WARNING: The following article contains discussions related to sexual assault.
Squid Game season 2 star Park Sung-hoon has apologized for sharing an image taken from an adult parody of the hit Netflix series. Park, who portrays the transgender character Hyun-ju/Player 120, initially came under fire in December after sharing a sexually explicit image from a Japanese adult parody of the show on his Instagram account. While Park deleted the image within seconds of posting it, the incident sparked widespread criticism, and also prompted creator Hwang Dong-hyuk to publicly express his dismay at the situation.
During an interview with Korea Economic Daily (via Koreaboo), Park addressed the incident directly. Even prior to the interview officially commencing, the Squid Game actor suggested that he was proceeding with a heavy heart and was deeply apologetic for the harm that his actions caused the production:
I came here with a heavier and more nervous heart than ever before. I am truly sorry that I might have caused damage to the production made by the hard work of so many people, including the team, staff, and actors.
Park would also go on to explain the origins of his controversial post, suggesting that he had originally received the problematic image in his DM’s. Concerned that the photo’s content could potentially cause issues, he sought to share it with the production team for review, when he accidentally shared it to his Instagram story instead:
I found a problematic photo in my DMs as I was rushing to go out around lunchtime to go to my schedule. It was during the beginning of the show’s release, and I thought it was a shocking photo and could cause problems. While exchanging the show’s reactions with the organizer, I think I accidentally posted it to my story while sending it.
Park also shot down suggestions that he had seen the original video from which image was sourced, or that he was inadvertently attempting to post to a private account. The embattled actor went on to express his ongoing regret for his mistake, promising that he will work toward avoiding similar incidents in the future. See the rest of Park’s response below:
I, of course, did not watch the video. I also do not have another account, so it wasn’t a mistake to try to upload it to a different account. I felt a lot of regret and blamed myself for the inconvenience my mistake had caused. I will carry on with my acting career with a heavy heart, being mindful of my words and actions, so something like this will not happen again.
What Park Sung-hoon’s Apology Means For Squid Game Season 2
The Actor’s Instagram Post Is Not The Show’s Only Controversy
The controversy sparked by Park’s Instagram post is not the only issue that Netflix’s hit Korean show has faced since season 2’s release. Not only was Park’s original casting as Hyun-ju drawn into question, with some online commentators taking issue with a cisgender male actor being cast as a trans woman, but Squid Game season 2 is also facing backlash in Vietnam due to alleged misrepresentations of South Korea’s role in the Vietnam War.
However, Park’s initial post drew considerable ire among fans, not only for the explicit nature of the image, but also for the disturbing nature of the content contained within the video it originated from. Reportedly featuring representations of simulated sexual assault and kidnapping, the initial outrage sparked by Park’s post was also heightened by Korean laws that prohibit the production and distribution of pornographic content.
While Park’s sincere apology may go some way toward putting his actions into context, it remains to be seen whether his explanation will quell the ongoing backlash. Already the matter appears to have wider-reaching impacts, with Park recently stepping down from the forthcoming K-drama The Tyrant’s Chef amid the ongoing controversy.
Our Take On Squid Game’s Future Amid The Season 2 Controversies
The Show’s Problems Still May Not Slow Netflix’s Plans For The Squid Game Brand
Despite the problems plaguing Squid Game season 2’s release, it seems unlikely that Park’s misstep, and subsequent apology, will have any major impact on Netflix’s continuing plans for the property. Not only is Squid Game season 3 already confirmed, and likely to arrive quickly given it was filmed back-to-back with season 2, but there are also reports of a potential American version being made by David Fincher, which Hwang seemingly confirmed recently to be true.
Whether fans will take Park’s apology at face value remains to be seen. However, even in the wake of the show’s more recent issues, it would seem that plans to expand the Squid Game brand will continue regardless.
Source: Korea Economic Daily (via Koreaboo)
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
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September 17, 2021
- Finale Year
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November 30, 2024
- Cast
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Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung - Seasons
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2
- Writers
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Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
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Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Showrunner
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Hwang Dong-hyuk