Netflix Sparks Backlash After Casting Cis Male Actor To Play Trans Woman On 'Squid Game'

Netflix has sparked outrage for casting a cisgender male actor to play a trans female character in the second season of the popular survival thriller Netflix series, Squid Game.

In a meet-the-cast special, South Korean star Park Sung-hoon revealed he would play Hyun-ju, a.k.a. Player 120, a willing competitor in the murderous reality game show for a chance to win the grand cash prize to help pay for her gender-affirming surgery.

Squid Game is a Korean drama centered on the premise where financially strapped contestants from different backgrounds participate in a series of deadly children's games until a remaining survivor wins approximately $40 million.

Sung-hoon, known for playing leads in popular South Korean TV series like The Glory and Queen of Tears, described his Squid Game character in an interview, saying:

“Hyun-ju is a former special forces soldier and a transgender woman. She joins the game because she’s short on money for her gender-affirming surgery."

The 39-year-old actor continued:

“Even though she faces prejudice and tough situations, she shows incredible strength, decisiveness and natural leadership. Through her resilience, she breaks down stereotypes and shines as an aspiring character.”

The casting of a cisgender male to play a trans woman in 2024 caused significant internet backlash.

Many users noted that actors from marginalized groups in countries like South Korea are never given opportunities in an industry that tends to lean towards heteronormative casting.

The controversy was also addressed on the Trans subReddit.

Redditor melancholymeows, a trans ally, argued the move was still a positive step toward representation in South Korea, "a very conservative country" that "doesn't have any laws in place for queer people let alone trans people" even though they noted there had been "some positive movement recently" towards change.

The original poster also asked their trans friends their thoughts on the controversy, writing:

"I saw a post from a influencer i follow (who’s a trans woman) and she was upset about how the character is played by a cis man and not a trans actress."

"I understand this point of view but i see it as more just representation in general that many people will see, i mean squid game is the most popular k-drama, it’s super global too."

"I think representation is important no matter who plays the character. but im super curious what other trans people think."

They noted, "Obviously the show has not come out yet so we don’t know how the character is portrayed, so this could totally be different."

One Redditor wrote:

"I'm concerned that the writers and directors may struggle to treat a trans character with kindness and respect. I think if the performer did research for the role and is actually allowed to present a thoughtful, nuanced performance, then fine. But I'm not holding my breath."

Another said:

"Caring isn’t enough. Unless you have lived experience with trans people, anything you portray is going to be a thought experiment."

"Cis actors don’t have a great record at playing trans roles, and they don’t care because cis audiences aren’t experienced enough to tell."

A third user said they had one minor problem with it.

"The only issue I have with cis men playing trans women is the media around the play or the movie; the actor remains a cis man, and it reinforces the idea that a trans woman is 'really' a kind of man."

However, one Redditor minimized concerns by replying:

"Personally I don't mind. It's acting. We've seen gay actors play straight characters and vice versa. I'll be more interested to see how they write the character and how the actor plays her."

Other fans said they didn't mind the casting of Sung-hoon, especially since his character hasn't received gender-affirming surgery yet.

One social media user pushed back against that argument.

“People in the quotes insisting that it totally makes sense to cast a cis man for this role because she’s trying to fund her gender-affirming surgery, no it doesn’t," they wrote, adding:

"Transition is more than the surgery and Park Sung-hoon isn’t doing any of it. Cast a trans actress,” demanded one person.

Disapproving users on X (formerly Twitter) continued weighing in.

One fan defended against the criticism by explaining the lack of South Korean talent who are actually trans in real life.

“How do you expect them to find the trans actress who is willing to out herself to get the role, who hasn’t done any gender-affirming surgery, who can act the role and who is willing to withstand transphobic comments from people from [South Korea] and all over the world?” they wrote.

Several social media users agreed.

In South Korea, gender-reaffirming care is legal for people over 20.

And while a 2019 study found that public opinion regarding transgender people was more positive than negative, LGBTQ+ rights are still facing legal roadblocks.

You can watch a trailer for Squid Game season 2 here.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

While the first season became a global phenomenon after its 2021 premiere, Squid Game, which was subtitled in over 30 different languages, had a controversial influence on its audience.

One of the children's games featured on the show became a TikTok challenge that should never have been attempted at home.

A 14-year-old boy from Australia sustained first-degree burns on his hand as well as deep burns and nerve damage to his leg after he tried what's called the "honeycomb challenge."

The game involved making a thin sheet of honeycomb and carving out a shape using a pin. In Squid Game, the consequence of cracking the candy in the process led to execution.

The boy had found a honeycomb recipe on TikTok and tried to melt the water, bicarb soda, and sugar mixture in a non-microwavable plastic cup in the microwave instead of in a pot on the stovetop.

When he went to retrieve the mixture, it allegedly exploded in his hand.

Three other children in Sydney were reportedly severely burned from attempting the same dangerous challenge.

The second season of Squid Game will be released on December 26, 2024.