Squid Game star Jung Ho-yeon has revealed that Denis Villeneuve and Alejandro G. Iñárritu are at the top of her dream-director wishlist, joking that working with the latter would be enough to make her consider retirement.
The South Korean actress discussed her admiration for influential filmmakers and the creative experiences she hopes to pursue as her international career develops.
Her comments also highlighted one ambition she has already fulfilled: collaborating with acclaimed Korean filmmaker Kim Jee-woon.
Denis Villeneuve Has Been a Longtime Inspiration
Ho-yeon revealed that her admiration for Villeneuve began long before his success with the Dune franchise.
She became a fan after watching his 2010 drama Incendies, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Canadian filmmaker subsequently directed Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and the Dune movies, establishing himself as one of contemporary cinema’s most distinctive visual storytellers.
For Ho-yeon, his appeal extends beyond large-scale science-fiction filmmaking to the emotional storytelling that defined his earlier work.
Although she would welcome a collaboration, no project involving Ho-yeon and Villeneuve has been announced.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu Leaves Jung Ho-yeon Speechless
The actress was equally enthusiastic about Alejandro G. Iñárritu, whose films include Birdman, The Revenant and Babel.
After watching his latest movie, Digger, starring Tom Cruise, she described the theatrical experience as extraordinary.
Ho-yeon even called Iñárritu a “cinema god”, praising the emotional impact of his filmmaking.
She then jokingly imagined what achieving that particular career ambition might feel like.
“Okay, I’m fine to retire now. Bye, guys!” she said.
Her playful comment was an expression of admiration, not an announcement that she intends to retire from acting.
Jung Ho-yeon Has Already Achieved One Directing Dream
While Villeneuve and Iñárritu remain on her wishlist, Ho-yeon has already worked with Kim Jee-woon, the filmmaker behind I Saw the Devil and A Tale of Two Sisters.
Their upcoming psychological thriller, The Hole, adapts Pyun Hye-young’s award-winning novel.
The film stars Theo James as a professor whose life changes after a devastating accident, with Ho-yeon portraying his wife.
Also featuring Yeom Hye-ran, the project is scheduled for a June 25, 2027, US theatrical release.
Since gaining international recognition as Kang Sae-byeok in Netflix’s Squid Game, Ho-yeon has pursued opportunities with filmmakers including Alfonso Cuarón, who directed her in the Apple TV+ thriller Disclaimer.
Her latest interview suggests that working with ambitious directors remains a major priority as she continues building a career beyond the series that made her famous.
