Reacting to Squid Games Trans Character | Trans Woman Reacts

[@mbesama4202]

I'm not trans, but I'm asian. A lot of people from the west don't understand that hiring an actual trans actor in SK or other most asian countries would still be a very risky idea because it could harm the very safety of said trans person. You heard it yourself in the show, hyunju got abandoned by everyone in her life when she came out and she wasn't even a celebrity. Her dialogue there reflects true to most trans people in asia. A publicly open gay artist in KR, Holland, got a lot of hate from the public that someone physically tried to attack him on the streets. It's a sad world we live in for lgbt people but squid game's attempt at rep is actually a good step here

[@bobdonda]

And besides, in this situation there is no difference between a trans person (man pretending to be a woman) and a male actor (also a man pretending to be a woman).

[@Jessica_18-g2f]

I love this comment ❤

[@dietotaku]

i'm wondering in circumstances like this where an authentically trans actor can't be cast, is it better to cast a cis man to play a trans woman or a cis woman? i feel like casting a cis man contributes to the notion that trans women are "just men in drag," whereas casting a cis woman would at least reinforce the fact that trans women are women. but at the same time, a trans person in a bigoted society wouldn't really have access to the gender-affirming care that would help them pass, but then *again* there are plenty of cis men who biologically have more feminine features and vice versa... or maybe the whole thing is irrelevant...

[@PalacinkyPDX]

Harisu, a very high profile trans actress in South Korea, appeared in many films 20+ years ago and was in a lot of media as a model, tv personality, etc. Look her up. Then there was a very well known trans woman K-Pop group called Lady in 2005. Yes, there's lots of transphobia all over the world, but in no way would casting a trans person be "groundbreaking."

[@s_samwich]

@@dietotaku they casted a man because a part of the character was that she hadn't fully transitioned yet, and needed the money to do so

[@amarania]

16:23 “unnie you're beautiful.” Unnie is a Korean term used by young women to address older women. It means that Young-mi respects Hyun-ju's gender identity.

[@outbackshaqYT]

It means I burst into tears every time she utters it T_T

[@andyhan5008]

Actually unnie just means older sister but from a girl. Noona means older sister from a guy. In Korean there are words that only men can say and words only women can say.

[@HobieInTheBox]

​@andyhan5008 Your explanation is both conservative and not entirely correct. The OG comment explained it fine. Whilst initially they're indeed used for older siblings, friends also refer to each other as unnie. Which is literally what Young Mi did in the show. She called Hyun Ji unnie when they're not related. And in Korean queer culture, changes in language also happens. Men and women don't use strictly 'correct' gendered language.

[@donovanlocust1106]

Imagine watching Squid Game dubbed

[@reeeyou]

It was a bittersweet moment with mixed connotations. In the OG Korean dialogue, she said "Unnie, you're beautiful too", after one of the guys says the Thai ladies are beautiful. She says that to tell Hyun Ju that she is beautiful even without surgery, also insinuating that Hyun Ju shouldn't have voted O to continue playing for the money. Sort of expressing her disappointment basically, but understands where Hyun Ju is coming from.

[@Spookybluelights]

When that girl said to Hyun-ju _"You're_ beautiful." I started to cry and I haven't even watched this show yet.

[@brianpotter3807]

Cry with laughter?

[@ki.44524]

​@@brianpotter3807 what is your problem

[@PlanetCharnBaby]

To add to that, she said: "You're beautiful, Unnie". It's significant that she added the word "Unnie" because that's the Korean term that younger females call their older sisters or just older females they're close to. I can imagine that would be a beautiful moment for a Korean trans woman to experience with a younger woman, as it shows she is accepted as a woman by other women.

[@Spookybluelights]

@@PlanetCharnBaby I had a feeling it was something like that, but I wasn't sure as I'm only familiar with Japanese honorifics. It definitely makes it a lot more meaningful.

[@thevorp]

imagine crying over something like that i genuinely feel sorry for you

[@Profane_Pagan]

Worth mentioning that for the English dub of Hyun-ju (Player 120), they casted a trans actress, Nicky Endres!

[@camilagrijalva4109]

ooh cool

[@hexx3dd]

We love to see it ❤

[@CarysCreatesThings]

I believe they cast trans voice actors for most of the international dubs. In the Hindi dub, she was voiced by Sushant Divgikar, a non-binary actor and drag queen (her drag name is Rani-Ko-He-Nur, and she placed joint 4th with La Voix in Queen of the Universe). Divgikar requested an advance on their paycheque for Squid Game so they could donate it to Dr Ruth John Paul, the first transgender woman in India to be accepted onto a postgraduate medical programme. Without Divgikar’s donation (and others in the LGBTQ+ community), she would not have been able to afford her tuition fees and would have been thrown off the course and lost her job, as she was unable to secure a scholarship or financial support due to discrimination against her for being trans. I also read that Divgikar’s home was destroyed in a fire last year, so they were going to spend their earnings on a new place to live, but they chose to donate most of it to Dr Ruth when they heard about her situation.

[@CarysCreatesThings]

My comment disappeared 😡 It was really detailed and took me a long time to write, too! I said that I believe most of the international dubs used trans voice actors which is great. The Hindi version was voiced by a non-binary actor and drag queen who donated most of their paycheque to the first transgender doctor to be accepted onto a postgraduate medical programme in India

[@whooah]

And she did amazing!!!! I loved her dub voice

[@Prince-Angelito]

I feel like her character was extremely well written and executed. To focus on the fact a cis-gender actor is portraying the part is frankly, a very western perspective that I've seen a lot of people take. This de-centralizes the importance that in the context of South Korean television the fact that a character like this even exists is BEYOND groundbreaking and a positive step forward for trans communities over there. Representation will never be perfect because no individual or artist ever is!

[@SpecialBlanket]

Personally as a trans person I feel like having a cis person portray trans person or the other way around is a good thing because at the end of the day it is all women and it doesn't matter what they were born as

[@tiramisunsun]

Not only that, but I heard the director of the k-drama tried to find a trans actress for the role but couldn't find one because, first, trans people aren't that many in numbers, but also because a real trans people in Korea do not feel safe exposing themselves due to the discriminations they face. I personally think actors can play any role as long as they do it well. And I think Park Sung-hoon really nailed that role! Seeing a trans woman character in a k-drama in such a positive light is HUGE.

[@cocogoat2131]

Not to mention, the point of the character is that she's a trans woman who needs money to transition. Meaning, this person is not yet going through gender transition. To cast a Korean trans woman would be insulting for that reason, because it would be the same as telling her she looks masculine, because you would NOT be able to tell if a korean trans woman is trans or not by looking. Even Korean men are already beautiful/androgynous in appearance. The rounder faces, smaller bodies, and less hair on Korean males compared to men of other races makes it a easier to "pass" for Asian trans women.

[@alexandralillywhite5997]

I think some people don't understand that this isn't the same as Redmayne and Tambor being cast in the US to farm awards where trans actors weren't given a chance. Also the Danish Girl film is awful representation.

