The Squid Game , Netflix’s latest hit, has unleashed a madness in the world that we have not seen since other phenomenon series such as The Paper House, The Bridgertons or Lady’s Gambit . In fact, the South Korean drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk about the deadly competition of a group of desperate people in macabre children’s games for a final prize of 33 million euros , would already be the most watched series in the history of Netflix , according to revealed recently its CEO Ted Sarandos.
READ ALSO : Will ‘The Squid Game’ Season 2 Be On Netflix?
There are many milestones that this violent and at the same time emotional thriller has marked . Among them, discover a magnificent cast of Korean actors , led by Lee Jung-jae , who plays the protagonist (Seong Gi-hun), the gambler and failed father with a good heart , whose variety of interpretive registers help to understand the vital transformation of a person to the limit to save his life and dignity:
But among all the searches related to the game squid ( Squid Game ) that have skyrocketed in the world in recent weeks, also highlights of Hoyeon Jung, one of the leading actresses and great discovery of the South Korean series:
Jung Ho-yeon Gain 13 million followers on Instagram in less than a month
The 27-year-old actress and supermodel was almost unknown until the premiere of the Netflix series on September 17. Since then, her number of followers on Instagram has shot up , from 400,000 three weeks ago to 13.7 million today, becoming the most followed actress in Korea on this social network:
Mysterious character of Jung Ho-yeon in ‘The Squid Game’
Game Squid has seen the debut in the interpretation of Hoyeon Jung . In the series, she is Kang Sae-byeok , a North Korean hustler and defector who enters the game to get her brother out of the orphanage and retrieve his family members trapped in North Korea. Under these lines , some of his best moments in the series:
Her character is one of the most reserved and introverted in The Squid Game , and although she has hardly any script lines, the mystery of her gestures, her spectacular beauty and acting talent have aroused interest in her in the 90 countries where she is watch the series. Here we see her with the actor who plays her brother in the series:
HoYeon Jung, the “model of the year” before ‘The Squid Game’
Before the premiere of the Netflix series, HoYeon Jung (born in Seoul 27 years ago) was already known in her country as a runway and advertising model , appearing in the top 50 of most beautiful women on Models.com and chosen “model of the year ” in 2017.
Jung was educated at the College of Performing Arts at Dongduk Women’s University (South Korea). She started modeling at the age of 16 , at Seoul Fashion Week. At 1.76 meters tall , she became known after signing with ESteem Models and competing in the Korean reality show Next Top Model (2013) , an adaptation of the American format presented by Tyra Banks, where she was second. Here we can see its evolution:
That notoriety allowed him to appear in Korean fashion magazines such as Vogue or Elle , get his first advertising contracts and make his international debut with Louis Vuitton, in 2016. His red hair was one of his hallmarks:
Later she participated in parades for other famous firms such as Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Max Mara, Dolce & Gabbana, Channel or Narciso Rodriguez. In recent years she has done advertisements for Sephora, Chanel, Gap, Hermès and Louis Vuitton , and has been the cover of magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar in Japan and Korea .
This is how it was discovered for ‘The Squid Game’
Jung was at New York Fashion Week when the opportunity came to audition for the role of The Squid Game, through the South Korea’s Saram Entertainment agency for which he worked. She submitted a recorded video proof and, to his surprise, they chose it, changing his life forever. Under these lines, in the filming with his companions Lee Jung-jae and Park Hae-soo:
What unites her to her character and what she would do with the award
The revelation actress of this 2021 told in an interview the similarities of her character in The Squid Game with her real life .
“In 2016, I left South Korea to pursue my modeling career abroad, and I spent a lot of time alone. That feeling of loneliness , as you try to grow in your career and live, is not that different, ” she revealed in an interview. to W Korea about her participation in the Next Top Model program that led to her rise to fame in her country.
On what she would do if she won the millionaire prize from The Squid Game , she responds that “I would go on vacation to a hotel, buy a house for my family, save something for my retirement and donate the rest.”
Her relationship with music
Before The Squid Game, Hoyeon Jung participated in some music videos , such as Kim Yeon Woo’s Move , Lee Hyori’s Going Crazy , and 100% Beat .
Her partner is actor Lee Dong-hwi
Hoyeon Jung has been in a romantic relationship with fellow actor Lee Dong-hwi ( The Maiden ), nine years her senior , known for his participation in Korean dramas such as Reply 1988, Divorce Lawyer In Love, Entourage, and SF8 .
Her success is reminiscent of Anya Taylor-Joy’s (‘Lady’s Gambit’)
Her success and leap from the catwalk to the big screen is reminiscent of Anya Taylor-Joy ( Lady’s Gambit ). The former British model of Spanish and Argentine origin, a revelation actress of 2020, was discovered for the interpretation at the age of 16 , and today she is one of the most sought-after faces in Hollywood with great series and films behind her such as Peaky Blinders or Emma .