‘Squid Game’ Star HoYeon Jung Becomes Louis Vuitton’s New Global Ambassador

HoYeon Jung is quickly making a name for herself as South Korea’s next biggest actress after the success of the Netflix hit, “Squid Game.”

What fans may not know is that the 27-year-old beauty is actually a model who already has an illustrious career behind her. In 2013, she became the runner-up on the fourth season of “Korea’s Next Top Model” and a 2015 Vogue article gave her the title of “Korea’s Next Top Model.”

In 2018, she was ranked as one of the “Top 50” female fashion models by Models.com.

It’s not too much of a surprise that Jung and Louis Vuitton would form such a close partnership. In 2016, Jung made her intentional modeling debut with a Louis Vuitton exclusive after dying her hair a bold, flaming red. That same year, she also posed for Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Alberta Ferretti, and Max Mara.

In a global press release, Jung revealed, “It is an honor to start my acting career with Louis Vuitton, the brand I have modeled for. I look forward to all the moments with Louis Vuitton as a global ambassador.”

Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière seemed equally excited to start working with Jung, saying, "I immediately fell in love with HoYeon's great talent and fantastic personality, and I am looking forward to starting this new chapter of the journey we started at Louis Vuitton a few years ago."

At the moment, it seems doubtful that Jung would appear in another season of the Netflix k-drama due to her character’s demise in its first season.

Her character Kang Sea-byeok, also known as Number 067 in the game, was killed by Sang-woo after becoming seriously injured from exploding glass in the previous round. Her sudden departure struck an emotional note with fans, who wanted the pickpocket to win the game’s prize pool to bring her North Korean parents to South Korea and reclaim her younger brother, who was living in an orphanage.

Although it’s possible that Sea-byeok could appear in a flashback, the fate of “Squid Game” season 2 is currently undecided. The show’s writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, recently stated that “there is nothing confirmed at the moment” but he is “really contemplating it” due to the show’s overwhelming popularity.

As for Jung, it seems she is trying to figure out whether she wants to continue her modeling career or pursue an acting career.

"I hope I can do both but, physically, I think if I got a role or a new series came in, then I’d have to focus on the shooting,” she admitted in a recent interview. “At that moment, I don't think I can do modeling at the same time as acting, but, if I don't have a time [where I need to be shooting], then I could do modeling. I could manage. I'm a very flexible person.”