yoo Oh-sung complemented a career in television with minor roles in film. With his success playing a young gangster in the hit movie Beat (1997) Yoo is face became familiar to a new generation of moviegoers. The year 1999 was somewhat of a breakthrough for Yoo as he took the lead role in the acclaimed comedy The Spy (1999) (The Spy) and also starred in the hugely successful Attack the Gas Station (1999) (Attack the Gas Station). Yoo is latest role is his biggest however as the co-star in Kyung-taek Kwak is smash hit Friend (2001) (Friend). His performance drew much attention and praise, and the film became the most successful Korean film in history. Yoo has also reportedly agreed to star in director Kwak is next feature, about a boxer from a poor background.