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Here's what the director had to say:
I did anticipate such discussions to arise from the first moment I began creating the character Hyun-ju. Thankfully, Park offered a compelling performance that did her justice. 456'
Wi Ha-jun
Detective Hwang Jun-ho
By Jiyoun, Moon
I only hope viewers approach the series with a warm heart.”
Squid Game creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk addresses criticism surrounding the casting of Park Sung-hoon, a cisgender male actor, as Hyun-ju, a trans woman, in season 2 of the hit Netflix series.
The inclusion of a trans competitor in Squid Gameis a significant moment for LGBTQ+ representation in Korean dramas where queer characters, especially trans, are incredibly lacking. And I also thought that it would be my new and greatest challenge as an actor. However, the casting choice has led to some online backlash, with many questioning why a trans actor wasn’t cast in the role.
On the other hand, there were also burdensome parts. Because Hyun-joo has a good tendency, if there are still people who have social prejudice against LGBTQ minorities as the character Hyun-joo draws attention, I would be very happy if it could be an opportunity to soften and soften their views a little bit."
Park Sung-hoon also said, `In fact, I also thought that I would like to play the role of gay someday.
In fact, when I was performing in the past (as a gay role), a gay friend I had been close to since I was a child came to see me and said, `In a way, it's one of your most important tendencies, and I'm sorry that I didn't fully understand and sympathize with that part until I was 30.'
'Squid Game 2' is a story about a fierce battle between 'Gi-hoon'(Lee Jung-jae) who returns to the game after vowing revenge, and 'Frontman'(Lee Byung-hun) who greets him, and a real game that begins again.
As I was in a dramatic situation, I thought that Hyun-joo's original voice would come out, so I expressed it and acted it like that."
lunamoon@sportschosun.com
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I take full responsibility and will endure the consequences.According to Netflix's Top 10 To Doom website (Netflix Tudum) on the 8th, Season 2 of Squid Game recorded 58,200,000 viewers (viewing time divided by the total running time of the work) from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, topping the list of top 10 English and non-English integrations in Netflix's global top 10 series.
In addition, Season 2, which ranked seventh in Netflix's all-time most popular series (non-English) within the first week of its release, is surprising as it ranked second with 126,200,000 viewers in 11 days.
Still, I think Hyun-joo's femininity somehow came out, but in fact, even if you get hormones, your voice does not change much in the process of gender transformation. I think I made the character by trying not to emphasize that I am transgender more than any personality or personality of Hyunjoo.
Park Sung-hoon also said, `I played LGBTQ (sexual minority) several times even when I was in Daehak-ro, and I thought I had an understanding of them, so I remember being more heartbroken than anyone else when the Sergeant Byun Hee-soo incident (a case of being forced to be discharged from the military after undergoing sex reassignment surgery during military service) occurred.
Hyun-ju, a former special forces soldier, risks her life to play a series of deadly children's games to fund her gender-affirming surgery. The director reportedly became confident in Park’s ability after seeing his performance in the 2021 drama Hee-soo, where he played a grieving father.
“I never wanted to overdo the voice or exaggerate my gestures,” Park said, noting that he approached the role of Hyun-ju with “detail and caution.” To ensure authenticity, he consulted with members of the transgender community.
“My natural voice is quite deep, and I felt altering it too much would undermine the emotional authenticity,” he explained, adding that the director shared his vision for a restrained, respectful portrayal.
Hyun-ju’s look was a collaborative creation, with Park suggesting the character’s distinctive short bangs, which became a memorable part of her appearance.
The actor recently faced criticism for sharing an adult video parody of Squid Game on Instagram, for which he apologised publicly.
As a transgender woman navigating both prejudice and fatal competitions, Hyun-ju demonstrates an admirable level of resilience and leadership in a society that often marginalizes its queer citizens.
While her presence on the mainstream show marks progress, the decision to cast a cis man in the role has fueled an ongoing debate about authentic representation in film and television.
Park Sung-hoon, who plays Hyun-ju (Player 120) in the second season of Squid Game, has revealed his commitment to ensuring the character was portrayed with authenticity and respect.
The decision to cast Park, a cisgender male, in the role of a transgender woman sparked debate among fans.
In a country still grappling with equality issues, authentic representation can be a challenging expectation to meet where trans actors may not feel comfortable outing themselves.
Although Park’s portrayal brought a level of nuance and depth to Hyun-ju’s character, the casting choice also risks perpetuating misconceptions about trans identities, such as that trans women are "men pretending to be women." Nonetheless, the Emilia Perez controversy showed that even a trans woman playing a trans character does not make a project immune from criticisms of misrepresentation.
Ultimately, trans people deserve to see themselves wholly on the big screen—an opportunity awarded to cis people since the inception of the industry.
Source: TV Guide
Lee Jung-jae
Seong Gi-hun / 'No.
Returning to the dystopian series, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) of the enigmatic organization behind the games take center stage in a thrilling story about capitalism, exploitation, class disparity, and the true nature of humanity.
In an interview with TV Guide, Hwang explained why he chose Park over a transgender actor to play Hyun-ju.
When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because, unfortunately, in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking.
It was near impossible to find someone who we could cast authentically.
In the beginning, we were doing our research, and I was thinking of doing an authentic casting of a trans actor. While Hwang’s explanation sheds light on the systemic barriers for openly trans actors in South Korea, it also shows how far the industry has to go in creating an environment where marginalized voices can thrive.
That said, Hyun-ju’s presence in a globally acclaimed series like Squid Game is significant.
"There are so many different layers of Hyun-joo, and I think she focused on her just, selfless, caring tendencies, and thought deeply about how Hyun-joo looked at others and what attitude she took, and how much disadvantage and discrimination Hyun-joo personally suffered while living as a transgender person outside."
Park Sung-hoon, referring to his situation, which is also drawing attention globally, said, "(If I were to become a world wide transgender) I would be very happy.