The second season of Squid Game introduced a new character, Hyun-ju, a trans woman vying for survival in the brutal death games.
Her inclusion sparked debates over the casting of a cisgender actor, Park Sung-hoon, in the role of a trans woman, given the sensitive nature of transgender representation.
Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that authentic casting was difficult due to South Korea’s conservative stance on queer rights.
Jessie Earl, a filmmaker and content creator, discusses the complexities of Hyun-ju’s character and her role in educating cisgender audiences about the trans experience.
Earl, who runs the popular YouTube channel Jessie Gender, views Hyun-ju as one of the best examples of trans representation on screen, despite the casting controversy. She praises the show for handling trans issues without resorting to harmful stereotypes or overly focusing on trauma.
Earl acknowledges that while casting a cis actor may not be ideal, it opens a necessary conversation about representation in a world where trans rights are under threat.
She highlights how Squid Game 2 uses its platform to address broader societal issues, including capitalism and the struggles faced by marginalized communities.
Earl also touches on the problematic nature of American media’s treatment of trans characters, which often leans on pity or spectacle rather than presenting fully realized individuals.
She contrasts this with the more nuanced portrayal in Squid Game 2, where Hyun-ju’s storyline is woven into the larger themes of debt and survival, avoiding the typical focus on trans trauma.
The discussion around Hyun-ju’s character serves as a crucial moment in the ongoing evolution of transgender representation in media. Despite its flaws, Earl sees it as a step forward in the fight for better and more authentic representation.
