Ryu started his career in 2014 with roles in smaller works such as indie films and a music video. He made a major breakthrough in tvN's hit drama series "Reply 1988" in 2015. Since then, he has appeared in hit films such as "The Silenced" (2015), "The King" (2017), "A Taxi Driver" (2017), "The Battle: Roar to Victory" (2019) and more.
Ryu and singer-actor Hyeri admitted they were in love in August 2017, one of the few out-in-the-open love birds on the Korean entertainment scene. The two became acquainted while starring as the lead characters in TV drama series "Reply 1988" (2015-16).
However, in November 2023 news broke that the couple had recently split.