Fictional character
| Cho Hyun-ju | |
|---|---|
| Squid Game character | |
 Park Sung-hoon as Cho Hyun-ju | |
| First appearance | "001" (Squid Game season 2) |
| Created by | Hwang Dong-hyuk |
| Portrayed by | Park Sung-hoon |
| Voiced by | Sushant Divgikr (Hindi) |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Player 120 |
| Occupation | Soldier |
| Nationality | Korean |
Cho Hyun-ju, also known as Player 120, is a character in the second season of the 2020 Netflix series Squid Game. She is a trans woman who was formerly a soldier until being kicked out after coming out, further losing family support and employment. She joins Squid Game to win money in order to support her gender-affirming surgery and move to Thailand, befriending multiple characters, including a woman named Kim Young-mi. She was created by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and portrayed by Park Sung-hoon, a cisgender man. Hwang expressed difficulty in finding a trans female actor in South Korea, citing how Korea treats trans people as a reason for it being difficult. Park worked with trans people in order to portray the character accurately, hoping to avoid caricaturizing her.
When it was announced that Hyun-ju would be played by a cisgender man, the show, Hwang, and Park received criticism, with people on social media and critics arguing that casting a cisgender man in this role affirmed an anti-trans notion that trans people are men. It was also argued that it would be more ideal to cast post-operative trans women or cisgender women instead. On release, Hyun-ju was received well for her portrayal and writing, with multiple critics considering the character an authentic representation of trans women. There was also a hope that Hyun-ju would lead to further acceptance and better representation in the future.
Appearances
Cho Hyun-ju appears in the second season of Squid Game, a trans woman who formerly served as a soldier in the South Korean military as a sergeant until she was discharged for wanting to transition. She also lost family support ans struggled to find employment. She was invited to join a game called Squid Game due to the financial strain, as well as her desire to move to Thailand and get gender-affirming surgery. During the first game, she along with the other 455 players discover that losing has lethal consequences. At the end, she assists protagonist Seong Gi-hun rescue a man who had been shot. During the interim, the surviving players learn that the total reward is 45,600,000,000 won, and they would receive 100 million won per person who died split between the survivors (91,000,000,000 won). Given the choice to vote to stay or leave, she votes to stay, and the game continues by a slim majority.
Hyun-ju later befriends a woman named Kim Young-mi, who asks her to join her, later adding Jang Geum-ja, her son Park Yong-sik, and a shaman named Seon-nyeo, where they have to complete a series of five games while chained side by side. Hyun-ju assists the other members with advice and emotional support. Due to her expenses related to transition and a lack of a source of income, Hyun-ju votes to remain in the game again, with the result being to continue. During the next game, Young-mi is killed, causing her to become anguished. Hyun-ju, along with Geum-ja and Yong-sik, ally with Gi-hun and his team, eventually agreeing to participate in a revolt by helping steal guns from soldiers and attempting to take over the facility. She provides support while Gi-hun goes deeper. She sends someone to get more ammo, but when he doesn't return, she goes to see what's wrong. During this, the others are killed or apprehended, and the revolt is defeated. She prepares to fight, but Geum-ja stops her.
She is slated to reappear in the third and final season.
Concept and creation
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Cho Hyun-ju was created by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who compared her in purpose to the character Ali Abdul from the first season of Squid Game. Where he included Ali to represent people in Korea who are marginalized in non-financial ways, he wanted to include a trans character to do the same in season 2. He hoped that, through her choices, actions, and the way she "carries herself in the game," it would raise awareness of issues surrounding trans people in Korea. Hwang was aiming to cast a trans actor in the role, but found that there was "close to no actors that are openly trans" due to the marginalization of LGBTQ+ people in South Korean society, expressing upset with this. He believed she would be the "most beloved" character of the season.
