Cover Story: Park Gyu Young on focus, fortitude and the humanity in her work

The breakout Korean actress plays every role with intention and courage. Perhaps it’s this fearlessness that made her the perfect choice for No-eul in the new season of Squid Game. She talks to Zaneta Cheng about focus, fortitude and the human experience in her work 

“There was no reason not to participate in the project,” says Korean actress Park Gyu Young, who stars in the second season of the global hit series Squid Game. The enigmatic No-eul, a North Korean defector who ends up as Guard 011, one of the faceless, pink-suited soldier shooters on Squid Game island, Park’s character offers viewers the first glimpse into the conflict and crises of humanity that the team of guards themselves undergo. 

“I was incredibly eager to be a part of [Squid Game 2]. I went through two rounds of auditions and approached them in the most authentic way possible,” Park says. “It was refreshing to [watch the first season of Squid Game] and see traditional Korean children’s games depicted as a conflict of survival for money that even leads to death. In some ways, it felt brutal, but it was a project that made me reflect on many things as a human.” 

At the beginning of the second season, Park’s character is introduced as a mascot at a theme park, desperately searching for the daughter she had to leave behind in North Korea. There’s also a moment when the dejected defector finds the hat of the sick daughter of her theme park colleague and returns it to the child at hospital, so it’s a surprise when No-eul dials the number on the Squid Game card and ends up a guard rather than a player in the game. 

No-eul presents a foil to the Front Man’s belief that there is no kindness or benevolence left in humanity, which he sees demonstrated in the game’s universe. Even during the games themselves, No-eul proves herself compassionate, shooting players in the head to put them out of their misery rather than adhering to instructions by higher-ranking officers to keep players on the brink of death in order to harvest their organs. 

“I tend to choose characters or stories that move my heart – ones that can make me fall
in love with the story even more as I’m working on the project,” Park says. The character No-eul is certainly a compelling one –suffering the type of abject rejection and degradation that the Front Man thinks will be pushed beyond the bounds of human decency, No-eul seems to be the poster child for why there is no good left in the world and why Squid Game continues to exist. Despite her circumstances, she pushes forth, refusing to give in to the immorality and cruelty of her surroundings. 

While it may seem that such characters are difficult to play, Park takes on the trials of her characters with seeming ease, remarking, “Despite Squid Game 2 being a death game, I have to say the atmosphere on set was very harmonious and enjoyable. In season two, you’ll be able to witness even more creative twists to the games and enjoy captivating characters.” 

As was the case with her role Sweet Home 2, an apocalyptic horror thriller series on Netflix in which she played Yoon Ji Su, a young musician turned fighter after an apocalyptic monster attack. “Since the character faced extreme situations, I believed I needed to show how they cope with such situations in their own way,” Park explains. “First and foremost, countless staff members put in an incredible amount of effort to ensure the actors could fully immerse themselves in the project. Within that setting, the actors exchanged and expressed various emotions, gradually bringing the storylines to life. 

“I believe the most important thing is to seamlessly blend into the world depicted in the project — the time and space, the emotions of the characters that exist within it. Focusing entirely on the period and moments of creating the project seems to be the key approach.” 

Having made her acting debut in 2016, Park has been in the industry for almost a decade and, for over half of those years, she has been playing leading parts across a variety of genres. Park has appeared in romantic comedies like A Good Day to Be a Dog, dramas such as Celebrity and thrillers – Sweet Home and Squid Game 2 – with each of her characters carrying a little twist. In A Good Day to Be a Dog, Park plays a character who turns into a dog when she kisses someone, and to break the curse she’s with a man who is terrified of dogs. 

In Celebrity, the Korean thriller series, also on Netflix, that propelled Park to international fame, the actress plays Seo A-ri in a rags-to-riches story that sees her at the start of the series as a once-wealthy but now penniless door-to-door make-up saleswoman. She goes on to become a celebrated influencer, then outcast, then revenge mastermind. Park, like Cate Blanchett, the actress whom she effusively declares to be her #legend, is not one to shy away from complexity. 

In fact, she sees this complexity as something beautiful and essential to the human experience. “I would love to explore stories about love, which I think is the most important and fundamental aspect of being human. I want to tell stories that reflect the most human and relatable aspects of life,” Park says. “The object of that love can be diverse – be it with family, with a romantic partner, or even the intricate and complex relationship that exists between people.” 

That’s not to say these roles are always easy. “As a human, there are times when I hit physical and emotional limits. It could be a matter of physical stamina, emotional struggle, or challenges with expression when it comes to a plot line or character. Although I’m not yet an actor with a long career, I think everyone who works in front of the camera can relate to this,” she says. 

But of her challenges Park is optimistic, saying, “I’m only human so there are times when I will inevitably encounter a physical or mental limit. There’s no special method, for me at least. I just face and overcome those challenges, doing whatever I can to become a better version of myself than I was yesterday.” It’s no wonder she’s able to tackle emotionally complex and physically demanding characters. 

Even to her younger self, a girl whom Park describes as having had “a very ordinary childhood”, who went to school and did her homework without ever really imagining herself to be an actress, Park wants to deliver a message of strength: “I want to tell my younger self to have more confidence and courage and to face challenges head-on because there are so many people around you who are so supportive and helping you.” 

Outside of filming, Park, who declares herself an introvert, likes to spend time at home. “Besides ballet and weightlifting, I really enjoy staying at home,” she says. “I even prefer meeting friends at home.” Not one to set goals, because even her career was a bit of a chance occurrence while she was a student model, Park is taking a thoughtful approach when it comes to the year ahead. “I hope to become a person who’s much more relaxed, warm-hearted and loving than I am now,” she says. 

And as for the secret to maintaining a sense of calm amidst everything that happens, Park reveals, “Listen to and acknowledge what the heart says. I think it’s also important to love yourself and give as much praise to yourself as you do others.” 

CREDITS
Creative Direction / Gordon Lam
Production / Thiziscompany
Photography / Yeongjun Kim
Styling / Lee Hajeong 
Make-Up / Kim Ina
Hair / Choi Go
Project Coordination / Kathy Leung 

Also see: Cover Story: Freen on career decisions and the need to give back