Actress Jung Ho-yeon isn’t the only breakout star of Netflix hit show Squid Game. Actor Wi Ha-joon is also gaining plenty of attention for his role. Here are five things to know about the actor

Actor Wi Ha-joon, who starred in Netflix‘s Squid Game as officer Hwang Jun-ho is getting plenty of attention from fans around the world and has amassed more than 8 million followers on Instagram. The 30-year old made his debut in entertainment in 2015. While he’s had a steady string of roles since starting his acting career, Squid Game has catapulted him to international fame. Here, we take a look at five things you might not know about the star.

He shared the screen with Park Bo-gum and Kim Go-eun in his debut

Wi Ha-joon is a new face to most who binged on Squid Game, but K-movie fans will recognise him from the South Korean horror film Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum back in 2108. But his debut was made way before in 2015 through the movie Coin Locker Girl. In the film, starring Park Bo-gum and Kim Go-eun, Wi appeared as a teenage version of fellow actor, Uhm Tae-goo.

He wanted to become a K-pop idol 

Those who’ve searched for videos of the actor will likely have come across footage of him dancing. If you thought he’s good, you’re probably right. Wi wanted to become a K-pop idol and went as far as attending auditions at South Korean entertainment agencies including SM and JYP. 

During his appearance on SBS Power FM’ Cultwo Show, he opened up about his days at the student dance club during middle school. He said he really enjoyed dancing and performing in front of crowds, which is what inspired him to pursue a career in entertainment. He even passed the very first round of SM entertainment and snapped up the chance for a camera test. But when he didn’t make it to the next round, he decided he was better off pursuing acting.

Also see: 5 things to know about Squid Game actress HoYeon Jung

His role model is Song Kang-ho and Kim Woo-bin

During an interview with Star Today, Wi revealed his role model to be actor, Jung Woo-sung, and dreams of shadowing screen stars, Song Kang-ho and Kim Woo-bin. 

He is a big fan of MMA

Fans of Squid Game might wonder how Wi trains to maintain his physique. As it turns out, the actor is a fan of MMA and starred in the film Shark: The Beginning, where he played the role of an MMA champion. He credits his love for the sport as the reason why he took on the role. He would stay up at night watching MMA videos and trained rigorously to meet the demands of the role.

He is also a fan of Valentina Shevchenko, a Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai fighter.

He prefers coffee over alcohol

It’s safe to say that most of our favourite K-drama series will include a scene or two of the main characters pouring their hearts out to each other over a few bottles of soju. According to a study by Euromonitor conducted in 2014, South Koreans consume more shots per month than any other country in the world. It’s safe to say these soju scenes are inspired heavily by reality.

Wi, however, is a self-professed non-drinker. We see plenty of images of him relaxing with a cup of java on his Instagram. But booze? Not so much. According to an interview with SPOTV, he doesn’t enjoy drinking but can drink up to one and a half bottles of soju if the occasion calls for it.

Also see: Crash Landing On You studio cuts deal to film K-dramas in Hong Kong