Jo Yu-ri says she didn't expect her 'Squid Game' role to be this difficult
Jun-hee has to be extra careful in the game due to her condition. Photos: Handout
Actress Jo Yu-ri, who plays Kim Jun-hee or Player 222, confesses she was a huge fan of the Squid Game when the first season was released in September 2021.
'I remember watching S1 with my family and thinking to myself, 'I really, really want to be part of a show like this',' recalls the 23-year-old to StarLifestyle in this exclusive Zoom interview to talk about the series' third season.
'What felt so fresh to me was the concept of turning innocent childhood games into something deadly. It was something I had never seen before – shocking, yet incredibly original," she adds.
Hence, when she got the chance to audition for S2, she jumped at it. However, Jo says that she had no idea what was in store for her character who turns up at the game, very much pregnant.
'The audition script I received was a dialogue between Jun-hee and Myung-gi (Player 333 portrayed by Im Si-wan).
Im Si-wan (left) and Jo Yu-ri play former lovers in the show. Photo: AP
'I knew the role would be challenging, but I didn't expect it to be this difficult,' she shares, smiling at the memory.
The level of difficulty she faced is especially impressive considering Jo made her acting debut in 2022's Mimicus and had appeared in just one episode of another K-drama, Work Later, Drink Now 2 (2023), ahead of Squid Game.
Prior to acting, she was best known as a member of the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One.
While she says there were many challenges as Jun-hee, her biggest concern was playing a pregnant woman convincingly.
'I kept wondering – what if real mothers feel my performance isn't believable, that it lacks authenticity?
'That thought weighed heavily on me.
"But thanks to support from my co-star Kang Ae-Shim (who plays Jang Geum-Ja or Player 149), as well as friends and mothers I spoke with, I was able to overcome those fears and carry the part successfully.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hype Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
(Video) Beyoncé & BABYMONSTER Faced Major Stage Malfunctions Over The Weekend
It's not uncommon for small malfunctions to occur during live performances, whether it's a microphone glitch or a minor wardrobe slip, most artists laugh it off and carry on without missing a beat. But what happens when those technical hiccups escalate into something more serious, something that could put the performers themselves in danger? This past weekend, two major concerts experienced stage mishaps that went beyond simple errors. On 28th June (Saturday), K-pop group BABYMONSTER (베이비몬스터) encountered an issue mid-show, followed by a separate incident during Beyoncé's performance in Houston, Texas, on 29th June (Sunday). During BABYMONSTERS 'Hello Monsters World Tour' stop in Taipei, the lift stage on which the members stood suddenly began to tilt to one side as it descended, creating a dangerous slope that could have caused them to collide or fall offstage. Recognising the imbalance instantly, the girls instinctively shifted their weight to 'ride the tilt,' sliding down together in a controlled descent to safety. Once the lift came to a complete stop, the crew and security promptly rushed in to assist the remaining members offstage. According to YG Entertainment, the malfunction was swiftly addressed, and no one was hurt. The concert resumed after a pause, and the group's next scheduled Taipei performance continued as planned. Meanwhile, during Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter Tour' stop in Houston, she stunned fans as she performed her second-to-last song while seated in a suspended red convertible that circled above the stadium. Mid-performance, the car unexpectedly came to a slow stop and began to tilt slightly to one side. Concern quickly spread through the crowd, but Beyoncé remained composed, calmly asking the staff to bring her down. Once her feet touched the stage, she seamlessly resumed her performance without missing a beat. As the concert wrapped up, she reassured fans that she was completely fine, even turning the moment into a heartfelt exchange by telling the crowd, 'If ever I fall, I know y'all will catch me.' We're glad the stars escaped both incidents without any issues. However, we hope these incidents become reminders for the staff and crew to be more vigilant with securing the stages and props. Here is the viral clip of the stage collapsing under BABYMONSTER: My heart literally dropped. The stage lift collapsed during the #BABYMONSTER concert today😭 Please tell me the girls are all okay😫#HELLOMONSTERS_in_TAIPEI_D1 — 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧 (@heybaymax_) June 28, 2025 Here is the viral clip of Beyoncé stuck in the air: this is genuinely terrifying who the fuck let this happen…you can hear in her voice how scared and shaken she was oh my god — ☆ (@444starlvr) June 29, 2025 Sources: Koreaboo, NBC Zaima Humaria cotributed to this article What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
Sinar Daily
9 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Squid Game final season captures No. 1 spot globally, draws mixed reactions