[@branbroken]

I strongly feel that requiring a trans character be played by a trans actor is the wrong way to go about it. yes i get that roles are difficult to come by due to discrimination and some see it as a way of inclusion, but firstly its removing a layer of acting, are we going to require all actors be what they are playing? But the main reason is your essentially now advocating for segregation, if you require a trans character to be a trans actor your only ever going to be considered for trans roles and effectively excluding yourself from being accepted for roles other than trans characters which is a significantly smaller pool of available roles.

[@teddysquid103]

Hyun-Ju's character is also likely in honor of the real life woman Byun Hui-su who was the first trans soldier in South Korea. And just knowing how the military treated her and her story is just so heartbreaking. I really hope positive representation like Hyun-Ju can help lead to greater acceptance in Korean society.

[@arbitarious]

Did she die

[@Idea_of_Lustre]

@@arbitariousYes. She underwent reassignment surgery in Thailand and was discharged as a result. She committed suicide in 2021, ruled as the result of depression. A couple of months later the courts would rule her discharge as unlawful.

[@ricofauzan7716]

​@@arbitarious yes

[@wasikancb]

​@@arbitarious read the Wikipedia if you want to know en.m.wikipedia. org/wiki/Byun_Hui-su

[@카타리나37]

​@@arbitarious In 2021, at the age of 22, she ended her life’s journey.

[@jjjjjj88q28]

As a korean person who immigrated to canada, i can say that in the current korean culture lbgt, trans, etc. is very stigmatized. i think its very easy as a western audience to see the non-trans actor and think its an action of transphobia, but it is actually a very bold statement to even have a trans character in the first place. it is near impossible to find an actor who is both trans and fitting for the role probably. its important to remember that not every country and culture is at the same place when it comes to trans rights. for korea, a trans character in such a popular show is almost unheard of.

[@jjjjjj88q28]

5:18 this was also one of my favourite scenes. shes not just a transperson, which is an issue with a lot of trans representation, (trans people are not JUST trans. they have persoanlity and hobbies, etc.) she is also a badass, a former soldier, she is honorable and cares for others. what a cool character.

[@snugglebuns6193]

Yea a lot of western LGBTQ+ folks don't understand that being able to come out and be openly trans/queer, is very much a privilege that not everyone in the world has access to.

[@saracantrell7071]

Right. Positive representation matters, even if it's not in the form we'd ideally like it to be. I like that Samantha said that too.

[@Keyndoriel]

Plus they made her so freaking awesome, I love that she was so integral to the final plot (don't wanna go in too deep cause spoilers)

[@fleridanfox6150]

I do get it. but I have faith that South Korea will do better to support trans people and bring more representation in their arts. we can see the production crew showed a lot of care where they were able.

[@Emileigggggh]

When the older mom character was like "yeah she can come use the bathroom with us, she's a woman" I was like yes!!! Loved that arc

[@1appletree]

I personally hated that. The whole reasoning of the two women getting into the bathroom was based on female needs and I felt like she joined them just for inclusion’s sake. I found that scene ambivalent at best.

[@ki.44524]

​@1appletree trans women cant use male restrooms. even BLAIRE WHITE has proven this. she was questioned, made the men uncomfortable, and kicked out of venues for using mens restrooms

[@The-Doctor6969]

​@1appletree well... Yes. The bathroom is a social activity for women so they went out of their way to include her. Congrats

[@WiktoriaMartaKrawczyk]

@1appletree Her joining these ladies was actually part of her arc. Spoiler: The trans woman learns how terrible it feels to have to participate in life-threatening games as a pregnant cis woman when exposed to her new friend almost miscarrying.

[@cocogoat2131]

And I like that the trans woman asked permission to come along, instead of acting entitled to women's spaces. She was respectful of the women, and they returned that respect. Trans women respecting women, and women respecting trans women is really the ideal world, isn't it? I am glad I ended up liking that character, and many others did too. Korea are writing these characters better than the west nowadays, and I am glad it helps normies (who are turned off by trans people due to western mischaracterization) also fall in love with these characters.

[@trueblueedits4673]

I absolutely adore how Geum-ja (149) started off ignorant and confused about trans people due to a generational gap, but then she comes around after interacting with Hyun-ju. I think it was a really great display of how if we approach with kindness and are willing to fill our epistemic blindspots by listening to the experiences of others and being empathetic, we can create a less bigoted society. Geum-ja is honestly so sweet and showed so much care for the others in the little group. I loved how she instantly said "yeah, Hyun-ju's a woman, she can come to the washroom with us"; no fear, no hatred, just genuine acceptance of Hyun-ju's identity by then.

[@nont18411]

Geum-ja also told Hyun-ju not to rejoin Gi-hun in a war as well, so she’s a reason Hyun-ju survives the massacre in the end of the season, at least for now.

[@trueblueedits4673]

@@nont18411 I loved that. It was so motherly and caring. Hyun-ju was ready to die in one final stand but the way Geum-ja held her back and convinced her not to in such a caring and motherly way was very touching. It was like telling Hyun-ju "no, you're life is worth living and we want you here".

[@CharlieBrown20XD6]

I loved when she offered to let them all have dinner at her home

[@quiestinliteris]

I think it's also important how she reacts to her initial ignorance and confusion. She asks inappropriate questions because she reacts to confusion with CURIOSITY, but she's never hostile. It's a positive contrast to the big heckin' cohort of people who default to anger and contempt whenever they don't understand something.

[@trueblueedits4673]

@@CharlieBrown20XD6 my HEART. God, my heart. It’s such a mom move. I was crying.

[@itskazzyd]

One thing I love about Squid Game is how they try to show the reality of minorities in Korea. Season 2 obviously had Hyun-ju, and season 1 had Ali-the immigrant from Pakistan who was looked down on and mistreated by society for not being Korean. He was manipulated and berated by his boss who felt that Ali owed him for even being in Korea, and in the games a lot of people didn’t want to associate with a brown person. Racism is another unfortunate part of older Korean’s mindsets

[@midnightnavigator]

Thank you for remembering Ali. I see a lot of people saying how happy season 2 is more diverse, but season 1 had diversity too. Everyone forgot poor sweet Ali. 😢

[@username-pb9ui]

that’s so true! and both characters are amazing, reliable people that helps everyone in the games (they both help a stranger in green light, red light)

[@orchidotaku]

I love that too! Especially because the show is reflecting people that are having a harder time in sk. They did a good job creating loveable and realistic ppl

[@l.p.5703]

#246 is my favorite, he is so cute! I shopped them in my head canon as well 🥰🥰🥰

[@user-to4iq4bq9g]

Racism in Korea is absolutely nothing compare to it’s in Western society. Stop complaining. Ali or Hyun ju wouldn't exist if Korea is a really racism country in the first place.