Hwang ultimately decided to cast cis male actor Park Sung-hoon, a cisgender man. Park believed that he was cast because of a "feminine side" that he developed through growing up with sisters, as well as his performance in the 2021 film Hee-soo. He stated that he approached his performance with "more detail and caution," consulting with trans people to make sure Hyun-ju was not caricaturized. He stated that he avoided exaggerating gestures voice, feeling that altering his deep voice would "undermine the emotional authenticity." The character's short bangs were chosen by Park according to him. Describing her character, Park said that she shows "incredible strength, decisiveness, and natural leadership" despite the prejudices she faces, calling her "inspiring" and a character who "breaks down stereotypes." While discussing the fight choreography for Hyun-ju, stunt coordinator Park Young-sick explained that, unlike many other characters' fighting which has a "raw survival-action feel," Hyun-ju needed a more "professional feel," taking her "background, profession, and physical into account."
Hyun-ju is voiced in the Hindi dub by genderfluid performer Sushant Divgikr part of their paycheck they received for the role to a trans doctor in India, receiving it early on "special request" so she could contribute to the doctor's post-graduate course and ensure she kept her job and degree.
Reception
The casting of a cisgender man instead of a trans woman or cisgender woman received controversy, something creator Hwang Dong-hyuk anticipated. TV Guide writer Kat Moon believed that the controversy create more conversations about LGBTQ+ representation and "move the needle" on the subject outside of the US. Vogue writer Radhika Seth felt that, despite Hyun-ju's arc being handled sensitively and her being a powerful character, it felt "jarring" that a cisgender man was cast at a time that Hollywood is casting more carefully. Seth noted that this was significant for trans people in Korea, but for many, shows there is still more to go. The Mary Sue writer Rachel Ulatowski considered it a "small sign of progress," noting that there is progress that can be made still. Digital Spy writer David Opie found Hyun-ju's portrayal more compassionate than one might expect from Squid Game, citing how characters refer to her with the term "unnie" (an affectionate term for older sister) and one character taking her to the women's bathroom with her. Opie found it "remarkable" that a Korean show affirm Hyun-ju's gender considering the politics surrounding trans people in Korea, comparing her positively to what he considered a negative portrayal of homosexuality in season 1.
The writing and portrayal of Hyun-ju has received generally positive reception, identified as "by far the best addition" in season 2 by USA Today writer Kelly Lawler. Discussing Film writer James Crooks, while noting that the character is likely to "spark some unnecessary online discourse," the inclusion of Hyun-ju helped add a "heart-warming level of emotional depth" to the story. Upon hearing about the casting of a cis man, Inverse writer Dais Johnston found the character "regressive." They criticized the casting of cis men as problematic, stating that "trans women are women, not men in costumes, and should be portrayed as such." Johnston disputed arguments that Korean trans actresses were not feasible to cast, citing examples such as Lee Si-yeon and Choi Hae-jun. They also responded to arguments that a post-transition actress would not be able to portray a pre-transition character accurately, arguing that because Hyun-ju is apparently saving up for bottom surgery, it wouldn't have mattered if the actress was post-transition. Johnston acknowledged that a trans actress may not want to play the role due to the role potentially leading to abuse, but cited trans women characters in the Korean series Alice in Borderland and Itaewon Class, both who are portrayed by cisgender women. They felt this was not ideal, but was better than using a cisgender man, arguing that in casting a cisgender man, it suggests that trans women are "men in disguise," suggesting it as a caricature and expressing skepticism about how the character would be handled. After watching the series, Johnston was "shocked" by how well Hyun-ju's story was executed, saying that her story was "handled with extreme care" and praising the show for not featuring any misgendering, deadnaming, or "tragic flashbacks."
