“Squid Game 2” Park Sung-hoon “Transgender Hyun-ju Relies on Masculinity in Desperate Moments”
During an interview on January 8 at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Park Sung-hoon, who played the role of Hyun-ju, a transgender special forces officer, in Netflix’s drama “Squid Game 2“, stated, “I aimed to show the anxiety beneath Hyun-ju’s strength and decisiveness. Rather than portraying only her tough and determined side, I thought adding a sense of leadership mixed with vulnerability would make her more multidimensional.”
Known for his role as Jeon Jae-joon, a school bully in “The Glory“, Park Sung-hoon captivated global viewers with his unexpected portrayal of Hyun-ju in “Squid Game 2”.
The positive reception largely stemmed from breaking away from the stereotypical, often caricatured depiction of transgender characters in dramas. Hyun-ju exudes femininity in her appearance and mannerisms while embodying inner strength and the combat prowess of a special forces officer.
Park Sung-hoon worked closely with the production team to fine-tune Hyun-ju’s appearance. He said, “Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the costume & makeup team leader and I experimented with various hairstyles and makeup. We even tried different nail colors. When I saw myself in character for the first time, I thought I resembled my older sister. She didn’t know I was taking on this role. She praised and supported me after watching the series.”
For the voice, Park Sung-hoon adjusted his tone depending on the situation. He explained, “I used a higher pitch than my usual deep voice but set a limit. In moments of extreme urgency, when Hyun-ju’s life was at stake, a stronger masculine tone emerged. It was important to convey the appropriate emotions for each scene, which I discussed thoroughly with the director before shooting.”
The character Hyun-ju was inspired by the late Byun Hui-su, Korea’s first openly transgender soldier, who tragically passed away after being discharged from the military.
“After joining the project, Director Hwang told me he wrote the character with Byun Hui-su in mind. However, I didn’t try to imitate her directly. Instead, I focused on the challenges Hyun-ju would have faced throughout her life and layered these experiences into the performance.”
Despite facing controversy over mistakenly uploading an explicit image on SNS, Park Sung-hoon has expanded his acting range and earned greater public affection through “Squid Game 2”. His transition from Jeon Jae-joon in “The Glory” to “sister Hyun-ju” has cemented his versatility and popularity.
“Jeon Jae-joon was a gift-like character for me, so I don’t feel the need to move on from him quickly. People remember him more than my actual name, which I find amusing. As I treasure each role I take, I believe Jeon Jae-joon will naturally fade into the background. I see many comments calling me ‘sister Hyun-ju’ now, and both characters are equally precious to me.”