[@lovemileyxox]

hyun-ju's relationship with young-mi warmed my heart alot. she was the first person to accept her for who she was and she saw her as an older sister figure. she literally calls her "unnie" (which basically means "older sister" in korean) and that is a term used by korean girls to refer to girls older than them. i found that to be HUGE since trans people are not extremely accepted in korea. she also was the first person to call her beautiful, and that literally made me cry because it was so touching. she wasn't "done", but in young-mi's mind she was already a beautiful woman. **SPOILERS AHEAD** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and in young-mi's death scene she called out her, not by name, but by calling her "unnie", which was extremely heartwarming to me but also made her death so much more tragic bc she was such a pure and sweet character.

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

@@lovemileyxox next season she gives birth haha

[@ayo3181]

What makes this outcome so tragic is that hyun-ju voted to continue the games while young-mi voted to end them ; - ;

[@hopelessethan]

youngmi’s death was the only one that i actually started sobbing

[@Lindsay_the_dumb_blonde]

Fr ​@@hopelessethan

[@MicukoFelton]

So heartwarming how Hyun-ju repaid Young-mi's kindness by getting Young-mi killed.

[@BriStella]

I didn’t see anyone mentioning this, but Hyun-ju was based on a real life story. A very tragic one. About the first trans woman to be part of the Korean army. I went in the second season already knowing this story, and made me cry so hard for her. Byun Hui-su was a sergeant and a tank driver before being discharged from the army in January 2020 after she underwent gender reassignment surgery. She had fought for the right to continue serving in the army, but was denied and discharged. The army subsequently denied her request for reinstatement in July 2020. She stated on a press conference, "I thought I would finish serving in the army and then go through the transition surgery and then reenter the army as a female soldier. But my depression got too severe. I want to show everyone that I can also be one of the great soldiers who protect this country." In March 2021, she was found dead in her home. Workers from Sangdanggu National Mental Health Center (where Byun received treatment) called for someone to check up on her as they hadn't been able to reach her since February 28. The fire department arrived at Byun's house on March 3, and found her body at 5:49 pm KST. Her body had already started to decompose. In October 2021, South Korean court ruled that the military discharge was unlawful and cancelled the discharge. Ministry of National Defense did not appeal the decision. In April 2024, Ministry of Defense's Central Committee for Examination of Killed or Wounded in Action and Death or Injury in the Line of Duty decided to acknowledge that Byun died as a soldier on the line of duty, thus paved way to the possibility of Byun’s burial in a national cemetery. The appeals committee found that she died of a depression caused by discharge, and decided there was a probable cause in relation to official duties. This overturned Army General Committee for Examination of Killed or Wounded in Action and Death or Injury in the Line of Duty's December 2020 decision which determined her death was not related to the discharge. RIP Byun Hui-su. Your name will not be forgotten.

[@NoxVex]

*The english dub simply does NOT convey the original emotion* 😂 *The original voice of the actors are just on another level.*

[@hjc4289]

Agreed!

[@robhanson9501]

The English dub in general is also just a lot worse. The dialogue doesn't match the mouths at all and they do so many unnecessary changes to what they say.

[@midnightnavigator]

​@robhanson9501 i actually hate when shows sacrifice natural dialog to mouth match. They make them say "huh" and "ok" CONSTANTLY to match the korean mouth movements. SG has some of the least shit sounding dubs 😂

[@heyyomary]

I'm shocked every time I realise people actually watch the english dub lol

[@anneanakahara3495]

Yes the voice Park SungHoon used here is acting on its own

[@perraterca]

aw i just realized that the man who paired up with her is also the dad with the little girl with cancer, so many reason to root for 246 he's so wholesome

[@mithilbhoras5951]

It's worth mentioning that the Squid Games creator is anti-capitalist and he is very well aware of the rampant transphobia that has been normalised in our society today. I see this as him reclaiming the trans narrative with beautiful and honest representation.

[@CharlieBrown20XD6]

I honestly feel bad for the guy. I'm sure he's happy the show is popular but to see his show used to sell fast food and also copied by some smirking western rich weirdo like Mr. Beast must make him depressed. Like he's thinking "did everyone miss the point of my show?'

[@bobdonda]

There really isn't rampant transphobia, people are upset about men winning women's sports championships and male rapists being sent to women's prison, and the opposition to women's rights coming from political extremists who think trans people should get whatever they want at the expense of others. If women's rights were being respected, few people really care what people do with their own bodies, it's cheating and harming women that causes the anger

[@nicolasmanriquez4705]

For someone who claims to be anti-capitalist, he has certainly made quite a few deals with massive multinational corporations and milked his franchise for all it was worth. Although, apparently, asking for consistency is a bit much.

[@CharlieBrown20XD6]

@nicolasmanriquez4705 you know a better way to make a show I'm all Ears. You guys act like it's easy without a studio system

[@bobdonda]

@nicolasmanriquez4705 Being critical of out-of-control capitalism doesn't mean you have to take a vow of poverty. He created something valuable and deserves to be rewarded for it. He isn't a communist, he just wants capitalism to be regulated and not put profit above human lives

[@TeenyBitSilly]

No because she was actually the best character hands DOWN

[@eliasisstinky]

REAL!!! based pfp btw🗣️🙏 I'm going for Clorinde during her rerun this patch

[@xgray2012]

Just wait until the third and final season. Anybody will die in that season.

[@themajesticspider-man6116]

​@@xgray2012 Lmao do you just spam this under every OP who says something positive about her? Obviously some more characters will get killed off...

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

@@TeenyBitSilly you'll want trans in every situation

[@finn7655]

YES BUT JO-YURI 😔 MY IZ*ONE K-POP QUEEN

[@erin1569]

Jang Geum-ja (the elderly lady) is definitely relatable to some people who are casually transphobic, she's more important for trans representation than her son who's approach is more "let's not talk about it." Seeing other forms of transphobia was so great too, it really shows that it exists and that there is a face behind that marginalization. I never would've expected to get such great representation, I literally cried.

[@saracantrell7071]

That's very true! About her versus her son. On the surface, it seems like he's more accepting because he simply has more knowledge, but his mom is the one who actually tries to connect with Hyun-Ju on a personal level.

[@jdptelf7366]

I think the older generation mostly did not understand. Its not they are being transphobic in malicious intent. They do find it weird and uncommon. Human had tendency to reject something that beyond their understanding and even react defensive since it can destroyed some life foundation they had. As a Christian myself, i do know that in our religion its not something that God approve but again … there is alot of other sin that God do not approve yet we do it casually in daily life. Instead of pointing finger, its better to learn to be a better person and we also being taught to not judge as the sole judgement is in God’s hand. Treat human as human, what he / she did is solely between him / her and God. We do not had the right to judge. Be compassionate and mindful. Btw, i hope that Trans Society also aware that … there is oportunist that used Trans as the card to do crimes. This also should be talk and prevent.

