November 11 –  Jung Hoyeon was the center of attention as she held her first Fun Meet in Manila at the New Frontier Theater. As IAM Worldwide’s ambassador, she faced her fans and answered questions from the event’s host Sam Oh.

Jung Hoyeon is known to many for her role as the stoic yet determined Kang Saebyeok a.k.a. Player 067 in the wildly popular 2021 Netflix show “Squid Game”. Despite being her debut as an actress, her portrayal of the role turned out to be so iconic, it earned her a win in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series as well a nomination at the Emmys. 

Radiant and elegant, Hoyeon entered the stage, donning a white Filipiniana dress, a modernized take on the traditional baro’t saya. Prior to her breakout role in “Squid Game”, she already has a formidable career in modeling which started in 2010. She was a runner-up in the TV show Korea’s Next Top Model in 2013. She has also participated in the Seoul and New York Fashion Week.

“Mabuhay! I’m so glad to meet you guys in person,” she greeted the crowd with a wide smile. When asked why she decided to pursue acting when she was already successful as a model, she said that she is an adventurous person. When she was traveling and meeting different kinds of people as a model, she realized that she wanted to pursue acting as well.

The massive success of “Squid Game” was something she wasn’t expecting at all. During filming, she narrated that she just did her best to play her role. When her name was announced as the winner at the SAG Awards, she was in total shock. She still thinks it’s an honor for her and she’s very grateful to the cast and crew of the show.

Jung Hoyeon also said she feels a bit of pressure being dubbed as the “The World’s Current  It Girl” by Vulture Magazine. However, she is also amazed and honored to know that many people share her preferences.

We also learned some trivia about her. During her free time, she likes to lie down and not do anything. She likes playing Blockudoku, a mobile game which is a mix of block games and sudoku. Lastly, she is also very interested in going to Boracay or Cebu.

Throughout the Fun Meet, Hoyeon made consistent effort in engaging her fans by waving at them, sending finger hearts and even replying to their cheers.  At the end, winners of the games got their photo session with her. 

“Thank you so much for your precious time! I’llI definitely come back and see more of you! Salamat po! Mahal ko kayo! Stay safe and healthy,” she told the crowd as she bid them goodbye. 

Jung Hoyeon is set to make her Hollywood film debut with the “The Governess” directed by Joe Talbot. She is also slated to appear in Alfonso Cuaron’s series  “Disclaimer”.

Special thanks to Wilbros Live and I Am Worldwide

By Sandra Mae Laureano