The new season of Netflix's hit thriller series, Squid Game, has sparked controversy for casting a straight male actor to portray a transgender woman contestant.
After the sophomore-season premiere of Netflix ’s wildly popular thriller series Squid Game , many viewers are criticizing the South Korea n show for casting a straight, cisgender male actor as a transgender woman contestant in the deadly games.
The new season, which debuted Thursday, features actor Park Sung-hoon, known for playing villains in the television series The Glory and Queen of Tears, as Hyun-ju, a contestant who enters the high-stakes game in hopes of using her winnings to pay for her gender-affirming surgery. While some viewers speculated that the storyline could help bring attention to the trans community — which is marginalized in Korean society and underrepresented in the country’s entertainment industry — others said the series missed the mark by not having a trans actor in the role. “Netflix squid games 2 didn’t hit the same bc they hired a straight guy to play this character,” one viewer posted on X. “Felt forced instead of organic.” Neither Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk nor Park responded to NBC News’ request for comment. Netflix confirmed that the show did work with trans and LGBTQ consultants while creating the second season, but in an interview with TV Guide, Hwang said it was “near impossible” to find a trans actor for the role. “When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay,” he told the outlet. “Unfortunately in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking.” The second season once again revolves around Player 456, whose real name is Gi-hun, as he re-enters the game three years after his initial victory. This time, he’s come with the sole purpose of putting an end to it and protecting his fellow players from violence and death. Among the contestants is Hyun-ju, a former Special Forces soldier who becomes increasingly valuable to her fellow players as both an emotional rock and a competitive forc
Squid Game Netflix Transgender Representation Casting Controversy South Korea
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