Park Kyuyoung Says "No Netflix Penalty Fee, Deeply Reflected on 'Squid Game 3' Mistake" [Interview]

At the Edge of Despair, Pink Guard Noeul Preserves Her Humanity
"The Pain of Leaving My Daughter in the North... It Must Feel Like Losing a Part of My Own Body"

Actor Park Kyuyoung participated in an interview on the 2nd at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Netflix

"It was a foolish mistake with no excuse. I have reflected on it deeply."

Actor Park Kyuyoung bowed her head in apology after six months. Before the interview held on the 2nd at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, she opened by delivering a belated apology for the spoiler controversy.

In January, Park Kyuyoung posted a photo of Lee Jinwook wearing a Pink Guard uniform on the set of "Squid Game" on her social media account, which led to criticism that she had leaked plot developments in advance. Park Kyuyoung said, "I reflected on the responsibility that an actor must have." Regarding her silence at the press conference, she explained, "It took courage." She added, "What weighs on me the most is that I may have undermined the narrative of the series and the hard work of the production team."

After the controversy arose, Netflix asked the actor to "make sure not to make such mistakes again in the future." Contrary to public rumors, Netflix did not demand any penalty fees. Park Kyuyoung said, "I can't discuss the specifics of my contract, but there was no mention of a penalty fee."

In "Squid Game" Season 3 (hereafter "Squid Game 3"), Park Kyuyoung plays Pink Guard Kang Noeul, who eliminates eliminated contestants with a gun. Noeul is a former North Korean soldier who left her daughter behind in North Korea when she defected to South Korea. Director Hwang Donghyuk named the character "Noeul" (sunset) to symbolize a light that is fading away.

She explained, "Noeul is a character who lives with the sole hope of finding her daughter. She has already lost any expectations of humanity and doesn't even feel it is worthwhile to reveal her emotions to others." She continued, "Behind that hope, there is guilt. I imagined that leaving her child in North Korea would be as painful as living without a part of her own body, and I acted accordingly."

To portray a rough and dry appearance, she deliberately lowered her voice. The unfamiliar tone led to mixed reactions among viewers. She explained, "To maximize her military background, I discussed with Director Hwang and used the lowest tone I have ever shown."

In "Squid Game 3," Pink Soldier Noeul (played by Park Kyuyoung) is aiming a gun. Netflix

Noeul harbors distrust toward humanity, yet she is a character who preserves her own humanity. She does not hesitate to take risks to save Kyungseok (played by Lee Jinwook), who participates in the game to pay for his daughter’s leukemia treatment. Park Kyuyoung emphasized, "More than for Kyungseok as an individual, it was the fear of losing a child and the worry about a child having to live without parental protection that motivated Noeul."

To portray a strong and sorrowful figure, she increased her muscle mass and reduced her body fat. Through consistent workouts, her body fat dropped to 7.9kg and her skeletal muscle mass reached 25.2kg. Park Kyuyoung laughed, "At this level, it's almost like a bodybuilder. I even wondered if the machine was broken." She continued, "I started working out to build the strength to handle the weight of the gun and to stand firmly. Since Noeul is a character with little appetite, I also wanted to express her desperate and dry appearance well."

"Squid Game 3" topped the Netflix Top 10 chart in 93 countries within three days of its release. Among all Netflix titles, Season 3 is the first to rank number one in every country during its debut week. Park Kyuyoung said, "When I went to London for promotional activities, I was shocked to see foreign viewers shouting 'Park Kyuyoung,' 'Annyeonghaseyo,' and 'Chukhahaeyo' in Korean. I could truly feel how big the global fandom is and the popularity of Korean content."

Park Kyuyoung debuted in 2016 in the music video "Crosswalk" by singer Jo Kwon and gained recognition after appearing in the Netflix drama "Sweet Home" (2020). This year marks the 10th anniversary of her debut.

"Perhaps because I've played a series of extreme roles, I want to grow stronger through 'human genre' works that everyone can easily relate to. From now on, I hope to become a wise and good person who makes thoughtful decisions."