Hoyeon is addressing her career, as well as her personal life.
The 30-year-old Squid Games actress opened up in an interview with Elle, out now.
During the conversation, she spoke about her rise to fame after the hit Netflix series, advice from veteran actors, cultural differences, dealing with insecurity, Season 2 theories and dating rumors.
Keep reading to find out more…
On how her sudden fame after Squid Game came with its own challenges, and what she has learned from that experience:
In the beginning, I was scared because I thought, ‘I’m not prepared to have these kinds of jobs.’ But I realized that these are rare things. I can’t squander them. Now I can say with conviction that whatever opportunity comes my way, I choose to do this, I choose to have this.”
On advice she received from veteran actors and how she has taken it to heart for her upcoming project Disclaimer:
“‘If you’re having trouble figuring out your next move, go to a project where you can learn the most’…exactly the advice that I needed.”
On cultural differences, and what she learned preparing for her role in Disclaimer in East London:
“Londoners like to go to Pret A Manger a lot. Breakfast is very important to them….the trick for me was to try to gain perspective on the cultural differences, but also to maintain the core humanity of what a character would carry as a person, as a human being. I got used to hugging when saying goodbye. But when I [went home and] hugged Koreans, it was very awkward.”
On how she has dealt with insecurity in her career:
“I have more experience, but I still feel that I’m not good enough sometimes. But that also makes me keep working hard. When I first started modeling, I would always think, ‘Am I doing this right?’ The more experience I had, the more confidence I gained. So now when I’m standing in front of the camera, I’m like, ‘Hoyeon, you’ve got this, you are the best, you can do this.’”
On staying humble, breaking into new roles, and not “going Hollywood”:
“I am aware of hubris and wary of that in my acting. It can lead you to forget that what we’re doing is a collaborative effort, and can sometimes create a rigidity in my thoughts or actions, so I really try to bring a mindset of flexibility and openness.”
On how she will not make a reappearance in Squid Game Season 2, despite internet theories:
“No. No. No.”
On confirming that the internet rumors of Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker sliding into her DMs are fake:
“I don’t even know who he is.”
On thinking about her acting roles, past, present, and future:
“They really showcase the vulnerability of what it means to be human. In real life, we learn how to hide our feelings and emotions and not express them fully. But when I’m acting, it’s almost like I’m able to release all that is inside me to the outside. That is a really therapeutic experience. I feel like something is more beautiful when it is not perfect, but slightly broken. Let AI do their perfect job. Let’s be human.”
