Actor Park Sung-hoon, aged 39, who portrayed the transgender character Hyun-ju in the highly anticipated second season of "Squid Game," has issued an apology amidst a backslash triggered by his sharing of an explicit parody image tied to the drama. This controversy erupted on December 30, mere days after the show's debut, when Park, in a seeming lapse of judgment, uploaded an image derived from a Japanese adult film parodying "Squid Game" to his Instagram story, swiftly deleting it thereafter.
Sitting down for a press interview at a cozy cafe in Jongno, Seoul, on Wednesday, Park emotionally recounted, "Allow me to briefly recount the sequence of events that led to this regrettable incident." He elaborated on the chain of actions that culminated in the controversial post.
"I stumbled upon the image in a DM on Instagram while preparing to venture out for a planned engagement," Park said. "It was within the nascent days of the show's release, and I was engrossed in exchanging audience feedback with my team."
He continued, his voice tinged with regret, "The image left me stunned, and I feared it could stir up trouble. In an attempt to forward it for internal review, something inexplicably went awry. I'm still grappling with how it transpired, but upon glancing back, I realized it had inadvertently been posted on my story. I profoundly lament this oversight."
The impact of his error weighed heavily on Park, especially as both the drama and his character were garnering immense acclaim and attention. His voice breaking, he acknowledged, "I am deeply sorry for the distress caused to my team and all those affected."
His agency also issued two apologies, clarifying that the incident was an unintentional slip-up during the DM review process. Park reiterated his heartfelt remorse, stating, "Though it was my mistake, I unequivocally acknowledge it as wrong. These past few days have been spent in introspection, where I have consistently blamed and regretted my actions."
Vowing to exercise greater caution in the future, he assured, "I am fully cognizant of the gravity of this matter and will ensure such an occurrence never repeats."
In the second season of "Squid Game," Park's character Hyun-ju, a transgender woman and former special forces soldier, joined the game with the aim of securing funds for gender confirmation surgery. This role has emerged as one of the most striking and widely discussed in the series.
