Squid Game Star HoYeon Jung Cries While Accepting First SAG Awards Win

HoYeon Jung took home the award for best actress on Sunday night.

At the 2022 Screen Actors Guild awards, Jung was awarded with the outstanding actress in a drama series award for her role in Squid Game.

She beat out fellow nominees Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon from The Morning Show, Elisabeth Moss from The Handmaid’s Tale and Sarah Snook from Succession.

During her acceptance speech, she cried while discussing how she always dreamed of making it as an actor.

“First and foremost, thank you so much,” she said through her translator. “I have sat many times watching you on the big screen dreaming of one day becoming an actor. I just want to say thank you so much.”

Before wrapping, Jung also acknowledged how her fellow actors “opened the door” for her to make it in the industry. She then gave a special shout-out to her “Squid Game crew.”

In the series, Jung is a breakout star from Netflix’s viral drama series, Squid Game. The gory series followed a group of Korean citizens who were struggling to pay back debts. In an effort to win a huge cash prize, the people competed in the inhuman Squid Game, a play on children’s games with violent ends.

The 27-year-old began her career on Korea’s Next Top Model, but caught global attention for her role as the loved and hated Kang Sae-byeok.

In 2020, the honor was won by Gillian Anderson for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher on the Netflix series The Crown. She was up against two of her Crown costars, Olivia Colman and Emma Corrin.

SAG-AFTRA unveiled the nominations for the awards ceremony on Instagram last month, and were announced by Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens.

House of Gucci and Power of the Dog lead the film nominations with three each. Succession and Ted Lasso tied for the most nominations with five. Mare of Easttown, The Morning Show and Squid Game scored four each.

The top prize of best ensemble in a drama series is between The Handmaid’s Tale, The Morning Show, Succession, Squid Game and Yellowstone. Meanwhile, the best ensemble in a comedy category includes The Kominsky Method, Only Murders in the Building and Ted Lasso as contenders.

This year, Helen Mirren will be the 57th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. As of November, the 76-year-old actress is the most-decorated recipient of the honor, with a total of 13 SAG Awards nominations and five wins.

The 28th Annual SAG Awards are being broadcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Feb. 27.