(Photo courtesy Netflix)
The Netflix series “Squid Game,” which follows an underground competition in Korea that recruits people in debt to participate in childlike games with deadly consequences for money, is stirring up controversary with its second season, which released Dec. 26 on the popular streaming service.
The new season features a transgender character named Hyun-ju, aka Player 120, who is played by cisgender actor Park Sung-hoon.
“Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk says he understands why hiring a trans actor would have been ideal but that the casting is a reflection of how gender identity is viewed in Korea.
“To be honest with you, in Korea, when it comes to the LGBTQ and gender minority community and culture compared to the Western worlds, it’s not as widely socially accepted yet. Unfortunately, a lot of the groups are marginalized and neglected from society, which is heartbreaking,” said Hwang to the Associated Press.
“We don’t have a very large pool of actors that allow for authentic casting when it comes to transgender characters. We did our research. We tried to find someone who we thought could be the best fit. However, we weren’t able to.”
Hwang also went on to say that Park’s talent and approach to the character ended up making him “the perfect fit.”
The first season of “Squid Game” was a global hit when it was released in 2021, becoming Netflix’s most-watched series. It also won numerous accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for acting for series lead Lee Jung-jae and directing for Hwang.
A third and final season is already in development and is expected to be released in 2025.
