Squid Game Star Wi Ha-jun Opens Up About Stress and Sudden Fame

Wi Ha-jun, the actor who gained global fame through Netflix's 'Squid Game,' recently revealed that the experience was more stressful than enjoyable for him.

On the October 27th episode of KBS2TV's 'Going and Coming, Lee Min-jung,' Wi Ha-jun made an appearance, sharing insights into his life post-'Squid Game.'

During the show, host Boom introduced Wi Ha-jun as one of the "world's sexiest male actors," noting that he was among the top 25 sexiest celebrities globally. Co-host Lee Min-jung chimed in, mentioning that Wi was ranked as the most popular male celebrity in Brazil. Boom then asked Wi about his fitness routine, commenting on his impressive physique.

Wi Ha-jun responded, "I stopped weight training for the first time in a year and a half. I realized that being too bulky wasn't suitable for certain roles, so I decided to adjust my weight according to the role. Now, I focus on martial arts and cardio." Co-host Ahn Jae-hyun inquired about Wi's audition process for 'Squid Game.' Wi explained, "I visited the production company to say hello, and they suddenly asked if I could audition. It was an impromptu reading with the director and producer present."

Wi Ha-jun continued, "I thought it was just a casual reading, but I memorized the lines, which fortunately worked in my favor." He candidly shared his feelings about the show's success, saying, "I couldn't enjoy it at all and felt a lot of stress. I tend not to have high expectations to avoid disappointment." However, he added, "I truly enjoyed the Season 2 announcement event, even blowing kisses to the audience."

Previously, on the YouTube channel 'Jjanhyung,' Wi addressed rumors about having 10 million Instagram followers, clarifying, "That was just a temporary spike due to 'Squid Game.' At one point, I gained 100,000 to 200,000 followers overnight, but then it dropped significantly," he joked, eliciting laughter.

Reported by Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr