[6] Since then he has starred in the box-office hit films The King (2017), A Taxi Driver (2017), Little Forest (2018), Believer (2018), Money (2019), The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019), and The Night Owl (2022).

While studying at the university, Ryu took many part-time jobs, working as an after-school teacher for elementary students, a pizza delivery person, a day labourer, and more.

[36][37] In 2021, Ryu starred in JTBC's "Tenth Anniversary Special Project", a Hur Jin-ho melodrama television series Lost with Jeon Do-yeon, marking his small screen comeback after five years.

[42] Ryu is set to feature as a lead in psychological thriller Netflix series The 8 Show along with actress Chun Woo-hee and actor Park Jeong-min, reuniting second work with the director Han Jae-rim.

[43] Ryu also will appear as a lead in mystery thriller film Revelations along with actress Shin Hyun-been and will be directed from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho.

[46] In 2020, Ryu made yet another donation to Greenpeace in response to Australian wildfires, and campaigned for animal protection and urgent action to tackle climate change on his Instagram account.

[47] In 2021, Ryu participated in a video conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, speaking about environmental protection and bringing attention to the Greenpeace campaign to reduce plastic packaging.

He established a mini vlog-series on YouTube, titled Ryu Jun Yeol's: Reportage (Korean: '류준열의 르포르타쥬'), which covered his life in Los Angeles.

[54] Starting in late 2016, Ryu was in a relationship with singer and actress Lee Hye-ri, whom he met while filming Reply 1988 where he played the second lead who fell in love with his childhood best friend.

He is best friends with Tottenham Hotspur player Son Heung-min,[57] and has participated in promotional activities for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which was held in South Korea.

Ahead of the tournament, Ryu played against Argentine football players Diego Maradona and Pablo Aimar in a five-a-side match held before the official U-20 World Cup draw in Suwon.