The next article accommodates spoilers for Squid Recreation Season 2, which launched as a part of the 2024 TV premiere schedule. Should you’re not caught up with all seven episodes, make sure to test them out with a Netflix subscription.
Should you’ve been watching Squid Recreation Season 2, you’ve seen Participant 120, in any other case often known as Cho Hyun-ju. She’s a transgender participant within the video games who’s making an attempt to win cash for her intercourse change operation and is changing into a fan favourite character for a lot of causes. Whereas not a outstanding a part of the primary story, Hyun-ju’s journey is certainly notable, and the present’s director revealed to CinemaBlend why the inventive workforce included her on this new season.
The most effective exhibits to binge on Netflix, Squid Recreation follows loads of totally different characters with with various story arcs. Nevertheless, Participant 120’s journey was totally different from that of every other character who’s been part of this collection up to now. When chatting with our roundtable of journalists and requested about her inclusion, director Hwang Dong-hyuk defined {that a} main motive he determined to introduce Hyun-ju was to lift consciousness for transgender people inside South Korea. As famous by Dong-hyuk, those that establish as such aren’t extensively accepted within the nation:
I noticed the individuals who come to affix the video games in Squid Recreation as people who find themselves often marginalized or uncared for from society, and never simply financially talking, however most individuals who would belong to marginalized teams. In season one, the consultant character for that was Ali, who was a foreigner working in Korea, which is among the most consultant minority teams in Korea. And so at the moment as we speak, sadly, within the Korean society, the gender minority is a gaggle that’s not as accepted extensively inside society. And so I wished to create a personality that may symbolize that, and which is why I created the character Hyun-ju as a male to feminine transgender girl.
The director opined that issues have “gotten higher” for such marginalized individuals inside South Korea. Nevertheless, he additionally talked about that there’s nonetheless an extended technique to go. On that observe, Dong-hyuk hopes that Participant 120’s story can have a constructive influence inside society:
In comparison with earlier than, it has gotten higher, however nonetheless in Korea, when you’re a gender minority, it isn’t as extensively accepted but, sadly, and you’re nonetheless seen to be very a lot out of the norm. And so by creating a personality very similar to Hyun-ju, and thru her decisions, her actions, and the best way she carries herself within the recreation, I hope that that would increase consciousness of those points that we face as we speak.
Should you’ve been watching Squid Recreation, you doubtless know that by the top of Season 2, the video games are solely across the midway level. Hyun-ju can also be nonetheless very a lot alive after working to try to gather magazines for the weapons within the revolt when considered one of their allies chickened out on them. However her destiny – in addition to a number of others – is left up within the air forward of Season 3, which is able to shut out the present.
However Hyun-ju has made waves on-line, as many individuals on social media platforms love the character and have praised Park Sung-hoon’s efficiency. The director nearly didn’t return for Season 2 however, when he did, he made a daring assertion that Squid Recreation Season 2 might be higher than the primary season, and I usually questioned how. I need to say I’ve loved the brand new episodes, and Participant 120’s story represents an effective way that the writers have upped the stakes.
Contemplating the political local weather in South Korea, it was a dangerous choice to incorporate Hyun-ju within the present. Nevertheless, contemplating the love that the character has acquired up to now, I would say that it is all paying off.