Appearing on the July 10 episode of LeoJ Makeup’s YouTube channel, titled “Wait, what?! Is the winner of Squid Game 3 ‘Junhee’?!”, Jo Yu Ri, breakout star of Squid Game 3, discussed her past hardships and what led her to where she is today.
Jo recalled how her mother strongly opposed her dream of becoming a singer. “When I said I wanted to be a singer, my mom was completely against it,” she shared. “She even said she’d break my legs if I tried.”
Despite the threats, her passion only grew. Jo explained, “I think my mom found it hard to keep saying no once she saw how serious I was.”
For the third round of auditions, which took place in Seoul, Jo Yu Ri revealed that she saved money on her own to afford transportation. “I couldn’t afford anything expensive, so I took cheap early morning buses. I think that’s when my mom realized how badly I wanted this.”
Today, the same mother who once disapproved is her biggest supporter. “She absolutely loves what I’m doing now,” Jo said with a smile. “She changes her KakaoTalk profile picture twice a week. Right now, it’s a photo from when I went to promote in New York.”
Jo also spoke about her role as a pregnant woman at age 25 in Squid Game 3, revealing how she prepared: “I read my mom’s parenting journal. I had never really thought about motherhood before, but it helped me get into the right mindset.”
From self-funded auditions to global recognition, Jo Yu Ri’s story is one of resilience, passion, and family reconciliation—a tale that’s resonating deeply with fans.