[@usernamenotfound6515]

@@jdptelf7366 I really appreciate your perspective here! It's so refreshing to see accepting Christians when many are not. I do however want to point out that there are almost no recorded cases of people pretending to be trans as a way to get away with crimes and that myth is often perpetuated by transphobic media to try and villainise trans people! I do think it's obviously bad if people do do that, but it's practically a non-issue. :)

[@luca143ayen]

While I agree that a trans actor would’ve been so amazing, but as someone who is a pretty big kdrama and kpop fan, it’s uncommon to be even out as queer if your a celebrity in Korea. And to be a popular queer actor is near to impossible, so with all honesty I’m just happy that there exist representation in Korea. Cause that country is still very much conservative

[@joyeetaghosh2209]

There is an gay kpop idol called holland

[@MidnightEkaki]

@@joyeetaghosh2209 yeah and he struggled to get any company to sign him for being openly gay

[@luca143ayen]

@ ah yup I know also like a few days ago a gay trainee was part of the boy group lineup in a survival show called starlight boys, Xinche is his name. Also BiBi a solo actor, she is kind off confirmed to be bisexual. And then we have zb1 where it’s pretty much known without being told that some of the members are queer and they’re obvious ally’s. But so you can say about other idols too, since in most groups there is one but they’re unable to come out publicly. We also have onlyoneof but they’re not confirmed to be neither queer either but they do the lgbtq representation. We have alottttt of androgyny in kpop though and some even talk about wanting to appear androgynous and preferring fashion that is unisex. My main favourites being yoojung from onlyoneof, seunghwa from ateez, felix from stray kids, sohyun from triple s, sunoo from enhypen and soyeon from gidle. (I’m a big fan of androgyny so I wanted to add that in

[@melricho94]

Exactly. In a country where it’s shunned upon to smoke weed or considered a scandal to be in a relationship, having an openly out trans character is not even a thing. They did great with the actor they got. PLUS HES ACTING.

[@moojie_]

@@joyeetaghosh2209 and look how much he gets harassed in general by koreans, he posted back in 2022 how he got attacked by someone, even in a very populated gay centric area. being queer in south korea is just incredibly difficult.

[@holoinfinity4691]

As a Korean Christian, daughter of a minister, my parents have learned so much about being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. It's all bc of my college friends who have opened up their eyes and they stand up for their beliefs when most ppl in this sect of our church reject this community. This mother is what I hope more Asian parents, grandparents, and even younger ppl to learn to become. I was quite surprised they added her character but glad they did bc they reach a lot of viewers to open up their minds.

[@beni_benyei]

literally some of the best trans representation I've seen in a show! heart my heart is swelling she was so beautiful and kind and courageous!

[@daveshotchicken3]

She is* she is still alive and she will not die.

[@sophiatrocentraisin]

​@@daveshotchicken3 I mean, the jury is still out on the future, given the nature of the show, but it should be noted they still didn't bury our gays by the end of this season, which is a miracle given what she does

[@capsey_]

​@@daveshotchicken3 past tense can be used for more than to show that the person is not alive anymore, for example when talking about how well someone looked at specific event you would say "you *were* so beautiful at the ceremony last night!", or if you liked a specific representation of the character in a one piece of media "I really like how cool Spider-Man *was* in No Way Home" because they are talking about them in specific moment in the past, in this case in the season 2 of Squid Game

[@capsey_]

​@@daveshotchicken3 also considering what show we are talking about, I'm not sure she will live to the end of the show

[@daveshotchicken3]

@ yes, but it’s squid game so the context is important cause you know people are about to die. And I just don’t want her to die or even think she’s gonna die. So the “she was” triggered those thoughts. I’m sure the guys looking for the island are gonna get to it before more beloved characters die. Call it coping, I call it theorizing.

[@bleachnbones7107]

I remember how when a trans actress portrayed a trans woman in the show Gomorra she ended up being heavily harassed in her private life too. Some could argue that she would have been harassed anyway because of the current situation here in italy but so many people that would have otherwise never known she even existed saw her in the show and chose to immediately go insult her, often repeating the same sentences characters in the show used against her character, to mock her. And keep in mind that she was a positive although tragic character, her story was meant to make you empathize with her, to make you feel sorry for how the rest of society was treating her and for how despite being a strong woman she wasn't able to live her life and her love publicly. And still, the majority of people never got the message, they saw a "freak" on the screen and behaved exactly like people behaved in the show. So yeah, getting mad because they didn't cast a trans actress is such an American thing to do, you have to remember that in other countries it doesn't work like in the US, and often representation comes at a heavy price

[@katdat]

4:30

[@Lexiosity]

It's like when Yasmin Finney played a trans woman in Doctor Who, a bunch of anti-woke protesters started harassing Yasmin Finney, and it was so painful to deal with as a trans woman myself, especially when most of the protesters are also americans who never actually watched Doctor Who before, so then they come and complain saying this is not how I remember Doctor Who, when they only watched the three episodes that were released in 2011/2012 and 2013, meaning there were a lack of representation for the LGBTQ in those episodes because they weren't the priority for those episodes. A bunch of other episodes were. Although, in the second episode of the 2011/2012 season, there was a minor detail, most people missed, and that's the fact that Delaware was gay, which for some reason a bunch of americans did not hear. And then in 2023, all Hell broke loose when they decided to attack Doctor Who for being woke.

[@sweet-sally]

genuinely when player 95 says "uinnie, you're beautiful" and you can clearly see hyun-ju is going to cry because she's probably never heard that from someone other than herself, it ALWAYS makes me tear up. esp because player 95 truly means it. it's such a gut-wreckingly beautiful moment IMO :')))

[@bigeverlongnow]

this! no matter how many times I see that scene, it always hits me straight in the heart. the acting is just excellent :')

[@_aconite_cj_]

I love how inclusive this season was, I haven't seen it yet but I saw the trans woman and Thanos having painted nails and it was wonderful. As a queer Asian, I love seeing queer representation in Asian media like this.

[@Vahlee-A]

I love it. Another Asian trans woman you wanna see, Kuina from the Japanese Netflix show Alice in Borderland!

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

@@_aconite_cj_ yes but we need to see several Africans at both ends of our favourite character. Then it would win an Emmy.

[@sichrix]

I loved it when Thanos confirmed my suspicion that each nail color was for their respective Infinity Stone 🖤 I hate and love him at the same time.

[@_aconite_cj_]

@@MayklCekson-sh1 I agree. I'm Indian and we definitely need more black and brown characters too :))

[@_aconite_cj_]

@@sichrix he's an actual k-pop artist lol

[@editingaccount-g8o]

i saw on tiktok that hyun ju’s character is based on the real life story of hui-su, an army sergeant in south korea who was heavily discriminated :( sadly she passed away

[@Sophiaaasophiaaa]

The thing is that army service is mandatory in south korea for all men, so her having that experience is kind of bittersweet Editing 2 weeks later: yeah I was kinda wrong. Read the replies for the correct interpretation.

