'The core of Seong-ae is goodwill': Jung Ho-yeon on what she found in 'Hope' [Interview]

Actor Jung Ho-yeon is about to meet audiences through the film "Hope." She began her career as a model before stepping into acting with the Netflix series "Squid Game," then caught the eye of master filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and completed her Hollywood debut. Her filmography may be short, but every credit carries uncommon weight — she is, by nature, a born actor. Now she has chosen Na Hong-jin's "Hope" as her first feature film.

"You know that song — 'I wish I could see myself on TV'? That's exactly how I feel."

The label "global star" no longer feels like an overstatement for Jung, yet when she sat down at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, she could barely contain her excitement. "It still feels surreal to see my face on a big screen," she said, laughing freely and answering every question without hesitation. The interview crackled with warm energy — she is the kind of person whose presence alone fills the room.

"Hope" is a science-fiction film set in the fictional coastal village of Hopohang near the demilitarized zone, where an unbelievable incident unfolds and the villagers find themselves in a desperate chase to uncover the truth. Director Na returns with his first film in a decade since "The Wailing" (2016), and he chose Jung as his heroine. She plays Seong-ae, a police officer at the Hopo substation who throws herself into danger to protect the village.

In the film, Jung delivers a performance of steely emotional depth anchored by her striking screen presence, while her model's physique powers convincing gunfight and car-chase sequences. When "Hope" had its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, the audience erupted in cheers the moment Seong-ae appeared on screen — proof of the singular charisma Jung brings to the role.

"I think there is nothing more meaningful than giving audiences a moment they can truly feel something. Those cheers at Cannes sounded to me like someone pushing me from behind and saying, 'You can keep going as an actor.'"

Working with director Na came as a surprise. Na reached out to Jung on the recommendation of Hwang Jung-min, who plays the lead character Beom-seok. There was no mention of a specific project, but Jung went into the meeting with the mindset of someone auditioning. The moment she saw the director, however, she decided to drop any pretense. "I thought I should not try to be anything other than myself," she recalled. "I made up my mind to just show him who I really am."

Their first meeting unfolded over a bowl of jjajangmyeon that Na bought to welcome her to the industry. At the end of the meeting, he placed the script for "Hope" in her hands. "I had absolutely no expectation that I would actually receive a script," she said. She held it close all the way home, then wrote her own name on the first page.

"I wanted 'Hope' to be mine so badly. That is how desperately I wanted it. Director Na Hong-jin was also someone I had always wanted to work with. I really felt like I was flying."

Before filming began, she threw herself into becoming Seong-ae. To handle weapons such as the M203 and M16 with confidence, she gained about 4 kilograms through weight training. She completed firearms training, earned a manual-transmission driver's license for the vehicle action sequences, and learned drift driving from a racing specialist. The result is a shooting scene — Seong-ae leveling a rifle at a creature — and a car-chase sequence that linger long after the credits roll.

"In Seong-ae's first big scene, she fires the M203 for a really long time. It was shot from start to finish in one continuous take, and I think we did more than 20 takes. Somewhere around take 18, I was so worn out that I just started moving on instinct. I think the director captured something raw and spent in the end — and he did it beautifully."

Seong-ae never looks back. She charges straight ahead to right what she believes is wrong, and she never turns away from the responsibility that comes with her badge. Director Na told Jung that "the core of Seong-ae is goodwill," and she used that guidance as the foundation on which she built a character who is unguarded and full of drive. In many ways, Seong-ae is a mirror of Jung herself.

"I kept thinking it would be great if Seong-ae were someone who moves with a simple goal. In practice, I am not someone who lives by grand plans either. People often say the drive, the boldness — those are the things Seong-ae and I have in common."

Sharing the screen with a director renowned for relentless perfectionism, alongside veteran actors such as Hwang Jung-min and Jo In-sung, was an experience unlike any other. Having seniors who pursue perfection without pause kept her constantly reflecting on what it means to be an actor.

"Hwang Jung-min sunbae arrives on set earlier than anyone, and because it was a set where a serious accident could happen at any moment, he never let his guard down for a second. Jo In-sung sunbae looked after every single crew member and kept the atmosphere on set flexible and warm. I think I was trained a great deal by watching how they carried themselves, and by the director's tenacity. My concentration has improved enormously."

Jung is building a career that any actor would envy. "Squid Game" became a global phenomenon and gave her a smooth landing as a performer, and collaborations with acclaimed directors are steadily filling out her filmography. "I know very well that everything I am doing is, in fact, enormous compared to the time and experience I have had as an actor," she said. That awareness, she added, only makes her want to do better.

"I think there are definitely moments where my ambition and my experience collide. So when it comes to acting, I keep reminding myself to take it one step at a time. Rather than trying to prove or show something, I just want to give everything I have right now. I want to do every last thing I am capable of without feeling ashamed in front of the audience. That is the spirit I bring to my work."