‘Squid Game’ Trans Representation Receives Praise And Criticism

The trans woman character in Squid Game season 2 has left queer fans divided on how to feel about the character as representation, with some wholeheartedly praising the show and others criticising her role.

Hyun-ju, played by cis male actor Park Sung-hoon, is a former special forces soldier who enters into the deadly game  to pay for her gender-affirming care in one of the season’s many storylines. 

When the character was revealed earlier in December, there was substantial discourse around the ethics of a cis male playing Hyun-ju; many criticised the show for failing to cast a trans woman, while others held their judgement and reasoned it would be difficult to find a South Korean trans actress.

Speaking to TV Guide, the show’s creator Hwang Dong-hyuk justified the decision by saying that he and the crew did indeed attempt to find a trans actress for the role of Hyun-ju, but their research showed there were “close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because unfortunately in Korean society… the LGBTQ community is still rather marginalised and neglected.” 

Reactions to Squid Game‘s trans character

Now that the season has been released, fans are yet again pondering whether Hyun-ju is a good trans representation. 

“Squid Game season 2 is fire, but I still think it’s really weird to have a male actor who did zero voice training act as a trans woman?” said one Twitter/X user musing on the character’s place in the series, before considering it “bad rep[resentation].” 

“The trans character in Squid Game gets so little to do lol,” said another user. “For the first four episodes she just kind of walks around quietly while other characters make jabs at her. It’s the kind of mealy-mouthed “representation” that does nothing for anyone other than check off a box.

However, many other fans were quite thrilled with Hyun-ju’s character and her place in the show, with many trans folks appreciating the character. 

THE TRANS CHARACTER IN SQUID GAME IS SURPRISINGLY WELL WRITTEN???

— ꩜🏳️‍⚧️ (@hyxkkimxru) December 26, 2024

“Watching the new season of Squid Game and I absolutely adore the trans character, the writers wrote her with so much love and care,” said a trans Twitter/X user. “It’s so nice to see someone going through the same challenges as me get representation so well.” 

A different trans user also stated: “[The trans character] is my favourite not because she’s trans, [but] because she was a strong leader, feminine figure others looked up to, someone people admired, was selfless and very human. They did so well!”

Other users praised Park Sung-hoon’s performance, and one user was particularly pleased with its representative qualities: “It’s the way this show put an old woman, a pregnant woman, and a trans woman together and outright said they are valid as women moved me to tears.” 

Squid Game season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.