{"id":141302,"date":"2024-12-31T20:45:04","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T20:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/31\/squid-game-creator-explains-casting-cisgender-actor-as-trans-character\/"},"modified":"2024-12-31T20:45:04","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T20:45:04","slug":"squid-game-creator-explains-casting-cisgender-actor-as-trans-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/31\/squid-game-creator-explains-casting-cisgender-actor-as-trans-character\/","title":{"rendered":"Squid Game Creator Explains Casting Cisgender Actor as Trans Character"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div wp_automatic_readability=\"110.07735096558\">\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ????><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ????><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3845114\" style=\"width: 900px;\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom:89.571428571429%;\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\"><br \/>\n Hwang Dong-hyuk.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Presley Ann\/Getty Images for Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Squid Game<\/em> creator <strong>Hwang Dong-hyuk<\/strong> is explaining why cisgender actor <strong>Park Sung-hoon<\/strong> was cast as transgender character Hyun-ju in season 2.<\/p>\n<p>Hwang, 53, who also wrote and directed both seasons, knew that some fans would expect to see a transgender woman play Hyun-ju, a former special forces officer who enters the South Korean series\u2019 deadly competition to win money for gender-affirming surgery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did anticipate such discussions to arise from the first moment I began creating the character Hyun-ju,\u201d Hwang told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/news\/squid-game-season-2-review-netflix-thriller\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TVGuide<\/a> earlier this month. \u201cIn the beginning, we were doing our research, and I was thinking of doing an authentic casting of a trans actor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hwang soon found, however, that there were \u201cclose to no actors that are openly trans\u201d in South Korea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, in the Korean society currently, the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>After determining that it would be \u201cnear impossible to find someone who we could cast authentically\u201d as a trans woman, the <em>Squid Game<\/em> team settled on Park, 39.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3845117\" style=\"width: 2000px;\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom:74.285714285714%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3845117 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1000&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" alt=\"Squid Game Creator Explains Why Season 2s Trans Character is Played by a Cisgender Actor\" width=\"1000\" height=\"743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=200&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=300&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=400&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=600&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=700&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 700w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=800&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=900&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1000&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1400&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1600&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1800&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Creator-Explains-Why-Season-2s-Trans-Character-is-Played-by-a-Cisgender-Actor-3.jpg?w=1920&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) calc(100vw - 6em), (max-width: 1000px) 80vw, 1000px\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\"><br \/>\n Park Sung-hoon in \u2018Squid Game.\u2019<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">No Ju-han\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI have watched his work ever since his debut, and I had complete trust in him that he would be the right person in terms of talent in portraying this character,\u201d Hwang said of Park.<\/p>\n<p>The director\u2019s decision to include a transgender character in season 2 is consistent with the message of season 1, which premiered on Netflix in 2021.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\" wp_automatic_readability=\"13.898104265403\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/squid-games-doll-voice-actor-has-an-unexpected-connection-to-dwts\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Doll-Reagan-To-Has-an-Unexpected-Connection-to-DWTS-2.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=55&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Squid Game Doll Reagan To Has an Unexpected Connection to DWTS\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" data-fallback-img=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Squid-Game-Doll-Reagan-To-Has-an-Unexpected-Connection-to-DWTS-2.jpg?quality=70&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/squid-games-doll-voice-actor-has-an-unexpected-connection-to-dwts\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Squid Game&#8217;s Doll Voice Actor Has an Unexpected Connection to &#8216;DWTS&#8217;<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tThe hit Netflix series Squid Game shares a surprising connection to Dancing With the Stars through actress Reagan To. While fans may recognize To, 13, as the voice of the villainous Red Light, Green Light doll, Young-hee, she\u2019s also an accomplished ballroom dancer who\u2019s worked with DWTS alum Mark Ballas. The pro dancer, 38, recently [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI saw the people who come to join the games in <em>Squid Game<\/em> as people who are usually marginalized or neglected from society, and not just financially speaking,\u201d Hwang told <a href=\"https:\/\/decider.com\/2024\/12\/27\/squid-game-creator-interview-player-120-hyun-ju-park-sung-soon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Decider<\/a> on Friday, December 27. \u201cToday, unfortunately, in Korean society, the gender minority is a group that is not as accepted widely within society, which is why I created the character Hyun-ju as a male to female transgender woman.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Transgender actors playing transgender roles is a relatively new development even in the United States, but trans activists argue that casting cis actors in trans roles perpetuates the harmful belief that trans people are simply putting on a costume. <strong>Annette Bening<\/strong>, whose son <strong>Stephen Ira Beatty<\/strong> is transgender, explained the concept during a 2020 interview with<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/films\/2020\/08\/15\/annette-bening-having-transgender-son-has-expanded-world-view\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em> The Telegraph<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe important thing that I\u2019ve really begun to understand about that issue is that sometimes people see trans people as [putting on] a sort of performance,\u201d Bening, 66, said. \u201cBut in fact that\u2019s a mistake, it\u2019s a misunderstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"news-block\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form  \" wp_automatic_readability=\"8.5\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__success\" aria-live=\"polite\" wp_automatic_readability=\"7\">\n<h3>Thank You!<\/h3>\n<p>You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Despite facing some criticism for Park\u2019s casting, Hwang is hopeful that the character of Hyun-ju will be a net positive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy creating a character much like Hyun-ju and through her choices, her actions, and the way she carries herself in the game, I hope that that could raise awareness of these issues that we face today,\u201d he told Decider.<\/p>\n<p>Season 2 of <em>Squid Gam<\/em>e hit Netflix on Friday, December 26. The dystopian thriller series follows the participants of a life-or-death game as they compete to win billions of dollars.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/squid-game-creator-explains-casting-cisgender-actor-as-trans-character\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hwang Dong-hyuk. Presley Ann\/Getty Images for Netflix Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is explaining why cisgender actor Park Sung-hoon was cast as transgender character Hyun-ju in season 2. Hwang, 53, who also wrote and directed both seasons, knew that some fans would expect to see a transgender woman play Hyun-ju, a former special forces officer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":141303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-141302","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141302"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141302\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}