Top 10 Facts You Didn't Know About Jung Ho-yeon
#10: Instagram Superstar
It’s not like Jung Hoyeon was any stranger to Instagram before now. Her account has been built up over several years. Its mixture of images, professional and personal, artistic and casual, gives the impression of a cool person living an interesting life. Around 400,000 people thought so, anyway. Until recently, that is. With the success of Squid Game, Jung’s instagram popularity has exploded. Her follower count has shot up over 14 million in just a few weeks. In the fervor, Jung Hoyeon has suddenly become the most followed Korean actress in the entire world. Luckily, she seems more than ready to welcome all those extra eyes.
#9: Model Beginnings
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Acting wasn’t Jung’s first foray into the public eye. For several years she’s been better known to fashion devotees as one of South Korea’s most coveted models. She didn’t get there on just her stunning looks, though. While most models are “discovered” or have the help of an agency, Jung initially hustled her way onto the runway by freelancing at Seoul Fashion Week as a teenager. Since then she’s graced magazine covers, and walked in high fashion shows all over the world. In fact, she auditioned for Squid Game while working New York fashion week. Recently, Jung also became an official brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton. It looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of her everywhere in the future.
#8: Style for Miles
Just working in the fashion industry doesn’t guarantee great personal style, but Jung Hoyeon has it nevertheless. For years she was known for her signature bright red hair. We can’t deny that the fiery color is appropriately eye-catching. Jung is also noted for her impeccable streetwear style. Though she’s undeniably gorgeous in runway high style, she looks just as good dressed down. In fact, she seems to have the kind of effortless cool that can make even the simplest outfit into a head-turner. Heck, she even managed to make those green track suits look kind of chic.
#7: Skincare Maven
South Korea is a country renowned for its incredible skin care. Affordable, abundant, and insanely effective, it’s no wonder that so many Koreans take pleasure in pampering their skin. Jung Hoyeon is no exception. In 2016 she shared her routine with Vogue. With that array of products she quickly went through her multi-step process of toning and moisturizing her face. She also took some time to share some valuable tips for reducing puffiness. It’s always fun to get advice on new techniques, or to discover new products, like Jung’s favorite anti-stress oil- Who knew that was a thing?! We look forward to trying some of her tricks for the ultimate game face.
#6: Korea’s Almost Next Top Model
In 2013, Jung appeared on the fourth cycle of Korea’s Next Top Model. Though now it seems obvious that she was bursting with talent, it looks like the judges thought that was debatable at the time. Jung was eliminated in the third episode of the cycle, only to be brought back two episodes later. She would go all the way to the finals before placing as the runner up. Though she might not have won the show, her Top Model experience raised Jung’s profile and helped lead to the modeling career she would enjoy afterwards. However, she wasn’t completely done with reality shows. In 2016 she competed again on the modeling survival program “Devil’s Runway.”
#5: Blackpink Bestie
Jung Hoyeon has a number of notable people close to her. These include her boyfriend of five years, fellow actor Lee Dong-hwi, and Gong Myung of the actor group 5urprise. However, her friendship with Blackpink’s Jennie is a standout. The two share a close relationship, with Jennie even coming to visit Hoyeon on the set of Squid Game. Her support wasn’t limited to a drop in either. In an interview, Hoyeon’s castmate Lee Jung-jae revealed that Jennie made sure to provide sustenance too. It’s great to have the support of friends, and even better when those friends understand the importance of snacks.
#4: Past Struggles
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These days it may look like Jung Hoyeon eats success for breakfast, but of course that’s not always true. She’s definitely had her share of setbacks. Before her dramatic run on Korea’s Next Top Model Cycle Four, Jung attempted to compete in the second cycle of the reality program and failed to make the top fifteen. Acting offered its own hurdles. In an interview with Models.com, she revealed an excruciating past audition experience. “I read the monologue,” she said, “and it was so awkward that while I was reading even I could feel that it was very bad, and I could imagine their feeling.” Though she got some bruising feedback from the auditors, Jung thankfully decided to stick with acting.
#3: Lights, Camera, Then Action
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Squid Game may still be on top of everyone’s watch list, but fans are already wondering what Jung Hoyeon will do next. The actress has named Quentin Tarantino as one of her favorite directors, and especially enjoys his movie “Kill Bill.” We definitely know that Jung Hoyeon can pull off intensity, so it’s not surprising that she dreams of getting to be in a similar movie at some point. As a model, she says she appreciates the cool outfits in the movie, as well as the amazing fight scenes. Honestly, we could see her being just as big a badass as the Bride one day. However, Jung is also looking to expand her range in the future. She has expressed an interest in trying her hand at romance too.
#2: Creating Sae-byeok
There’s a reason why Squid Game’s Kang Sae-byeok has become such a fan favorite. The North Korean defector seems tough, but underneath her stoic exterior is a girl struggling to care for her brother and reunite her family. Jung Hoyeon put a lot of effort into building her character into someone who felt real and multi-dimensional. She kept a journal as Sae-byeok, finding that she could relate her own feelings of isolation from her time working abroad to Sae-byeok’s pain at being separated from her parents. She also watched a number of documentaries on defectors, and took dialect lessons from a coach who had escaped North Korea in order to nail her accent.
#1: A Squid-tacular Debut
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Yes, it’s true. Incredible as it may seem, Squid Game is Jung Hoyeon’s first ever acting role. While still modeling overseas, she started making regular trips home to take acting lessons. In 2020 she was signed to Saram Entertainment as an actor. Though glamorous Jung Hoyeon and tragic Kang Sae-byeok may seem worlds apart, Jung aced her audition and was given the role shortly after meeting director Hwang Dong-hyuk. Initially she was very nervous about her ability to actually perform the part. It turns out she didn’t need to worry. Jung brought amazing life to Sae-byeok, making her one of the best and most memorable characters in Squid Game. All signs point to an even brighter future for this breakout sensation.
