"Could've hired an actual trans actress"— Internet divided over Park Sung-hoon's role as transgender woman in Squid Game season 2

The casting of South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon as a transgender woman in the upcoming season 2 of Squid Game has sparked debate online. On December 5, 2024, Netflix released a 10-minute video where the new cast described their respective characters. Park Sung-hoon also talked about his role as Hyun-ju, a former special forces soldier who joins the race to fund her gender-affirming surgery.

For those unfamiliar, the term "transgender" refers to individuals whose gender identity differs from the s*x they were assigned at birth. He described his role as Player 120 in the series and said,

"Hyun-ju is a former special forces soldier and a transgender woman. She joins the game because she is short on money for her gender-affirming surgery. Even though she faces prejudiced and tough situations, she shows incredible strength, decisiveness, and natural leadership. Through her resilience, she breaks down stereotypes and shines as an inspiring character."

While some fans praised the actor for taking on this challenging role, others criticized the decision to cast a cisgender man instead of a transgender actress for the second season of the Squid Game. An X user, @dawnmoer wrote,

"this is not how you give representation... a cis man pretending to be part of a minority group just doesn't sit right with me, especially when they could've hired an actual trans actress."

Social media was flooded with reactions with many stating that representation matters. Some also questioned why a transgender actress wasn’t given the opportunity to play the role in Squid Game.

"Could they not cast an actual transgender woman… this gonna piss me off," a netizen commented.

"Literally could've given this opportunity to a trans person, but ok," another user mentioned.

"Netflix ruins everything it touches…," an X user wrote.

"Hear me out.. OR they could actually hire a trans actor," a person remarked.

Some also mentioned that casting a high-profile actor like Park Sung-hoon could help people talk about transgender representation in South Korea, a country where LGBTQ+ topics often remain taboo.

While highlighting the challenges of casting a transgender actor in South Korea, they stated societal stigma and limited opportunities for openly transgender performers.

"Y’all saying they should’ve found a trans actor NAME A TRANS SOUTH KOREAN ACTOR QUICK," a netizen added.

"how do you expect them to find the trans actress who is willing to out herself to get the role, who hasn't done any gender-affirming surgery, who can act the role and who is willing to withstand transphobic comments from people from sk and all over the world -," another user commented on X.

"South Korea had the biggest conservative march this year against LGBTQ+, now who on their right minds would want to out themselves on a role that's going to bring more harm than actual representation. I need y'all to think about the safety of people first." a fan mentioned.

"I always admire actors who can be versatile and keep taking challenging roles like Sunghoon," another X user wrote.

---

More about the actor Park Sung-hoon and the upcoming season 2 of Squid Game

Park Sung-hoon, known for his portrayals of villains in hit shows like The Glory and Queen of Tears, is part of a star-studded cast in the second season. Squid Game season 2 will see returning faces like Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun with new additions such as Kang Ha-neul, Yim Si-wan, and BIGBANG's former member T.O.P.

The first season of Squid Game, released in 2021, became a global hit. It became Netflix's most-watched series capturing over 142 million member households. Moreover, it racked up 1.65 billion viewing hours within its first four weeks, breaking records in more than 90 countries.

The Squid Game sequel promises another intense battle for survival and the ₩45.6 billion prize. The new season welcomes fresh faces, each bringing unique motivations. Im Si-wan stars as Myeong-gi (#333), a cryptocurrency YouTuber, while Kang Ha-neul plays Dae-ho (#388), a witty and sociable participant.

Jo Yu-ri portrays Jun-hee (#222), a victim of investment fraud, and notably, Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P) appears as Thanos (#230), a retired rapper turned villain after losing his savings.

---

Even with the mixed reactions, anticipation for Squid Game Season 2 continues to build ahead of its premiere on December 26, 2024. The series will be available for fans to stream on Netflix.