Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2, episode 3.

Hyun-ju, or Player 120, is one of the key new characters in Squid Game season 2. Squid Game season 2 sees the return of many actors from the first season, including Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Gong Yoo as the Salesman, Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho, and Lee Byung-hun as Hwang In-ho. However, the show also includes a lot of new characters. All players in Squid Game season 2 apart from Gi-hun and the Front Man, the latter of whom infiltrates the games as Player 001, are new characters.

This includes Hyun-ju, a transgender woman who entered the games seeking money to pay for her gender-affirming surgery. Having lost her job as a Special Forces soldier after coming out and with no support from her family, Hyun-ju also dreams of moving to Thailand to start a new life. To InStyle, director Hwang Dong-hyuk talked about how there aren’t many transgender characters in Korean shows, and that he believes Hyun-ju will be “loved and supported by fans around the world.”

Park Sung-hoon Plays Hyun-ju In Squid Game Season 2

Park Sung-hoon Has Been Acting Since 2008

Hyun-ju is played by Park Sung-hoon, a 39-year-old South Korean actor who broke big in the mid-2010s with My Only One after a career in theater and has since been in several K-dramas and movies. While Hyun-ju is a transgender woman, she is played by a cisgender man. Park Sung-hoon’s role as Hyun-ju in Squid Game was announced weeks before the release of season 2 and sparked controversy regarding the casting of cisgender actors to play transgender characters. Hyun-ju first appears at the start of Squid Game season 2, episode 3.

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Squid Game season 1 was a global sensation and the biggest show on Netflix, and there were a variety of reasons it got so popular in the first place.

Park Sung-hoon described Hyun-ju as someone who’s incredibly resilient and, despite facing prejudice and tough situations, remains strong. During the Squid Game season 2 casting announcement, Park also described Player 120 as a natural leader who breaks stereotypes and inspires other characters.

What Other K-Dramas Park Sung-hoon Has Starred In

Park Sung-hoon Is Best Known For Queen Of Tears & The Glory

Squid Game season 2 is not the only major 2024 K-drama Park Sung-hoon starred in, as the actor also had a significant role in Queen of Tears. One of the most popular K-dramas of 2024, Queen of Tears saw Park Sung-hoon as the Yoon Eun-sung – or David Yoon – who secretly wanted to take over the Queens Group’s empire. Squid Game was also not Park Sung-hoon’s first Netflix original K-drama, as he Jeon Jae-joon, one of the bullies in the revenge K-drama The Glory.

Earlier in 2024, Park made a special appearance in Netflix’s The Bequeathed, a horror K-drama from the director of Train to Busan. His career also includes dramas like Not Others and Memorials, as well as earlier supporting roles in shows such as Three Days and Don’t Dare. Squid Game season 2 concludes a strong year for Park Sung-hoon’s career following his cameo in The Bequeathed and his major villain role in Queen of Tears.

Source: InStyle

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In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children’s games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully – but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.

Release Date

September 17, 2021

Cast

Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung

Seasons

2

Writers

Hwang Dong-hyuk

Directors

Hwang Dong-hyuk

Showrunner

Hwang Dong-hyuk

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