Cho Hyun-ju, the transgender woman in Squid Game season two, is played by cisgender actor Park Sung-hoon. Creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk said the production considered casting a transgender actor but could not find someone it believed was the right fit. He attributed that difficulty to the small pool of openly transgender actors in South Korea—a description of the casting search from Hwang, not an independently verified count of Korean performers.
What did Hwang say about the casting?
Hwang told the Associated Press that the team wanted to cast authentically and researched possible performers, but did not find someone it considered the best fit. He described the pool of actors who are openly transgender as small. The Associated Press reported his explanation in December 2024.
That account explains the production’s stated decision; it does not establish how many openly transgender actors work in South Korea, document every step of an audition process, or prove that no transgender performer could have played the role. The available reporting attributes the explanation to Hwang.
Why did the series include Hyun-ju?
Hwang described Hyun-ju as part of the show’s wider focus on people marginalized or neglected by society, not only people facing financial hardship. He compared her representational purpose with Ali, the foreign worker character in season one, and said he hoped Hyun-ju’s actions could raise awareness. That is Hwang’s stated intention, rather than evidence of a measured effect on viewers.
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In an interview with Out, Hwang said he saw the people who enter the games as marginalized in ways that go beyond money. Out’s December 30, 2024, report also covered his account of the casting difficulty. His reason for including a transgender character and his reason for selecting Park are related, but distinct: he wanted Hyun-ju’s perspective in the story, then said the production could not find a transgender actor it believed was the right fit.
What did Park say about playing her?
Park said he initially had reservations about a cisgender man portraying a transgender woman. He told Vanity Fair that he spoke with transgender people while preparing for the role. He and Hwang also agreed that Hyun-ju should not be played as a caricature.
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Park described a restrained approach to the performance: he said he did not want to overdo Hyun-ju’s voice or exaggerate her gestures, and that Hwang agreed. Korea JoongAng Daily reported those comments on January 9, 2025. Vanity Fair also reported Park’s concerns and preparation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does that settle the casting debate?
No. Hwang’s explanation and Park’s preparation describe the production’s decision and the actor’s approach; they do not settle whether the role should have gone to a transgender actor. Consultation and an effort to avoid caricature are relevant to how Park prepared, but they do not make the underlying question uncontested.
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The clearest account is therefore a qualified one: Hwang said the production sought an authentic casting option and did not find a suitable openly transgender performer; Park, whom the production cast, said he consulted transgender people and worked with Hwang to avoid an exaggerated portrayal. The reporting supports those attributed statements, not a definitive picture of the full casting process or South Korea’s acting pool.
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