Since the phenomenal success of the South Korean Netflix series Squid Games, actress HoYeon Jung — who played the role of Kang Sae-Byeok — has achieved global acclaim and recognition.
Even though it was her first attempt at acting, HoYeon is now recognised by her fans and followers from different parts of the world.
Before launching her acting career, the 27-year-old star was associated with the world of fashion modelling. And according to Teen Vogue, HoYeon has modelled for some of the top brands of the world, including Fendi, Versace Max Mara, Miu Miu, Chanel, Burberry, and Bottega Veneta, among others. In October this year, she was also chosen by Louis Vuitton as its new global ambassador.
Even though the success of Squid Game has opened up many opportunities for HoYeon, life has become quite overwhelming for her at the same time.
Continue reading to find out why.
Skyrocketing Fame
As Squid Games set new Netflix viewership records and became a global hit, HoYeon also witnessed skyrocketing fame, especially on social media.
According to L’Officiel, the actress has become so popular that she now has 23.8 million followers on Instagram.
As NME explains, HoYeon is now the most-followed South Korean actress on the photo-and-video-sharing platform.
Speaking to Teen Vogue, the model said she had never envisaged all this fame.
“It’s unreal. Just unreal. I never expected this sort of thing to happen, so I think the biggest emotion that I’m feeling is that I just can’t believe it,” she said.
Losing Herself
While it’s easy to assume that HoYeon must be over the moon because of her overnight success, the actress has revealed that the experience has been quite stressful for her.
She even lost weight because she couldn’t eat properly.
“I lost [six] pounds in a week when [Squid Game] became successful. I couldn’t eat — it wasn’t stress; I just didn’t know this feeling. What’s going on out there, who am I? I was kind of losing myself,” she told Hollywood Reporter.
Getting Used To It
Now that HoYeon has accepted that she has become famous across the globe, she is slowly trying to get used to the feeling.
According to Hollywood Reporter, the actress now feels very comfortable with the crew of the series. Still, she sometimes finds it all a bit overwhelming and hard to digest.
“Now, I feel very comfortable with the Squid Game team, so I can slowly get used to this success with people. But when I was at home by myself watching this growth, I was like, ‘What’?” she told the publication.
Future Plans
Despite the huge success of Squid Games which has brought HoYeon into the international limelight, the 27-year-old is not certain about her future.
She told Teen Vogue that at the moment, she aims to live every day of her life to the fullest.
“So many things are happening right now, so I’m in the process of digesting everything and putting things in order,” she told the outlet, adding that it is “too early” for her to say what her goals or plans for the future are.
]]>The Inquisitr
