Squid Game star ‘had concerns’ on playing trans role – but wanted to create ‘authentic’ character

Cisgender Squid Game actor Park Sung-hoon has reflected on playing trans woman Hyun-ju in season two and three, addressing backlash, but emphasising he ‘did not want to reduce her to stereotypes.’

When Netflix’s South Korean dystopian thriller Squid Game announced the cast for its second season in 2024, the selection of cisgender man Park Sung-Hoon to portray trans woman Hyun-ju immediately sparked backlash.

Squid Game director and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk defended the decision, with Player 120 (Hyun-ju) becoming a firm fan favourite due to her characterisation and motives for entering the Games (namely, to be able to afford gender-affirming surgery).

Sung-hoon has spoken to The Hollywood Reporter about the backlash surrounding his casting, and insisted that he had the character’s best interests at heart throughout the process.

“When I first heard that I was going to play a trans woman in Squid Game, I thought it was a very good challenge for me as an actor to take up. But at the same time, I questioned myself. Would it be acceptable for me as a cisgender actor to play a trans woman character? So I had my worries. I had my concerns,” he told the publication.

“But I was determined to make her into a character who is not a caricature. I did not want to reduce her to stereotypes. I really wanted to focus on the inner qualities that she has, the traits that are so redeeming.

“I just wanted to create a very authentic portrayal of this very layered character.”

Player 120 was the real winner, no matter what anyone says. She was the strongest, the smartest, and the kindest. She felt truly human,someone willing to sacrifice herself for the safety of others. #SquidGame3 pic.twitter.com/RI8CU9nEvY

— 𝜗℘🪽 #ivepalooza (@kitsheo) June 28, 2025

Continuing, Sung-hoon also shared his preparation for portraying the only trans character in Squid Game, pointing out that “existing transgender characters in Korean cinema… tend to be caricatures and tend to be pretty flat.”

He added: “Hyun-ju was such a cool character. She has a good heart. She’s selfless. She cares about others. She’s a good leader; she’s charismatic and brave. She has all of these great qualities, and she’s very layered.

“So I really wanted to portray this character, and I knew that required a deep understanding of trans women and Hyun-ju in particular.

“I interviewed a lot of transgender individuals, got some advice from them, and I also did loads and loads of research so that I could study more about this community and the individuals. I really made sure that I had a thorough understanding of what I was getting into.”

Hyun-ju. Player 120. Forever a hero. pic.twitter.com/omU6ek6qfd

— Squid Game (@squidgame) June 28, 2025

Though Hyun-ju faces a tragic end in the third season of Squid Game after heroically sacrificing herself, Sung-hoon explained that it makes her one of the franchises’ most selfless players.

“I think that shows that her heart is really made of gold. She is such a warm-hearted and selfless person. When I was playing her, I thought that Hyun-ju maybe knew that she might die when going back and looking for the exit for her friends alone, but she would have done the same, even if she knew that she could die.

“So this is something that we should all really look up to. We should be like her in any way, if that’s possible.”

Sung-hoon previously told Korean publication JoongAngDaily that he aimed to portray his character with complete authenticity, saying, “I never wanted to overdo the voice or exaggerate my gestures, and the director fully agreed with me on that. Since my natural voice is quite deep, I felt that altering it too much would undermine the emotional authenticity.”  

Both Sung-hoon and Dong-hyuk have previously pointed out that due to South Korea’s harsh views on trans individuals, it would have been very hard to cast an actual trans actor in the role.

“When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors [who] are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because unfortunately in Korean society the LGBTQ+ community is still marginalised and more neglected, which is heart-breaking,” Dong-hyuk told TV Guide in 2024.

All three seasons of Squid Game are available to stream on Netflix.

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