[@lucydpng]

thats her choice because she took special forces which is outside of mandated military enrollment, look at the marines not being able to shoot at all, she's first class sargeant mind you, which is a really high rank and higher experience than average soldier

[@granfalloon9848]

As there is an extreme gender and social hierarchy due to South Korea operating in a neo-confucian society, there is hierarchy in how you serve your two years. You get to select how you do your time in active positions, passive civil positions are only unlocked by having monied connections to convince a doctor that you have neurodivergent issues or serious medical conditions to put you in museum monitoring/trash pickup duty. Army is baseline. You can choose Navy, but it extends your time. You can choose Air Force, but it extends your time even further. So you can see just by the time extensions that the structure emphasizes physical rigor of service for how soon you get to return to life (I wouldn't say Navy is exactly failing in physical exertion, Army might make you ruck miles, but Navy makes you pick up and carry around a 70~ pound shell or an equally heavy sack of explosive from magazine to cannon). Marines serves the same year and a half as Army, but there is an elevated degree of physical rigor compared to average Army service, so someone that served in the Army is socially obligated to butter them up and pour drinks for the Marine. Special Forces for any branch is a special case, you have to voluntarily take all sorts of elective courses that the average person ain't got no time or will to commit to because they're already losing two years of their life to being yelled at, and up to a decade and a half ago brutally hazed and beaten by your peers and your officers until you might end up stop living or during range time you start emptying magazines on the people around you (again mental health only exists if you're chaebol or otherwise have the millions to pay someone off.) Hyunju did that. She saw boxes to waste mental and physical bandwidth to learn a few martial arts, run more, learn a few different firearms, learn how to breath tear gas, run more, learn a new language, learn how to make a Japanese salaryman miles away sneeze while eating, run more, etc, and she checked them all off. And not only that she attempted to make a career of it. You are only obligated to make two years of your life vanish. Someone volunteering to continue to not have, an opportunity to have a slim chance at, a decent paying job under the brunt of military service, is decidedly a real man/woman. If you were born the same year, you're groveling to them like they're your hyung/noona regardless.

[@galadrigal]

shes a first class sergeant and she had that as her formal occupation, high paying and well respected job. she lost it because in south korea its illegal to work within the army while gay or transgender :(

[@akitouyareal]

@@lucydpngyeah i found it so cool that she had the interest and dedication to climb to such high ranks, but since its not legal for trans people to be in the military, she was fired just for that. its really sad she lost her whole livelihood just because of her identity.

[@lucydpng]

@@akitouyareal true! but that what makes her character soo interesting to me, she's by far my favorite character

[@IANAL3X]

The old lady's transition from transphobe to trans ally is my favorite part of the trans character's existence.

[@nont18411]

12:00 She wasn’t anticipating rejection at that moment. She was actually zoning out because Young-mi got killed in front of her eyes before that so she didn’t care if she lived or died at that point. The father guy technically saved her by grabbing her because if he didn’t, she would have still stood there and got shot. Also I don’t think the father guy will have any romance with Hyun-ju because his story is actually about No-eul (the North Korean soldier 011).

[@melanopygus]

He has two hands Jk jk But a romance with Hyun-ju as step mom and No-eul/11 being an auntie figure would have been cute. I assume No-eul is becoming a sole caregiver to the kid... New kid just dropped since she lost hers. 💀 Unless 246 is secretly alive.

[@gamagoori]

idk i would be kinda surprised if no-eul survived the next season, i predict she'll sacrifice herself to help take down the games. i feel like she's killed too many ppl to be fully redeemed with a happily ever after lol, i think she'll save the father guy and then die

[@Goodpizzaa]

That scene where she's explaining that "I finally felt like myself but life got a whole lot harder" breaks me every single time :((((

[@raspberrybellini]

The young girl using the word 'Unnie' is a word used for an older respectful woman.This actor has played a dual gender god, a male god, general Winter and he shares his body with his sister god called summer fairy. He played the female god as classy rather than clownish. He put respect on her name. I guess he was chosen for this reason as it has to appeal to the Korean public

[@sonyawix5871]

I really liked your commentary. Im a cis woman myself, so trans experience is something I don’t think I can grasp in all its emotional complexity fully, but I appreciate to have an opportunity to listen and learn from a person who experienced its themselves. This to be said, she was my favorite character in the show! And when I came to know that she was played by the same actor who played a colorblind dude in The Glory? I was AMAZED at his range. Truly. I didn’t even recognized its was him.

[@potatoppppower]

I was worried they were going a bio-essentialist route by suggesting Hyun-Ju excels at sterotypically masculine skills due to being AMAB. But that narrative quickly breaks down when you examine Dae-ho's characterisation. Dae-ho's bravado is ultimately shown to be a persona they created due to implied shaming in the household for perceived femininity. I think ultimately they're making the point that forcing people to hide parts of themselves that don't conform harms everyone. They subverted my expectations and I'm glad!

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

AMAB? Common parlance? I was a bit confused at first then realised I'm actually SWAKAS/ GDAN. I had to look up AMAB just to be sure I wasn't misunderstanding the abbreviation*

[@jayrun4341]

this is a on point observation!!

[@potatoppppower]

@@liamnevilleviolist1809 I think it is frequently used in a lot of LGBT spaces, especially online

[@Honeybunny_bun]

Real

[@abbyymed]

Fun fact, for the spanish dub of player 120, they casted a trans actress too 💘💘💘💘

[@CuddleCakez]

Yeah it was kind of funny hearing how different the dub was, so much more feminine.

[@JayJay20005]

Name?

[@abbyymed]

@@JayJay20005 Abril Zamora!! She's very famous for a tv reality :))

[@carlyk210]

I love that she has a character, and her transness isn't a prop. that's a very low bar but it's so good seeing it

[@corpse1244]

the fact that they tried to find a trans actress to play the part speaks volumes. i am very happy with this character

[@ioriyume]

"Unnie, you're beautiful" makes me tear up every time.. being rejected by your own family to being accepted by a stranger.. hyun ju must've waited for her whole life just to hear those words

[@tylerkim68]

I’m a non-binary Korean American and I fully believe what the director said. Being out as gay much less trans is already not very common and can be dangerous. There’s a Korean idol named Holland who is openly gay and was hospitalized from an attack by a random man on the streets that knew who he was and that he was gay. I know that if I were to live in Korea I wouldn’t be very open about my gender or my sexuality because I could be put in danger. I’m glad that you mentioned that to get representation at the cost of putting someone in our community in danger isn’t worth it. Plus this is one of the best representation of the trans experience I’ve seen in a K-drama. I think part of that is because Hyunjoo’s character is partially based off of a real person, Byun Heesoo, the first openly transgender soldier in South Korea who died due to depression after she was forcibly discharged from the army after she had transitioned. I think due to this the writers and director were able to actually give Hyunjoo’s character a compelling and accurate depiction rather than a caricature made up of stereotypes. I really enjoyed that they didn’t make her be overly girly, this was also partially the actor’s decision as he worked with the production team and director in terms of hair, make up, and costuming to capture her character best. I also like that they showed a trans femme character that could engage and even excel in traditionally masculine things. I feel like up until the past several years many times when I’d see trans characters they were over exaggerated and either mad excessively masculine (for trans masc characters) or excessively feminine (for trans femme characters). I like that in the last decade I’ve seen huge growth that shows trans men enjoying traditionally/stereotypically feminine things and trans women enjoying traditionally/stereotypically masculine things.

