Park Sung-hoon on Squid Game 3: “Transgender Characters Must Never Be Caricatured”
In a July 3 interview with InStyle, actor Park Sung-hoon shared his approach to portraying the transgender character Hyun-joo in Squid Game 3, emphasizing the responsibility he felt to represent her authentically.
“There have been transgender characters in Korean media before, but often they were flat or even caricatured,” he said candidly. “I believed Hyun-joo should never be portrayed that way. I consciously avoided exaggerated gestures or vocal tones. I focused on her inner world, her sincerity, and how she treated others.”
Park Sung-hoon’s nuanced performance has struck a chord with audiences. Netflix itself praised him as the “eternal hero,” while international viewers have dubbed Hyun-joo “our forever queen,” and “a warrior stronger than any man.” One fan even stated, “To me, Hyun-joo is the true winner of the game.”
In a previous interview with Today News on June 21, Park Sung-hoon humbly said, “I would never claim to represent that community. As a cisgender man portraying a transgender woman, I had many concerns. But I am deeply thankful that the transgender community received it without prejudice and even supported me.”
Squid Game 3 picks up with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) re-entering the deadly game, now fueled by personal motives and facing devastating loss. The season also delves into the fate of Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and the remaining survivors as they reach their brutal final chapter.
The finale has earned widespread acclaim from global media Time praised its return to “raw and brutal roots,” Collider called it an “overwhelming finale” that amplifies the series’ strengths, and Financial Times highlighted its “relentless pacing and sharp direction.”
In the middle of this critical success, Park Sung-hoon’s Hyun-joo has emerged not just as a memorable character, but as a symbol of empathy, depth, and progress in representation.