According to My Daily writer Lee Seung-gil, despite viewers having concerns about the character before release, both the character and actor received positive reception in Korea. Lee considered her the best character in the second season, praising Park for his understated and realistic performance. Top Star News writer Hwang Seong-yong felt that Hyun-ju was a difficult character to perform, one that requires the performer to demonstrate both the strength of a soldier and "delicate inner self" of a trans person. They praised Park for managing to pull this off, saying that this proved the versatility of his acting. The Mary Sue writer Annie Banks praised the second season for featuring a trans character, calling her story "authentic" and expressed hope that this would lead to further inclusion of trans characters in K-dramas. Gizmodo writers Germain Lussier and Cheryl Eddy identified her as one of the best parts of the second season, saying that while it would be better if she was played by a trans woman, they appreciated that her presence felt important and not merely added for diversity. Den of Geek writer Brynna Arens considered her the "MVP" of the second season, praising her for her competence, bravery, sympathizing as an American with the plight of being desperate for healthcare. Despite her praise, she felt it unfortunate that Park was cast, saying that casting a cisgender man doesn't help the "harmful stereotype" perpetuated by anti-trans groups that trans women are men. She felt that, even with this, it is important for people to understand the difference between acceptance of trans people in the US and Korea. The inclusion of the character was criticized as "woke" by transphobic fans of Squid Game according to Pink News writer Amelia Hansford.
References
- O'Keefe, Meghan (December 27, 2024). "'Squid Game' Creator Explains Why He Added a Transgender Player to Season 2: "In Korea It Is Not As Widely Accepted Yet"". Decider. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- Hansford, Amelia (December 30, 2024). "Squid Game creator explains why he felt it was important to feature a trans character in season two". Pink News. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ Moon, Kat (December 17, 2024). "Squid Game Director Says It Was 'Near Impossible' to Cast a Trans Woman as Season 2 Character". TV Guide. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- Gonzales, Erica; Sirikul, Laura (December 26, 2024). "The 'Squid Game' Season 2 Cast Is Full of Korean Megastars". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Billson, Chantelle (January 9, 2025). "Squid Game star Park Sung-hoon didn't want trans character to be a 'caricature'". Pink News. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- Parkel, Inga (December 9, 2024). "Squid Game season 2 faces scrutiny over casting choice for trans character". The Independent. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Shachat, Sarah (December 29, 2024). "Over 400 Stunt Performers Made 'Squid Game' Season 2 Even Deadlier". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Riedel, Samantha (January 3, 2025). "Indian Performer Sushant Divgikr Gave Part of Their Squid Game Paycheck to a Trans Doctor". Them. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Seth, Radhika (December 26, 2024). "Squid Game Season 2 Is a Twisty, Blood-Soaked Riot—And One of the Best Shows of 2024". Vogue. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- Ulatowski, Rachel (December 5, 2024). "'Could've gave it to a real trans person': 'Squid Game' season 2 is under fire for not hiring a trans actress for trans role". The Mary Sue. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Opie, David (December 31, 2024). "Squid Game season two fixes the most problematic part of season one". Digital Spy. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Lawler, Kelly (December 26, 2024). "'Squid Game 2' is still violent, but more disappointing than shocking: Review". USA Today. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Crooks, James (December 26, 2024). "'Squid Game' Season 2 Review – A Shocking and Unpredictable, Yet Slightly Fustrating Continuation". Discussing Film. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Johnston, Dais (December 5, 2024). "Squid Game Season 2's Trans Character Is Completely Regressive". Inverse. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Johnston, Dais (December 26, 2024). "Squid Game Season 2 Falls Short of Season 1's Brilliance". Inverse. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Lee, Seung-gil (January 3, 2025). "스포주의! 첫 주말 지난 '오겜2', 어떤 캐릭터가 시청자를 사로잡았나 [MD픽]". My Daily. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Hwang, Seong-yong (January 2, 2025). "박성훈, '더 글로리'부터 '오징어 게임2'까지…연기파 배우의 '독보적' 스펙트럼". Top Star News. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Banks, Annie (December 27, 2024). "'Squid Game' Season 2 review: Bigger, but maybe not better". The Mary Sue. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Lussier, Germain; Eddy, Cheryl (December 26, 2024). "10 Things We Liked, and 3 We Didn't, About Squid Game 2". Gizmodo. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Arens, Brynna (December 27, 2024). "Player 120 Hyun-ju Is the Real MVP of Squid Game Season 2". Den of Geek. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- Hansford, Amelia (December 30, 2024). "Squid Game creator explains why he felt it was important to feature a trans character in season two". Pink News. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
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