[@ApocalypticCrocodile]

I think one thing that made her character be so good, is that she's not just "the trans character". I love that being trans is just one part of her character and not her whole character, they didn't shove it all on our faces her whole screen time and that made it more natural, as it SHOULD be. My best friend is trans and the most important thing is making him feel like a normal person, which of course he is, everyone is, not more and most importantly not less

[@jgamer997]

I 100% support you being trans, but I will not support watching Squidgame with the damn english dub.

[@TheBigJayAgenda]

The first thing is the bare minimum lol but the second is weird unless there's controversy with the english dub

[@floofairyhunter]

@@TheBigJayAgenda its just objectively worse than the korean dub. it feels.. strange to hear them speak english ngl

[@Forgivefull]

I refuse to watch any show or movie in English if it wasn't originally made in English.

[@love6598]

@@Forgivefull fr tho same

[@jijitters]

​@@TheBigJayAgenda People who refuse to watch shows in a foreign language with subtitles are weak and uncultured and often xenophobic. You should always watch in the original language to get the intended experience. I'm glad dubs exist for people who are blind/have poor eyesight or developmental issues since those are disabilities that prevent them from being able to process subtitles, but if your eyes and brain work fine, you should not ever be against subs.

[@annmariebusu9924]

The actor that was chosen has been in many top shows. It made the role high profile and was the best selection over an unknown. He is also able to carry the likeability factor. He is even a favorite character and will be remembered by a much broader audience.

[@Mmmmmmm-z7v]

Yes. I became a new fan of Park Sung-hoon. He's a Versatile and Excellent Actor

[@Ryu_S]

2:25 Hi! At first the director of "Squid Game" wanted to actually have a trans to play Hyunju to make it realistic, but korea is not very open to queers and all so most people never come out which made it very difficult. And I know there is actually a trans woman who is pretty famous that could have accepted to play this role, but there is a big chance that she couldn't be available so they chose to ask a man to play Hyunju. So, yes, saddly we couldn't actually have a trans woman to represent all of us, but honestly, I'm just happy that they chose a cis man and not a cis woman, especially since the character is a trans woman pre-operation 😁

[@stoup7280]

You pre-operation?

[@jijitters]

Actually, I have seen quite a lot of trans women upset that the character was played by a cis man instead of a cis woman.

[@Carolineintoodeep1288]

She was by far the best character in the entire series and I really hope everything goes her way in season three

[@terry-annfrancis1252]

Yes she’s definitely one of the best characters. I instantly loved her while watching season 2

[@Dragon_prince90]

I am thrilled that they included a trans person in such a popular series. I adore them and trans representation.

[@Artistic_Anime_Trash]

Hyun-ju was my favorite character from the new season!! A total badass we love her. :)

[@xgray2012]

Well, be prepared to be pissed off because once the third and final season of Squid Games come out this year, anybody. Including Hyun-Ju will die. Even our main protagonist from the first season who played the original squid games will likely die in the final season. It's the rule of the final chapter. Not everybody makes it out alive.

[@themajesticspider-man6116]

​@xgray2012 Sure that's a rule, but we don't know exactly who will die. Idk why you're so quick to immediately mark them as the ones who will for sure die lol.

[@justanotherweirdo11]

​@@xgray2012Everyone besides the main character died in the first season so I think we're used to it.

[@Vahlee-A]

I need her to survive in Season Three! She's too precious to die!

[@Adamant_Adam]

​@@xgray2012 Maybe I am naive. But I'm hopeful with the final lines to her in her final scene in season 2. It's cope but I'm just tired of trans characters needing to be martyrs 😅

[@WinoaKaronhiatens]

I can really relate on all these clips. They really did do a great job representing a trans woman's experience. I also really want to go to Thailand also for surgeries. Also completely what is. It's not like we necessarily wanted to be trans. We are and it can be a very painful experience.

[@Elle_luv-v3e]

her back must have been hurting so bad..BECAUSE SHE CARRIED THE WHOLE SEASON!!!

[@inker_monkey]

WE STAN HYUN JU

[@Mmmmmmm-z7v]

Yes. She's the MVP of this Season 🔥 I love Hyun-ju Unnie

[@GrimBeakington]

Trans guy here. Hyun-Ju is absolutely one of my favorites in the series, behind pretty much only the Frontman (yes, he's a horrible person, but he's the best fleshed-out character imo). Her story is amazingly well done. Her arc as a trans woman is a huge part of her, but not the only part of that. But my favorite part is that they also made her an extremely strong, badass former sergeant. I love her so much

[@melonchaa07]

I'm Korean and knowing how conservative my country is, I think Hyunju is an amazing representation, even if she was a character from a western show and as a trans person myself (non-binary) im really glad they didnt make her gender identity her entire character and she had more to her than being transgende. Ali from the first season was also amazing. South Asian people always get watered down to nothing but comedic relief but squid game made him a very strong, respectful, and reliable character which I love.

[@PhiPhiB]

I dont really mind if the actor isnt trans IRL, as long as the character is given the respect they deserve and it brings positivity to our community.

[@lucydpng]

actually it would be worse to play as an actual trans acting ina role for trans characters, the original actor for player 120 is already getting backlash, imagine an actual trans person acting

[@Mmmmmmm-z7v]

I became a fan of Park Sung-hoon because of his character as Hyun-ju. ❤

[@BrandonBrandon-m3r]

My english writing is not that good but also not related to this specific video but I'm so glad that I found her videos a few years ago. I'm not trans but I support the community because of Samantha Lux I think very highly of Samantha Lux because she really opened my mind more and educated me a lot on trans people, trans issues etc... it's because of Samantha Lux that I have a big respect for trans people today (I didn't at first, I was very closed-mined because I didn't really understand it). Samantha Lux has taught me so much and today I'm more open-minded because of Samantha Lux.

[@_samanthalux]

🥺🩷🩷

[@Vahlee-A]

Hyun-Ju is my favorite character of Season Two. She's very well thought out. Her reasons and actions are all realistic. She is like a Korean, badass version of me.

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

Of course your favourite character is the one who cuts off body parts

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

@@Vahlee-A next season she has a period mmmm

[@eurussaphire]

3:56 i mean in season 1 there was a foreign brown character but the issue is they cant just bring ANY random trans person, they have to be 1 a good actor/actress, 2 speak korean fluently, 3 be of good character

[@Forgivefull]

Exactly. And even if they went out of their way to find a trans actor/ress will thyley be any good?

[@theredryndle2057]

i got suggested this video and im new to this channel, ive been on estrogen for 8 months and the younger character calling her "beautiful" made me tear up so much cuz i dont hav many friends who support me since i came out and a lot of others just stopped talking to me, but a friend ive had since i was 14 (who i came out too at the time, im 23yo now theres a lot of context too why i simply wasnt safely able to come out too everyone until recently) and she has always treated me like a girl, helped me buy makeup back then cuz i was so scared but wearing it around her/by myself gav me so much gender euphoria, and since i came out has been helping me buy clothes and underwear and it just means so so much more then im even able to put into words. this video was awesome so consider me a new sub, n also ur soo prettii aaaa!! gets me excited for my future sm i cant wait too see what i look like in a year cuz i already have noticed changes in my face n its so cool havin boobs now eeee !! anyway thank u for this video!!

