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She’s calm even in the face of death, her iconic slap was just to show everyone that she understands her team members despite having just met them. Following Young-Mi’s tragic death later in Season 2, Hyun-ju partners with Gi-hun in his mission for vengeance against the game-makers, and it’s revealed that not only did she serve in the military before her transition, she ranked in one of its highest positions.

Her capacity for empathy is deep, leading to the remarkable bravery that ultimately cost her her life.

The creation and treatment of Hyun-jun feels unprecedented in the age of television we live in. And she’s also the first one to trust leading man Gi-Hun’s instructions during the first game.

We learn that she’s soft and protective and here to make money to finish her transition.

When Seasons 2 and 3 of the Netflix series Squid Game were announced, it was revealed that there would be the inclusion of a transgender character, Hyun-ju.

This news coincided with the casting report that cisgender actor Park Sung-hoon would play the role, a decision that drew significant criticism from fans. Hyun-jun’s presence on screen doesn’t merely add to the landscape of what representation can look like; it fundamentally alters it.

Despite a fraught initial dynamic, this group blossoms into a deeply supportive and understanding unit, affirming not only her identity but also her unwavering resolve to persist in the deadly competition.

*This is a spoiler free review!

Season 1 Recap

The first season introduces us to the games and primary protagonist–Seong Gi Hun (played by South Korean veteran actor, Lee Jung Jae) a gambling addict in massive debt.

It’s an age-old negative stereotype that doesn’t help queer representation in the media. She consistently employs her body as a shield for the most vulnerable individuals she has formed bonds with, namely Geum-ja and Jun-hee. Here’s everything you need to know about Park Sung-hoon.

Who plays Hyun-ju in Squid Game season 2?

Who is Park Sung-hoon?

39-year-old South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon portrays Hyun-ju in Squid Game season 2.

Despite playing a trans woman in the show, Sung-hoon is male and is not trans in real life.

This training quickly proves useful, as she teaches the others how to use their weapons and takes out the most game-makers out of all the characters.

It’s here that Hyun-ju distinguishes herself as one of the most formidable physical forces that the games have ever seen. We also find out that she’s not in debt because of gambling, but rather because she’s transitioning and has lost her job, family and all of her friends.

One of the prominent fan-theories that came forward was that he’s playing an undercover cop, the second theory that came out (which turned out to be true) was that he’s playing a transwoman. The system has forced her into debt, making it impossible for her to even live a dignified life.

One of her dialogues that made me truly sad was, “I may be happy in my body now, but my life’s gone to shit otherwise.” It highlights body dysphoria in a new light within mainstream media.

Fun Fact–the hindi dubbing for Hyun Joo was done by Sushan Divgikar! Who also used all of her earnings from the gig to fund a transgender doctor–Dr.

Prior to Squid Game, which has now introduced him to a huge international audience, Sung-hoon is best known for his roles in Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, My Only One, Memorials, Netflix's original K-drama The Glory and Queen of Tears.

In recent years, he’s become known for playing villainous characters which makes watching him as the sweet and lovable Hyun-ju even more exciting for Korean fans who have followed his career.

Park Sung-hoon's personal life is fairly private, but it was reported that he previously dated South Korean actress Ryu Hyun-kyung for six years before they split in 2022.

Why is Park Sung-hoon's casting as Hyun-ju controversial?

This is why Hyun-ju finds herself in these games, and why for the better part of Season 2, she’s desperate to stay in them.

Unlike other shows, Squid Game notably refrains from making a spectacle of Hyun-ju’s position as the only visible transgender woman in the games. Why Park Sung-hoon plays the transgender character

31 December 2024, 20:34

By Katie Louise Smith

Park Sung-hoon plays Hyun-ju in Squid Game season 2 but the fact that he's not trans in real life caused quite a bit of backlash.

It took decades for a gay actor like Hong Seok-Cheon decades before he was given bigger roles in shows and still remains as one of the only openly gay actors in South Korea.

I did some more digging and found out that there were only 5, mere FIVE shows with trans characters in South Korean shows till Squid Game 2 dropped (making it 6).

The last show we saw with a trans character, Ma Hyeon-yi was in Netflix’s Itaewon Class (2021) which was played by Lee Joo Young (a cis-woman).

The show’s creators and cast have come forward and opened up about how tough it was for them to find a trans actor to play the character of Hyun Joo thus leading them to cast Park in the role.

So, Did They Get It Right?

They did manage to do Hyun Joo justice, they made her a well-rounded character that has surprises packed for you throughout her appearance.

I know that he primarily flirts with women by calling them señorita, but I’m sure no one missed how he flirted with men along the way too. First seen as a shy-timid and reserved girl who keeps to herself, and is shown to face issues during team games due to her trans identity.

When it was first announced that Park Sung-hoon would be playing a trans woman, the decision left fans of the series divided.

LGBTQ+ fans called out the controversial casting decision, suggesting it could be damaging for trans representation and could perpetuate dangerous and inaccurate perceptions of trans women.

This moment of hope is brutally cut short as she is stabbed in the back by Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan), the father of Jun-hee’s newborn child.