Park Sung-hoon apologises for sharing NSFW Squid Game parody post
Park Sung-hoon has appologised for the post. (iMBC/Getty)
South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon, who plays a trans character in Squid Game 2, is facing controversy after sharing an adult-video parody of Squid Game.
The explicit Japanese video appeared on his Instagram account briefly on Monday (30 December) before being deleted. His agency has issued an apology and explanation but screenshots of the post had already been shared online.
Although some people suggested his account had been hacked, a representative from his agency, BH Entertainment, confirmed that Park had shared the post by accident.
“Park Sung-hoon received an overwhelming number of direct messages (DMs) on his social media. While checking the DMs, he accidentally uploaded the image,” the spokesperson said. “The actor himself was deeply shocked and feels extremely sorry for making such a mistake, especially in these circumstances.
“He will be more careful to ensure this does not happen again.”
Reactions from fans online ranged from confusion to frustration and anger, with one person simply saying: “I can’t believe he did that.”
Park is best-known for his roles in the supernatural horror film Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum and season two of Squid Game, where plays Hyun-ju, also known as Player 120, a trans woman trying to raise funds for her gender-affirming surgery.
The casting of a cis man as a trans woman brought a mixed reactions from fans. Squid Game director and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk defended the decision, saying: “In the beginning we were doing our research, and I was thinking of an authentic casting of a trans actor.
“When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors [who] are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because, unfortunately, in Korean society, the LGBTQ+ community is still marginalised and more neglected, which is heart-breaking.”
South Korea’s LGBTQ+ rights are slowly improving: in July, the country delivered a landmark ruling that upheld the rights of same-sex couples. However, authorities banned a Pride event for the second consecutive year.
Season two of Squid Game dropped on Netflix on December 26, and the third and final season is scheduled to arrive at some stage in 2025.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
How did this story make you feel?