[@wowsaikey]

as a trans person, she easily became my favorite trans character in any show. she was very well written!

[@zuzuthefirelord164]

"unnie, you're beautiful" I cried over this, I like their bond sm

[@the_nikster1]

omg yes! I was here within 4 minutes and then was about a third of the way through when it was taken down. so glad it's back up! Hyun-ju was my absolute favorite character this season; she is my QUEEN! 👑

[@_samanthalux]

hehe thanks for coming back and commenting :)

[@NikkolasGaskins-pi8me]

Love you as a friend Samantha

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

@@the_nikster1 Queens are female

[@the_nikster1]

@@_samanthalux anytime! 🤩

[@brianpotter3807]

Beyonce is better looking

[@eliasisstinky]

I'm so happy you're making a video on her!! She was definitely my favorite character, and her speech really made me cry. Unfortunately her speech can be applied to a lot of trans people and what happens after coming out. I hope she survives in season 3🙏

[@MayklCekson-sh1]

Yes every series needs a speech from the community about transing minors

[@feliciascorner9795]

​@@MayklCekson-sh1I hope you find a way to have less hate in your heart.

[@SeinIshamiado]

​@@MayklCekson-sh1 🙄

[@margotpreston]

@@MayklCekson-sh1 Quit whining about culture war BS. Nobody gives a toss about that crap.

[@spooky_cece]

@@MayklCekson-sh1 Dude, minors aren’t even supposed to watch this show. Idk what the age restriction in other countries are but where I live it’s 16. And hyeon-ju is literally an adult talking about her own transition and only in one single scene in the entire show so what are you even talking about??? 💀💀💀

[@ph5541]

I was hoping you would cover this. I just finished Squid Game S2 over the weekend and damn, it is BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, the BEST Trans representation in media I have seen, perhaps ever, in a television show!

[@Killerwale-hk4wy]

I love how you brought up that even casting a Korean trans actress from another country could affect their personal lives negatively. Having a guy place a trans girl isn't nice. But it is by making compromises with a very conservative group (Quite some Koreans are often a bit bigotted) that we avoid hostility, build understanding and get a compromise. If someone has seen a trans character in a show even if she's played by a guy. They are more likely to be okay with trans people in general and it opens up opportunities for trans roles being played by trans actors. It's unfortunate how we're early in the process, but we will get there.

[@ky0k0kukamusariii]

SPOILERS!! I think hyun ju was just standing there because she was devastated than young mi died and the way 246 picked her up was so cute

[@703cocoadino]

HAPPY NEW YEARS SAMANTHA!!

[@703cocoadino]

little late, but still wishing everyone the best this year!! ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

[@_samanthalux]

you too 🩷🩷🎉

[@Toxica_Jade666]

I’m not even trans and she instantly became my comfort character ❤

[@azjei]

As an Asian, my aunts are like that in real life. They have no filter when asking questions even if they are almost intrusive. But I love that Netflix actually used that to open up the discussion. It also shows that if they are genuinely good people, they will support and love you even if they started off not understanding what being trans is about. I really love that Netflix is giving different trans representation stories in their shows. I would say Nava Mau's character in Baby Reindeer is the best they've written so far. And I'm really looking forward to see more from them. ❤

[@liesje194]

one of the reason i love the script writing is that although we can all see she's a trans woman due to her not having completed all the procedures that she wants, her character is NOT about her being trans. she speaks on being trans like 2 times during the whole season and that's it. she's just like all the other characters, has a background story but is here to win/survive.

[@BD-yl5mh]

My initial impression was a bit “uh oh…” but then they showed a spectrum of characters accepting her in their own ways, and made her a badass. I would be curious if the English translations in anyway made the dialogue that related to her or that she used for herself sound more iffy that maybe it really is in Korean?

[@ei-on4eb]

that last paragraph gave me a stroke, what are u trying to say

[@grey8288]

My mother goes to pride wearing a "free mom hugs" shirt with her friends. It's amazing and saddening how a hug from a mother, any mother, a strangers mother, can have such a profound impact on lgbt+ people of any age who haven't been able to see their own mothers because they've been cast aside due to their sexuality. So seeing her with the old mother was something amazing to watch. Validation from a mother is better than none.

[@xBloodxFangx]

There is a group here called Free Mom Hugs. I went to their booth at an event and got a hug after losing my teeth due to diabetes and no endocrinologist wanting to help me due to being trans. It felt very good and made me feel actually loved and cared about.

[@tutuljskw360]

It was inspired by a true story of a Korean woman who was kicked out of the military right after her sex change. Her story is a legend in Korea and an incredible inspiration to others like her. The fact that a male actor was chosen for this role was also the fact that she doesn't have a full transformation and it shows. The face, hair and breasts are feminine, but the strong hands, obvious places and voice are still masculine. This shows that she is and feels unfinished, but also emphasizes her past. Strength and beauty. This is what a 120 player is❤️❤️❤️

[@ZedsilaYt]

I loved her so much, they made her alot more realistic and not just like a stereotype

[@alessandrajackson3768]

She was easily the best character! If she didn’t run out of ammo there would be no season 3, she cleared!

[@NaidotASMR]

I don’t watch squid game tbh, but this I love. I’m always skeptical about Netflix I’m glad for trans women being represented in this truthful way.

[@SKmaric]

At the very least, the English dub actress is a trans woman.

[@aznmochibunny]

Someone said the spanish one is as well. I think they did that to make up for the fact the actor isn't trans.

[@camillelyandra]

In the brazilian dub the actress is trans too

[@aguacadolmao3684]

The fact that her character was based off a real story from a solder fired from the army after they started transitioning is crazy

[@11RIHAM]

The western media wasn't that different few years back, in the Ugly Betty series the trans character was played by a non-trans woman in the early 2000s, the acterss herself said that the show was running by a boys club who weren't that open minded about the whole idea, but she tried her best to do the character justice hoping it would open doors for the trans community

[@ImHOSHIwoah]

Genuinely being upset (not directed at you) but it is so awesome that trans people are getting rep (AND GOOD REP) in this Korean show. It’s so great to see as a LGBTQ South Korean person.

[@WillWilsonII]

I'm glad the younger generation has a better understanding. Imagine being 43 and realizing trans women are crushworthy. Wish I knew sooner.

[@Percy_Of_The_Sea]

As a Trans guy myself, I would literally go out of my way to cast Trans people no matter if the character is Trans or not, but the fact they did things the way they did is amazing because they are still showing so much support by keeping the community safe. This is amazing representation.

[@honeydewof7975]

I hope you understand that is highly unrealistic ☠️☠️

[@MjWard-w4q]

@@honeydewof7975 how...?

