HoYeon Jung - the female lead star in the international smash hit Squid Game - has seen her Instagram follower count jump up meteorically since the show debuted on Netflix.

If you haven't already heard by now, Squid Game has seen incredibly success since landing on the streaming platform, with the South Korean thriller set to become the most-watched show in Netflix's history.

After hitting the number one spot in countries all over the world - including the US and UK - Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos has stated that the Squid Game is currently on track to become "biggest show ever" for the streaming giant, NBC News reports.

And one of the stars of the show is certainly seeing her newfound global fame on social media.

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HoYeon Jung is a 27-year-old model who rose to fame back in 2013 when she came second on the fourth season of Korea’s Next Top Model, per the New York Post. She is now a household name all over the world thanks to her portrayal as the lovable North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok.

However, what makes her role as Sae-byeok even more incredible, is that it is actually Jung's first acting role, after the star signed with Saram Entertainment as an actress back in 2020.

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Now, following her appearance on the show, Jung has seen her Instagram follower count jump by 15 million in just a matter of weeks, the Post reports.

Born in Seoul, Jung has been modeling since the age of 16 and has graced the cover of Vogue Korea and recently been named Louis Vuitton’s newest Global House Ambassador.

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Jung frequently shares some of her glamorous modeling shots to her Instagram page, but has also delighted fans with a series of snaps take behind-the-scenes on the Squid Game Set.

I won't lie, it's actually very refreshing (and relieving) to see the actors smiling and having fun.

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Speaking to the Korea Herald about her acting career following the show, the model/actor said: "Acting in a new movie or series will be challenging, especially after Squid Game, so I intend not to limit myself to a specific genre."

She also added that she has no plans to appear in a second season of the show.

Now, Jung says she's been "left with only one choice, which is to work extremely hard."

"I want to meet my fans for a long time, as a real actor," she added.

Featured image credit: Sipa US / Alamy

'Squid Game' star HoYeon Jung gains 15 million Instagram followers in a matter of weeks