South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon, known for his roles in "Squid Game" and "Queen of Tears," has arrived in Almaty and shared his first impressions of the city and its local cuisine, according to infohub.kz.

"My first impression is that the roads are very clean and neat. Everyone I met along the way was very friendly. I got the feeling that Kazakhstanis are very welcoming and kind," the actor said.

Park Sung-hoon arrived in Almaty the day before. On his first evening, he managed to try some local dishes.

"Last night I had shashlik, and also borscht. Personally, I like noodle dishes, so I plan to try beshbarmak," he said.

The actor admitted that he doesn't know much about Almaty yet. However, the city has already made an impression on him.

"I had no information about Almaty, but last night I saw that the night views here are very beautiful. I was told there are good spots to look at the city at night, so I'm planning to go there this evening," Park Sung-hoon said.

According to the actor, he had already been introduced to Kazakhstan through Korean entertainment programs, where the country was shown several times.

"When I watched those programs, I felt a closeness to Kazakhstan. I expected to see a lot of beautiful natural landscapes, but after seeing the city of Almaty, I realized that Kazakhstan is very diverse. It also has a modern side," the actor said.

The actor also spoke about working on his characters. According to him, when preparing for a role, it's important for him to understand the characteristics and personality of the character so that the viewer believes in his reality.

"I thought a lot about how to make the character look like a real person," he said.

The actor also noted that he would like to continue performing and acting even at an older age.

"I have a very strong desire to continue doing this. I would like to become an actor who can regularly perform and work even when he gets older," he said.

Park Sung-hoon also answered a question about possibly participating in a Kazakh film or series. The actor did not rule out such a possibility and noted that much would depend on the script and the character.

The actor came to Almaty as part of Almaty Geek Games Expo 2026. The international festival of geek culture, cinema, gaming, and cosplay is taking place this weekend at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace. The actor became one of the main guests of the event.

Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle wrote that the star of the global Netflix hit "Squid Game," Park Sung-hoon, would visit Kazakhstan for the first time. The South Korean actor will be the main headliner of the pop culture and games festival Almaty Geek Games Expo 2026.