Squid Game: The Cast of the Netflix Hit and Where We’ve Seen Them Before
Netflix’s Squid Game is on track to claiming the title of the most-streamed series all over the world. We’ve been seeing a lot more global content on Netflix, but nowhere would we have imagined Squid Game to be #1 in over 90 different countries! The show has taken over social media, reaching over 24.8 billion accumulated views with the hashtag #squidgame on Tiktok.
The fictional nine-episode drama is a South Korean thriller about miserable characters who play a survival game in hopes of winning 45.6 billion Korean won (approximately $39 million USD) to change their lives. Every episode is intense and full of suspense that hooks you in, but what made the show take off is the unique characters each actor portrays. The overwhelming success of the show has turned its actors into overnight sensations with more fame and popularity than they may have already had.
Lee Jung-Jae (이정재)
Actor Lee Jung-Jae plays the main character Seong Gi-Hun in the show, but did you know he’s a national heartthrob and was likely your mom’s television crush?
Beginning his acting career in 1993, Lee Jung-Jae has since played significant roles in movies that would lead to his breakthrough. His acting career took off starring in films Il Mare, The Last Witness, Typoon, The Housemaid, and City of the Rising Sun where he won the Best Actor Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
To commemorate the success of Squid Game, Lee-Jung Jae along with several co-stars, have opened their first official Instagram account! Not only did he hit jackpot winning the 45.6 billion Korean won for finishing the game in the show, Lee Jung-Jae is dating heiress Lim Se Ryung of Daesang Foods Group (in real life).
Jung Ho-Yeon (정호연)
Image by Netflix
Statistically proven to be everyone’s favorite actor is fashion model turned actress, Jung Ho-Yeon, who plays Sae-Byeok. In less than a month, Jung Ho-Yeon has gained over 12 million new Instagram followers, becoming the Korean actress with the MOST Instagram followers.
At age 27, Jung Ho Yeon has already made outstanding achievements, walking at shows Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Etro and appeared on ads for Hermes and Sephora to name a few. Four years ago, she shared her skincare and beauty secrets with VOGUE on Youtube.
In Squid Game, Jung Ho-Yeon plays the role of a North Korean defector with a cold and strong personality. During one of the later rounds involving marbles, survivors were told to pick a partner. Having thought they were finding partners to win together, she partnered with Ji-Yeong, a female survivor we could all tell she had a special bond with. Little did they know, they were pitted against each other and only one would survive. At this emotional moment of life or death, Sae-Byeok breaks her tough girl image and becomes emotional.
Wi Ha-Joon (위하준)
Every show has at least one handsome actor viewers will go crazy over and in Squid Game, it is Wi Ha -Joon. Wi Ha-Joon plays the cop who disguises himself as one of the staff members at the game center to investigate the gory activities and search for his older brother.
Wi Ha-Joon made his acting debut in 2012 and played his lead role in Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum. Squid Game is only one of the many acting roles he’ll play in 2021. He played a serial killer in the movie released earlier this year, Midnight, and is confirmed to star in a police drama Bad and Crazy coming out at the end of the year.
Park Hae-Soo (박해수)
Image by Soompi
The sweet and gentle Cho Sang-Woo played by Park Hae-Soo makes a 180 change in personality in the show. Not only is he an eye candy for the older viewers, but his character development also showed his ability to portray different conflicting feelings. Known as the humble and goodie two shoes who graduated from Seoul University, his desire to win the money prize turns him towards selfishness and betrayal.
Amid the rise in popularity of the show, Park Hae Soo welcomes his first child and opened his official Instagram account!
Other remarkable characters include Lee Yoo-Mi who plays Ji-Yeong, Oh Yeong-Su as Oh Il-Nam, Heo Sung-Tae as Jang Deok-Su, Anupam Tripathi as Abdul Ali, and Kim Joo-Ryoung as Han Mi-Nyeo. If that wasn’t enough, we were also blessed with cameo appearances from Gong Yoo and Lee Byung-Hun.
Many of us are anticipating a season 2, and I have no doubts we’re going to get one based on the popularity.
