This interview includes minor spoilers for Squid Game season 2. When the full cast of Squid Game season 2 was announced in June 2023—nearly two years after Netflix’s most-watched international show was first released—Jo Yu-ri was arguably the most exciting new name on the list. Among the veteran actors and a retired rapper, 23-year-old Jo is the youngest of the K-drama’s ensemble cast. And while she’s newer to the scripted acting scene, she also happens to be a bonafide K-pop idol, having placed third on the popular Korean survival show Produce 48 which landed her a spot as the main vocalist of project girl group Iz*One. Following her two-year tenure in the temporary group, she launched a solo career in 2021 and was even nominated for Rookie of the Year at several major Korean music awards shows.
Her role in Squid Game season 2, which arrives on Netflix on December 26, 2024, is set to elevate her to the global stage thanks to a breakout chameleonic performance Jo gives as Jun-hee (Player 222). Jun-hee is a desperate young woman who enters the competition and encounters her boyfriend, a crypto-bro scammer played by Yim Si-wan. Jun-hee will likely remind viewers of the terse, captivating Sae-byeok, a performance that catapulted Hoyeon to superstardom (and a SAG Award) in parallel with Squid Game’s meteoric rise. As such, the actress has huge shoes to fill, and she does so admirably, imbuing intriguing new layers to the character as she deals with both her complicated relationship with her ex and the secret reason she joined the game.
Below, Jo chats with Marie Claire (via a translator) about her extensive research process for Jun-hee, bonding with her co-stars on set, and how she personally would fare in the deadly games.
Marie Claire: What was your reaction when you first learned about the opportunity to be in Squid Game? Did you go through an audition process?
Jo Yu-ri: I actually had a relatively long audition process, which was about three months. At times it was tiring, and I really wanted to get this part. So when I first heard the casting news, it was exhilarating. I was so happy with it.
MC: How would you describe Jun-hee’s motivations as she enters the competition?
JY: I think it's the baby that Jun-hee is carrying. She wanted to make a living, doing whatever she could. That's why I believe she decided to join the game.
MC: What is your favorite aspect of the character Jun-hee? Did you relate to her in any way?
JY: Jun-hee and I both have a very strong drive and a strong willpower to have things that they desire to achieve. Along with survival skills, that's what I think is similar between Jun-hee and me.
MC: What was your experience acting alongside Yim Si-wan and playing characters with such a loaded history?
JY: I think Jun-hee would've had very mixed feelings toward Myung-gi, because on one hand, she hated him or she blamed him for whatever happened to her. But on the other hand, she also cares for him. She still wants the best thing for Myung-gi.
MC: I also really love Jun-hee’s relationship with Kang Ae-sim’s character, Geum-ja, throughout the series. Why does Geum-ja become significant to Jun-hee over the course of the season?
JY: Geum-ja was the first person to realize Jun-hee's pregnancy, so I think that played a part. They also share a mother's instincts in the facility, which also contributed to the bond that they built together. I think Jun-hee may have also found some motherly figure from the character of Geum-ja.
MC: Jun-hee is far along in her pregnancy when she joins the competition. Were there any specific ways you had to move your body in scenes that involved running and playing the games?
JY: Yes. We actually paid close attention to how Jun-hee's body movements would feel to the actual women who have experienced pregnancy before. I didn't want the character of Jun-hee to look awkward or unusual or unnatural for a pregnant woman. So we researched a lot to study basic posture, gestures, and body movements. Even in a sitting position, we studied if a pregnant woman can sit like Indian-style, whether we could do it or not.
MC: Were there any scenes that challenged you as an actor?
JY: The one scene that I can remember was Jun-hee crying in the restroom alone. That was the very first scene that Jun-hee showed her emotion, so I was kind of under pressure during that scene.
MC: Jun-hee is very level-headed throughout all the games. If you were in a similar situation, do you think you would react in the same way?
JY: I don't think I would be as cool or levelheaded as Jun-hee. I would probably have very shaky hands where my body would tremble every game. I guess Jun-hee is maybe a stronger person than I am.
MC: Did any of your more experienced co-stars give you advice during filming?
JY: Kang Ae-shim, who plays the character of Geum-ja, she actually taught me a lot, especially about being pregnant. She taught me how to behave or how to move as a pregnant woman, as well as what is possible and what is not possible if you are pregnant. That helped me a lot, so I very much appreciated her being there. While we were building a stronger friendship on the set, the chemistry between our characters got stronger as well. So it was very interesting.
MC: Squid Game is a really sad show at its core, but if you could imagine a happy ending for Jun-hee, what would you imagine the rest of her life to be after the competition?
JY: For Jun-hee, it would not so much be about winning the game or being the finalist. We do the vote after every round, so maybe more people will vote for X so that Jun-hee can leave the game. Then maybe she could get her share of the reward money and live a happy life with her baby. I think that would be the happy ending for Jun-hee.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
