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Jo Yu-ri Embraces Criticism and Growth in 'Squid Game 3'
On October 8, Jo Yu-ri, who appears in the Netflix series 'Squid Game 3', was interviewed at a café in Seoul. She shared that her mother was heartbroken after watching the childbirth scene.
'Squid Game 3' follows Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) as he re-enters the deadly games to save people, depicting the final fates of the surviving participants. Jo Yu-ri plays Jun-hee, a pregnant woman who ends up giving birth during the game.
The entire 'Squid Game' series, including season 3, was released on June 27. Jo Yu-ri reflected, "I was happy while filming, but it feels unreal. I wasn't ready to let go of Jun-hee, but now that all of season 3 is out, I feel prepared to say goodbye." She added, "The series was so immersive that I watched it all in one sitting. I realized I could make such expressions and look at someone as if they were a bug."
Jo Yu-ri has received feedback that her expressions seemed limited. She responded, "I believe the feedback comes from a place of affection for the work. I will use these reactions to grow and show my development." She explained, "I thought Jun-hee's emotions in that situation would be limited."
Regarding her portrayal of a pregnant woman, she said, "I was worried it might look awkward. But the director approved, and since he liked it, I was satisfied." Some viewers criticized the childbirth scene for being unrealistic, as it depicted the process too smoothly despite the intense pain typically involved. Jo Yu-ri commented, "I tried to balance dramatic situations with reality. The director and I discussed it extensively, and he suggested that while realism is important, some dramatic elements are necessary."
Jo Yu-ri researched pregnancy and childbirth beforehand and received guidance from Kang Ae-shim, who plays Geum-ja, Jun-hee's supportive friend in the series. Jo Yu-ri said, "Ae-shim taught me about possible and impossible positions in detail. I also watched childbirth vlogs on YouTube and asked a recently delivered friend for advice." She continued, "After hearing many experiences, I realized that during childbirth, one enters a trance-like state. Initially, I planned to have everything figured out, but I decided it was better to clear my mind and portray that trance state."
When asked about the reactions to the childbirth scene, she replied, "I asked my mom, and she said it was heartbreaking. Others commented on the effort it must have taken to film it."
Regarding whether the baby was CGI, she said, "It was a dummy that looked just like a baby, which helped with immersion."
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
