‘Squid Game’ actor Park Sung-hoon says he didn’t want transgender character to be a ‘caricature’

Park said he was surprised that the director spotted a “hidden feminine side” in him, which, Park says, is not so easy to spot by looking at his features.

“Actually, I was raised with two older sisters, so it was difficult not to be influenced by them growing up,” Park said during an interview with local reporters on Wednesday. “But I had kept this feminine side of me hidden,” said the actor, adding that it felt as if a “shaman was seeing through him” when director Hwang said that Park could easily pull off portraying Hyun-ju.

The character Tae-hoon was a typical breadwinner who lost his daughter in a car accident. The actor reflected on what aspect of the character attracted the director, but admitted he never fully understood it, saying, “I was a bit surprised by how he saw that side of Hyun-ju in me from the role.”

Playing a transgender woman in a massive global series carries significant responsibility, especially in representing a minority group. The actor said he approached the role with “more detail and caution,” studying and consulting with transgender people to ensure his character wouldn’t be a “caricature” — a commitment and promise he made alongside the director.

“I never wanted to overdo the voice or exaggerate my gestures, and the director fully agreed with me on that,” Park said. “Since my natural voice is quite deep, I felt that altering it too much would undermine the emotional authenticity.”

The actor also shared that the development of Hyun-ju’s physical look was a collaborative effort between him, the director and the costume and makeup teams, honed through several trials.

“Hyun-ju’s short bangs were my idea,” he said.

The series marked the actor’s first work with Hwang, a director admired by many actors. Park said he agrees with the admiration, adding that there was a specific moment when his jaw dropped while witnessing the genius of the director.

While filming the scene where Hyun-ju opens up to Geum-ja about why she voted to continue the game, going against her team’s shared opinion, Park said the director asked him to add a simple line: “My mom cried a lot.”

“I think that was really smart, sophisticated and detailed,” Park said. “He also advised me to think about how Hyun-ju’s mother would’ve felt when she first found out about [Hyun-ju’s] sexuality, and he wanted that emotion to come through, but at the same time, didn’t want to overdo it.”

The actor recently faced controversy after posting a pornographic image that parodied “Squid Game” on his Instagram Story on Dec. 30. He apologized and shed tears during an interview, saying, “A mistake is a mistake, but I still believe it was wrong, and I think the first thing I need to do is take responsibility and endure the consequences.”

“I will fully accept all the criticism toward me, but I wish for the people to look at the work with a warm heart,” he added.

The actor, who debuted in 2008, caught the public’s eye with his strong performances as Jeon Jae-jun in “The Glory” and as Hyun-ju in “Squid Game.” Due to the popularity of these characters, many of his fans have been calling him “Jeon Jae-jun” and now “Hyun-ju,” instead of his real name. Park says he feels a deep appreciation.

“Before Jeon Jae-jun, I think I needed a lot of different adjectives to explain myself,” he said. “[But now,] having a descriptor that instantly brings my name to mind with just a character’s name is something I find very meaningful and am truly grateful for.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]