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Squid Gameis back and more terrifying than the last installment, and although fans loved the thrill and gore, there’s one aspect that received so much criticism: the casting for a transgender character. Player 120, whose real name is Cho Hyun-ju, was a former special forces soldier who lost her job after coming out as a trans.
With no support from family and friends, she was forced to finance her own surgery, and entering the dangerous game seemed like a good opportunity for her to earn much-needed money to pay off her debts. The problem was that the character was not portrayed by a real-life trans actor.
Squid Gamecreator explains transgender character Hyun-ju’s casting
The movie and television industry has evolved through the years, and we’re seeing more diversity and representation of marginalized sectors, especially the LGBTQ community. After the success of the firstSquid Gameinstallment, series creatorHwang Dong-hyukknew there was ademand for a sequel.
The initial project took more than a decade to become a reality as it faced financial struggles, but Hwang managed to get it off the ground in 2021. With his creative writing genius, he made a follow-up story that featured a trans character. He said he’s aware of the controversy that would arise when he was still creating the character of Hyun-ju.
While speaking withTV Guide, he explained why he did not cast a trans actor for the part. As much as he wanted to maintain the authenticity, there was a huge obstacle that he could not remove.
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.
This is quite true, as many Western countries have become more open to the queer population. Several Asian countries, including South Korea, remain conservative in terms of acknowledging LGBTQ rights.
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Hwang said that it was impossible on their end to find a fitting actor for the position, so they decided to give the role to Park Sung-hoon, who is recognized for his work onThe GloryandQueen of Tears. On the bright side, the actor did a splendid performance, as Hyun-ju easily became a fan-favorite among viewers.
IsSquid Game’s Hyun-ju based on a real person?
The series creator has yet to confirm if he was inspired by a real-life story for the role of Hyun-ju, although it seems the character’s story is very much similar to Byun Hui-su, the first known transgender soldier in South Korea.
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Byun went to Thailand to undergo surgery in 2019, but was later on dismissed from the military and denied reinstatement in 2020 after they classified her loss of male genitalia as “mental or physical handicap.” In 2021, Byun wasfound deadin her home and authorities reported the incident as s**cide.
Squid Gameis currently available to watch on Netflix.
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3532
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
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Hwang Dong-hyukSquid Game