SEOUL – The final season of the global phenomenon Squid Game has made a powerful debut, topping Netflix's global charts in all tracked countries, even as critical and audience reactions remain divided. According to US-based streaming analytics site FlixPatrol, data from Sunday showed that Squid Game ranked No. 1 in all 93 countries monitored by the platform, including the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea and others. The finale was released on Friday, marking the end of a dystopian saga that began in 2021 and revolutionised Korean content in the global entertainment landscape. Netflix is expected to release its official weekly rankings on Wednesday, which will give a clearer picture of viewership numbers. However, the early FlixPatrol data signals an extremely strong opening. Despite its popularity, the final season has drawn mixed reviews from audiences, in contrast to largely positive critical acclaim. Yonhap reported on Rotten Tomatoes, the season currently holds an 83 per cent approval rating from critics. However, the audience "Popcorn Meter" reflects a far lower approval rating of 51 per cent, suggesting a divide between expectations and delivery. One of the critics highlighted by Rotten Tomatoes, Liz Shannon Miller, noted the show's unflinching tone as a key strength. 'The world just keeps getting darker and darker, it seems and Squid Game has remarkably managed to keep pace with it just by being its own cruel self,' she wrote. Viewer feedback, however, painted a different picture. 'This season felt dull and overly predictable,' one review read. 'Aside from a few standout scenes, most of it failed to hold my interest.' From Korean Thriller to Global Blockbuster Squid Game first premiered in September 2021 and quickly became a cultural juggernaut. Created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the series revolves around a deadly survival game involving 456 cash-strapped contestants who compete in a series of twisted children's games for a grand prize of 45.6 billion won (approximately USD $38 million). Its brutal yet emotionally resonant storytelling, coupled with social commentary on inequality, debt and desperation, struck a chord globally. The series became Netflix's most-watched show ever at the time, reaching over 111 million viewers in its first month. The show's success catapulted its stars, including Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon and Park Hae-soo, to international fame, while also sparking widespread interest in Korean-language media. South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk (2nd L) and his casts attend a fan event for Netflix's South Korean TV series "Squid Game Season 3" at Seoul Plaza in Seoul on June 28. Photo by Jung Yeon-je/AFP It won multiple accolades, including six Emmy Awards, making history as the first non-English language series to do so. Following the massive success of Season 1, Netflix confirmed a second season and later announced that it would be the final installment. The streamer also expanded the franchise with a reality competition spin-off, Squid Game: The Challenge, which premiered in 2023 and further cemented the brand's popularity. High Expectations, Divided Reception Given its global impact and the long wait for its conclusion, expectations for the final season were sky-high. The mixed audience reaction suggests that while the show has maintained its visual and thematic identity, not all viewers were satisfied with how it concluded the story. Still, the massive viewership numbers and sustained global attention highlightsSquid Game's legacy as one of the most influential TV shows of the decade. More detailed performance metrics are expected when Netflix releases its global Top 10 rankings on Wednesday.
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Jo Yu-ri says she didn't expect her 'Squid Game' role to be this difficult
Jun-hee has to be extra careful in the game due to her condition. Photos: Handout Actress Jo Yu-ri, who plays Kim Jun-hee or Player 222, confesses she was a huge fan of the Squid Game when the first season was released in September 2021. 'I remember watching S1 with my family and thinking to myself, 'I really, really want to be part of a show like this',' recalls the 23-year-old to StarLifestyle in this exclusive Zoom interview to talk about the series' third season. 'What felt so fresh to me was the concept of turning innocent childhood games into something deadly. It was something I had never seen before – shocking, yet incredibly original," she adds. Hence, when she got the chance to audition for S2, she jumped at it. However, Jo says that she had no idea what was in store for her character who turns up at the game, very much pregnant. 'The audition script I received was a dialogue between Jun-hee and Myung-gi (Player 333 portrayed by Im Si-wan). Im Si-wan (left) and Jo Yu-ri play former lovers in the show. Photo: AP 'I knew the role would be challenging, but I didn't expect it to be this difficult,' she shares, smiling at the memory. The level of difficulty she faced is especially impressive considering Jo made her acting debut in 2022's Mimicus and had appeared in just one episode of another K-drama, Work Later, Drink Now 2 (2023), ahead of Squid Game. Prior to acting, she was best known as a member of the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One. While she says there were many challenges as Jun-hee, her biggest concern was playing a pregnant woman convincingly. 'I kept wondering – what if real mothers feel my performance isn't believable, that it lacks authenticity? 'That thought weighed heavily on me. "But thanks to support from my co-star Kang Ae-Shim (who plays Jang Geum-Ja or Player 149), as well as friends and mothers I spoke with, I was able to overcome those fears and carry the part successfully.'
