The hit Netflix series Squid Game has finally returned for its long-awaited second season. However, the series has been met with some backlash. In this particular case, some Netflix viewers are calling out a controversial casting choice made for the new season of Squid Game.
The new season revolves around an all-new game which means we’re treated to a mostly different group of 456 players this time around. One of these players is a transgender woman named Hyun-ju. The character is portrayed in the new season by actor Park Sung-hoon.
Hyun-ju is revealed to have entered the games as a means to pay for her gender-affirming surgery, revealing that her transition put her into enough debt to risk her life for the money. While many fans have enjoyed Hyun-ju as a character and her story, some viewers are frustrated by the controversial casting choice.
The reason it’s become so controversial that Park Sung-hoon portrays Hyun-ju is that Sung-hoon is not transgender. In fact, Sung-hoon is a cisgender male, and some social media users believe that’s more of a slap in the face than thoughtful representation. As shared in some of the below social media reactions:
The fact that a man is acting as the trans woman in squid game doesn’t sit right with me.
I get they’re trying to be inclusive but just hire a real trans woman or a woman. Not a man
— Janne !! 🍀 is seeing taemin in tilburg! (@TBOUentr0py) December 29, 2024
Netflix squid games 2 didn’t hit the same bc they hired a straight guy to play this character
Felt forced instead of organic pic.twitter.com/TqNgqh0Vpp
— Body Count Token (1000X) (@bodycounttoken) December 28, 2024
With those responses in mind, however, it might not have been as easy to find a transgender woman to play the character. As shared in a previous interview with TV Guide via NBC News, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explained it’s difficult to find transgender actors in Korea.
“When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay,” he said at the time. “Unfortunately in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking.”
Perhaps the series could still be a step forward for LGBTQ representation in Korea and allow more LGBTQ actors to come forward. Otherwise, it’s clear that there will be plenty of other discussions when working with LGBTQ characters in Korean projects like Squid Game.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional news regarding Squid Game as we have it. For now, fans can check out the second season of the series via Netflix. The third season of the hit series is currently expected to hit sooner rather than later.