TheSquid Gamestar, Park Sung-hoon, confirms his next television series after losing a role earlier this year. Park is known for playing Cho Hyun-jun, aka Player 120, in the second and third seasons of the Hwang Dong-hyuk-created series, who joined the game in the hope of funding her gender-affirmation surgery.
Previously, the star was scheduled to play the lead role in the upcoming K-drama,The Tyrant’s Chef, but due to acontroversy surrounding an explicit imagehe posted online that sparked public outrage, Park has since departed from the series.
Now, in an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,theSquid Gamestar confirms that he can next be seen inEfficient Dating for Singles. Park briefly reflects on his experience playing villainous roles and how playing Hyun-jun, a heroic figure in the hit Netflix series, changed things for him. He revealed that in his new K-drama, he’ll be playing “a good guy” as well. Read his comment below when he addressedSquid Game’s impact on his career:
For the first part of the question, as I said before, we had a lot of flat, one-dimensional stereotypical transgender characters in Korean cinema and on Korean TV shows. So I’m so excited that we have this character. I think Hyun-ju is going to open up doors for more multi-dimensional LGBTQ+ characters going forward.
And for the second part of the question, I have recently played lots of villains, so Korean viewers know me for playing villains. And because of Hyun-ju, I got to show a new side of myself — the good side of myself. Thanks to Hyun-ju, right now, I’m in production for another show [Efficient Dating for Singles], and I’m a good guy this time.
What This Means For Park Sung-hoon
Squid Game Was A Challenge, But Also Opened The Doors For Park Sung-hoon
Squid Gamenot only pushed Park to global stardom, introducing him to fans around the world, butthe series also marked a pivotal point in his careerand saw him exploring a different side of himself as an actor. Outside of the hit Netflix series, the actor is most known for playing Jeon Jae-joon, an antagonist in theSouth Korean revenge thrillerThe Glory.
In the same interview, Park also discussed the weight of playing a transgender woman as a cisgender man inSquid Game. While he admitted that the role was a “good challenge,” he also shared that with Hyun-jun, he aimed to bring a layered performance to capture her “inner qualities,” which played a crucial part in Hyun-jun becoming one of thefan-favorite characters inSquid Game.
Park’s casting in the upcoming K-drama further shows how the dystopian Netflix series has acted as a crucial project in the star’s career, despite past controversy.
His Upcoming Role Is A Lot Like Hyun-jun
Image via Netflix
Efficient Dating for Singles, based on a webtoon, starsPark Sung-hoon as Song Tae-seob, a woodworking studio owner who dreams of finding love and starting a family, alongside Han Ji-min, Jung Hye-sung, Kim So-hye, Lee Ki-taek, and many others. The series examines practicality and efficiency in contrast to finding a genuine connection in the context of modern dating.
While details are under wraps, it’s not hard to see Park’s upcoming role resembling the qualities that Hyun-jun has inSquid Game.Similar to Hyun-jun,Tae-seob is tough on the outside but gentle on the inside. Those who are still reeling from what happened to Player 120 inSquid Gameseason 3might be able to find some resolution in the actor’s upcoming K-drama.
Squid Game
Cast
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
