Jung Ho Yeon’s Modeling Career Helped Her Connect To Her Character Kang Sae Byeok In “Squid Game”—Here’s How

She’s also learned a lot from Kang Sae Byeok through their differences.

The world fell in love with Netflix‘s Squid Game and its many talented stars. Fans especially took a liking to the show’s rookie actress Jung Ho Yeon who plays Kang Sae Byeok.

While Kang Sae Byeok is just a character she plays, Jung Ho Yeon recently explained how she relates to her fairly easily. In an interview with TIME, Jung Ho Yeon conveyed how both she and her character went through some lonely times. As many know, the character of Kang Sae Byeok was a North Korean defector who participates in the deadly games in order to help bring the rest of her family out of North Korea. While that seems far away from the life of Jung Ho Yeon, she clarified that in her life of modeling, she had to live far from her family.

I think that Sae Byeok and I are similar in that we have experienced living somewhere far from home, which means that even when you feel very happy or sad, you can’t share those emotions with friends and family but just keep it to yourself. I also experienced this loneliness when I was modeling overseas so in the regard I could really relate to her.

— Jung Ho Yeon

As for what was so different between the two, Jung Ho Yeon expressed how she was more focused on her own life while Kang Sae Byeok centered her’s around her family back in North Korea.

And what was different in my opinion was, I think I was kind of a person that lived a life relatively centered on my personal interest, wherease Sae Byeok puts other people before herself to the point where she’s willing to sacrifice her life for her family. So it was a little difficult to relate to her in this aspect at first.

— Jung Ho Yeon

Because of the differences she had with her character, Jung Ho Yeon explained that through them, she was able to learn more about life. It definitely was an eye-opener for her.

After playing the role of Sae Byeok, I think I came to view the meaning of friends and family a little differently.

— Jung Ho Yeon

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