Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2, episode 3.
Hyun-ju, or Player 120, is one of the key new characters inSquid Gameseason 2.Squid Gameseason 2 sees the return of many actorsfrom 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 inSquid Gameseason 2 apart from Gi-hun and the Front Man, the latter of whom infiltrates the games as Player 001, are new characters.
This includesHyun-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. ToInStyle, 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 withMy Only Oneafter 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 inSquid Gamewas announced weeks before the release of season 2 and sparked controversyregarding the casting of cisgender actors to play transgender characters. Hyun-ju first appears at the start ofSquid Gameseason 2, episode 3.
Why Squid Game Season 1 Was So Popular
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 theSquid Gameseason 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 Gameseason 2 is not the only major 2024 K-drama Park Sung-hoon starred in, as the actor also had a significantrole inQueen of Tears. One of the most popular K-dramas of 2024,Queen of Tearssaw Park Sung-hoon as the Yoon Eun-sung– or David Yoon – who secretly wanted to take over the Queens Group’s empire.Squid Gamewas also not Park Sung-hoon’s first Netflix original K-drama, as he Jeon Jae-joon, one of the bullies in the revenge K-dramaThe Glory.
Queen of Tears (2024)
High Society(2018)
Jason
Earlier in 2024, Park made a special appearance in Netflix’sThe Bequeathed, a horror K-drama from the director ofTrain to Busan. His career also includes dramas likeNot OthersandMemorials, as well as earlier supporting roles in shows such asThree DaysandDon’t Dare.Squid Gameseason 2 concludes a strong year for Park Sung-hoon’s career following his cameo inThe Bequeathedand his major villain role inQueen of Tears.
Squid Game
Cast
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
