BY ALLYSA GATCHALIAN
The model-turned-Netflix star has been in the spotlight for quite some time.
Since its premiere on September 17, Netflix’s latest psychological thriller Squid Game has been breaking records worldwide, being the first-ever Korean drama to top the platform’s global rankings. The nine-episode hit tells the story of 456 cash-strapped individuals invited to play a series of deadly childhood games, all for a grand prize of 45.6 billion won.
For those who already watched the show, you’ll know Jung Ho-Yeon as Kang Sae-Byeok, the fearless North Korean defector who joins the game in the hopes of bringing her family back together. But even before her impressive acting debut as Player 067, Ho-Yeon has already been making waves internationally as a model.
Here are some of the things you may not have known about the talented multi-hyphen:
1. She started modeling at 16 — without the help of an agency too!
Born in a small district on the outskirts of Seoul, Ho-Yeon started her career as a freelance model. With no agency representation, she spent her earlier years working hard on her own, cold-calling and distributing profile photos to various fashion labels. Soon enough, she managed to land shows at Seoul Fashion Week and signed with ESteem Models (one of Korea’s biggest modeling agencies) a few years later.
2. She was the first runner-up in Korea’s Next Top Model Cycle 4.
Squid Game wasn’t the first survival series that the model-turned-actress has competed in. Fans of the runway may remember Ho-Yeon from her 2013 stint in Korea’s Next Top Model. Despite finishing in second place, Ho-Yeon became a mainstay in local runways, and also started making appearances in local editions of Vogue, Elle, and W.
3. She is known for her fiery red hair.
Reportedly selected by Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière for the fashion house’s F/W 2017 show (as an exclusive model to boot), Ho-Yeon turned heads with her flaming red locks on her first overseas runway gig. Shortly after, she started walking for numerous luxury brands including Marc Jacobs, Burberry, and Chanel, and also graced the covers of American Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.
4. She’s got killer street style.
Outside the runway, Ho-Yeon is a favorite of many fashion photographers and is well-known for her impeccable model-off-duty style. In 2017, she was nominated on Models.com’s Best Street Style category, alongside top models Adwoa Aboah, Sara Sampaio, and Romee Strijd. We’re definitely fans of her effortlessly cool looks!
5. She’s dating Reply 1988 star Lee Dong-Hwi.
According to various media outlets, the pair have been dating since 2015, but only went public with their relationship in 2016. They’ve also been described as “free personalities [who] don’t hide their affection”, and have been going strong ever since.
Lee Dong-Hwi, who is nine years older than her, is also known for frequently posting fashion-forward fits on his Instagram feed, which led to the pair being dubbed as a ‘fashionista couple’.
6. She’s besties with BLACKPINK’s Jennie.
BLINKS and Sae-Byeok fans alike will be delighted to know that Jennie and Ho-Yeon actually go way back; often posting wacky selfies on social media and actively supporting each other’s projects.
According to Lee Jung-Jae, Ho-Yeon’s costar that plays Seong Gi-Hun (Player 456), the BLACKPINK singer not only sent a food truck to show her support for Ho-Yeon, but even dropped by the set! What’s more, Ho-Yeon is also often spotted attending BLACKPINK concerts to cheer for her friend. These two are definitely BFF goals!
7. She auditioned for Squid Game in the middle of New York Fashion Week.
Amidst fashion week preparations, Ho-Yeon received an invite to audition for the role of Kang Sae-Byeok. The model then sent over a self-taped audition video, and flew back to Korea to meet with Squid Game director Hwang Dong-Hyuk a week later. During a press con, the director said: “I knew straight away that she was the perfect fit for Sae-Byeok. I felt it right away — the tone of her voice, the glare and the aura, everything was perfect.”
8. She relates a lot to Sae-Byeok.
To prepare for the role, Ho-Yeon watched a lot of documentaries about North Korean fugitives. The actress revealed that she felt a connection with Sae-Byeok and was able to identify with the character’s loneliness.
In an interview with W Korea, the actress said: “In 2016, I left Korea to further my modeling career overseas, and I spent a lot of time alone. At the time, the emotion that I felt the most was loneliness. That feeling of loneliness while trying to persevere and live isn’t all that different.”
9. She learned English for her acting career.
While being fluent in English is definitely advantageous for an international model like Ho-Yeon, she told Models.com that her main drive to learn the language was actually because she wanted to try her hand at acting. The actress took up several speech classes before starting acting lessons, and clearly — her hard work paid off!
10. She is a thrill-seeker and loves action flicks.
Ho-Yeon loves traveling and going on adventures with her friends, and even went skydiving in Guam when she was 19! She is also a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino and would love to star in a movie similar to Kill Bill someday. The model-turned-actress says: “I love the girls fighting with the really cool outfits. Since I’m a fashion model, we know the fashion industry, how to make it cool, that stuff. I think Kill Bill is a very good movie to see fashion and drama.”
In case you didn’t know already, Ho-Yeon is also on Instagram! You can follow the star @hoooooyeony for more updates on her latest projects.