[@AlienBeny]

idk why, but when the old ladies was talking to her so kindly, i started crying. i myself am not trans, however ive been considering it for a while now. i also don’t tend to cry at things, especially shows, that easily. this sudden wave of emotions from seeing her getting supported just made me melt 😭😭

[@helenacherubini]

thats a first step for this industry, by representing a trans woman, they will show the public that thats nothing wrong with that. I think in future series and K-dramas, We will see more and more queer actors/ actress, at least I hope so

[@Honeybunny_bun]

Yes!! This is huge

[@jessicaholscher4097]

I watch the dubed version because I'm trash, and it took me forever to realize that chick was calling her "big sis" in Korean and that wasn't actually her name.

[@LinBeReal]

The actor really did a good job at portraying the charachter well

[@logic-nq3kb]

Im a cis woman, who recently started watching your videos, but I love them!! I love learning others opinions or even being educated on the trans community, I feel like your community is such a safe place which I love

[@AMpersand_videos]

I was of course skeptical about a cis male actor playing a trans woman character… *buuut* I also understand that the situation in Korea looks different. I really appreciate seeing a trans woman's take on the matter! Because I found the rest of Hyun-ju's characterization very good. She's socially exposed and in debt, shunned by her family after she came out. When that other girl said she already was beautiful, I almost choked up. I too really liked the older woman who was at first put off by Hyun-ju, but then came around to her! That was realistic!

[@thecreeeeep]

Ngl I fell in love with her when I saw her getting her picture taken. It was just such a cute girly moment. Then when she mentions that she was in the army- I literally screamed! We love a baddieeee omg

[@O_Ciel_Phant0mhive]

I honestly teared up when the granny and other characters were supporting her, and omg when it got to the bathroom scene I completely lost it. It was so beautiful. - from a trans brother here

[@Lollo__36]

10:00 stop it, u just made me cry, and i cried so much when i saw the scene in the seires, i cry so much of joy everytime time a scene like this pops up on shows or books

[@ideac.]

she is such a well written character, like actually i hope that this season convinces more people just to understand trans people better, its really really well done

[@kellybmackenzie]

I absolutely love the way they did it so much!! I relate to Hyun-ju so much. Also, the way Geum-ja (the old lady) starts off a little transphobic out of ignorance but quickly warms up to Hyun-ju when they team up is so so so sweet!! It made me cry. :') 09:34 YESSS this is my favorite scene too!! The way Geum-ja vouches for her like "It's okay, she's a woman!" was SO sweet. Their friendship is so nice!! I was rooting for them the entire time. :'|

[@Shomi__boom]

I agree with everything except for the fact that she anticipated the rejection in Mingle, her friend had just died in front of her, she was devastated, she didn't move because she was still digesting what had happened in the previous round she didn't care anymore whether or not she died because she felt guilty about Young mi's death since she voted to stay, when the doors open (after Young mi's death) you can see her leaving the room with her head down with her eyes lost like that . I think people forget this fact, like... I thought it was obvious

[@lovemileyxox]

I WAS WAITING FOR THIS ONEEEE

[@bernardsalvatore1929]

Someone may have already commented about this but player 246, that takes her into the room and saves her, is the guy that the sniper girl has been looking at!! HE is the father of the little girl with the strawberry hat who is sick!!😢😢

[@naofg]

I agree with all your points. I was also pleasantly surprised by how she was portrayed. Side note, but I find it funny that you saw some kind of romantic vibes between Hyunju and that random guy she barely interacts with, because my sibling and I were shipping her with the short girl she got close to the whole time 😭 Also, that girl was one of the biggest allies Hyungju had from the start. From the first time they talked, she called her "unnie", which is a way that a woman/girl refers to another woman/girl who's older than her. She had no hesitation or confusion, and I think Hyunju found it comforting.

[@jijitters]

Same 😆 I don't think I even noticed her interact with the father of the little girl. Young-mi accepting Hyun-ju right away and expressing such fondness for her, immediately had me thinking she was queer herself, whether that be bi or lesbian idk, but I definitely felt there could be a romantic vibe there if she hadn't died ):

[@Cal_Night]

I was one of those who worried about a cis actor playing Hyun-Ju, and if it was gonna feel genuine. I'm so happy with how they portrayed this character. Seeing how much popularity and support she's getting is amazing. Having a mainstream media represent a trans character so well is very much appreciated right now.

[@M1zuki_h3re]

Fun fact : the actor actively did research on how to represent trans people correctly and not stereotypical stuff, which i find sweet

[@lucydpng]

and he did such a great job and the director made such a cool non streotypical character plot for her

[@reksraven]

I almost cry when I see how well written Hyun-Ju is and how you react to her portrayal. Not because I am trans. I am a pansexual cis man in a hetero relationship. I am not trans. But I am human. It bringing me tears of joy seeing the representation for other people.

[@boomgirlbucko]

To go from making the only LGBT rep be an old r*pist American, to now being a very well written trans character, who was clearly written with love. We took big steps up in these years.

[@ririshiftzzz]

do you mean the vip from season 1??

[@boomgirlbucko]

@ririshiftzzz Yup. The one that tried to assault Jun-Ho

[@jijitters]

@@ririshiftzzz Yep, he definitely fit the gross "predatory gay" trope that used to be common in the days of the Hays Code :/ Hated it.

[@bellac6311]

I dont think the vip was actually lgbt, I think it was a show of power. Similar to how in male prisons straight men r@p3 other men not because they're attracted tothem, but because it makes them feel dominant. It's just as sick and disgusting, but I dont think the intention was to make that VIP gay representation, rather he was there to show the vile things people do to feel "above" others

[@marybrown6128]

She was absolutely one of my very favorite characters, she was heroic, brave, kind, compassionate, loyal, smart, and a real leader. I loved every scene she was in!

[@jemmpark]

I am so glad you're reacting to this because it did feel like despite the initial controversy the writers did really try to write the character in a respectful enough way. I'm sure there's room for improvement, there always is and we should always call it out, but it felt like anyone watching that maybe isn't educated on how trans people live in South Korea or haven't had the chance to interact with a trans person irl might learn something. And Squid Games is a huge show, so lots of exposure!

[@DerekStanton-n4u]

Hello Sister! Living in Transphobic Texas is hard AF! Keep on fighting the good fight!! Slay Queen!!

[@Carr0tZz_theFurry]

One thing, kinda weird to say this but come here to Washington. Everyone’s kind except for those highlighter 10 year olds and preppies. But everyone is an ally and a famous singer, who’s trans grew up here at a school called glacier peek.

[@greatbatsby]

I was so excited to find out there was going to be a trans character in the show - and it turned out to be such great representation! Squid Game is so huge, it gets so much attention internationally, this is gonna have an impact (that we really need in these times as well). Lots of love to the makers of the show and Park Sung-Hoon for doing such a good job!

[@exolimoon1814]

First, you're GORGEOUS!! Second, I'm thrilled and proud that this show is so famous and has Hyunju as one of the most loved characters (I'm proudly one of her fans). And I loved your video!!!

[@Boneless_Wolf]

The thing i really loved the most was that she wasn't a token character. She has flaws and nuance, and shes not representstion for the sole sake of representation, she feels like a completely natural character with a real story. Cant wait to see how S3 continues her story