One of the surprise big hits of the year for Netflix is the Korean drama, Squid Game. By now most of us have watched at least some of the series and are waiting for news on season two which will surely materialise at some point considering the enormous global attention the show has garnered.

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And within a show with many talking points, the character who has intrigued people most appears to be contestant 067 - a somewhat tragic and complex hero in the story.

But who is 067, what happens to her, and who is the actress who plays her?

Here's all your Squid Game scoop on 067.

Who is 067 in Squid Game?

067's name is Kang Sae-byeok (she's played by the actress and model Jung Ho-Yeon) and she enters the game as a defector from North Korea. She has signed up for the game to try and win the big cash prize so that she can save her brother who is stuck in an orphanage and to give them the best chance of starting a new life.

Much more information on her backstory was not provided but we do know that she and her brother are the only surviving members of her immediate family and that she was involved with the gangster, Jang Deok-su. A quiet and at times lonely-looking character, she clearly has trust issues and was not keen on teamwork in the games - other players only knew her as 067 for a large part of them.

But the games do have an effect on who she is and she changes as they go on - eventually learning to trust other people and showing how strong her morals are in the process.

Who is Jung Ho-Yeon?

Although she plays one of the central characters in Squid Game, Jung Ho-Yeon is actually making her debut screen acting performance in the horror drama.

The 27-year-old is best known to most people before the Netflix show as a very success model, having graced the cover of many of the most high-profile magazines in both South Korea and across the world. Dubbed "Korea's Next Top Model" by Vogue, Jung Ho-Yeon has walked the runway for many of the biggest fashion brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Chanel. She announced her intention to begin acting in 2020, filming Squid Game shortly afterwards ahead of its international release in September 2021 on the streaming service.

On the 4th October 2021, just weeks after the release of Squid Game on Netflix, she became the most followed Korean actress on Instagram with more than 13 million followers on the social media platform.

Does 067 die in Squid Game?

!SPOILERS AHEAD!

Squid Game
Netflix

Alas, Kang Sae-byeok, was not long for this world and she does not emerge from the games. But it was not all doom and gloom for 067 as due to her willingness to open up and trust someone, she is still able to get her brother the help that he needed, Fellow player, Seong Gi-hun, takes him out of the orphanage after the games and sends him off to a new home.

Read more about Squid Game:

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Squid Game is now available to watch on Netflix. Check out our lists of the best TV shows on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix or alternatively head to our TV Guide for something to watch tonight.

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