“Squid Game” Star HoYeon Jung Covers Vogue’s February Issue

Vogue’s February cover is Hoyeon Jung – the “Squid Game” made model-actor, who has become an instant phenomenon. Monica Kim steps inside the whirlwind with the heart-on-her-sleeve megastar. Since bursting onto screens last year with her unforgettable performance as the North Korean defector with a mysterious past in “Squid Game,” Hoyeon Jung has become one of the most thrilling new actors of the moment—and now, she’s making a new debut, as Vogue’s February cover star. 

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On landing a spot on Korea’s Next Top Model, at age 19—a program that launched the country’s most-famous faces:  “I searched my name every day, and I read all the comments, one by one. Even if eight people loved me and only two people hated me, I always cried, at home alone. Even now, I struggle with low self-esteem.”

On moving to New York, where she finally felt at peace with herself: “Growing up, I thought I had so many shortcom- ings, and I always thought that I had to fix them. New York was the first place that told me that they were okay. I remember being so moved.”

On becoming absurdly famous in a span of days and her family’s reaction: “The feeling, there’s a limit to what words can express. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t eat. I was so confused, and it was so chaotic. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t trust it. My mom did joke that my acting was very realistic, like when I’m being mean to her. My younger sister never really took an interest in my career. She just thinks of me as her older sibling, so when she told me that my acting was ‘not that bad’ in Squid Game, I was quite surprised.”

Reflecting on the low points throughout her career:  “Getting farther away from other people’s gaze let me find what I wanted again and gave me time to study it. What’s important in life is not when your career is up, but when your career is down and how you spend that time. That’s something I learned.”

Vogue’s February 2021 issue is available on newsstands nationwide on January 18th.

Style Credits:
Cover: Louis Vuitton Cape and Dress | Alexander McQueen Earrings
Image 1: Louis Vuitton Cape and Dress
Image 2: Junya Watanabe Dress

Photographer: Harley Weir
Fashion Editor: Alex Harrington
Hair by Holli Smith
Makeup by Thomas de Kluyver

[Photo Credit: Harley Weir//Vogue Magazine]

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