The Complex Trans Representation of Squid Game
Added 2025-01-31 16:00:13 +0000 UTCHey all, here is a Patron Exclusive essay for you all! I really adored the trans representation in Squid Game, despite my complicated feelings on the casting of a cis man for the character, so I wanted to break it down. BUT, there's much more to this video then just talking about a single character, because I actually think there's some much more complicated trans-related themes bubbling under the surface of the season that I think is core to understand what the season is trying to do - and I'm excited to chat about it! Thank you everyone for you support btw, I hope to do more of this type of essays regularly for you as a thank you for helping me stay afloat given the state of the world right now.
Comments
Squid Game is one of my favourite shows and Hyun Ju is my favourite character across both seasons. I've considered subscribing to your Patreon for a while and this essay finally pushed me to do it. I find your analyses illuminating and entertaining and this one was no exception. Quick note - The young woman who befriends Hyun Ju isn't Jun Hee/222. Jun Hee is the pregnant woman, who competes with Gi Hun's team in the mini-games. Hyun Ju's friend is named Young Mi/095. I've seen other people mix them up - they have similar builds and hairstyles (and of course the same outfit). I know next to nothing about Korean as a language; however, some folks explained that Young Mi referring to Hyun Ju as "Unnie" is significant. I understand that it's a gender-specific term of respect and affection that a younger woman uses when addressing an older woman whom she sees as a big sister. I clocked *something* in Park's performance, and the editing, the first time Young Mi says "Unnie" that implied the term was significant to Hyun Ju. Now that I understand why, it's one more reason I love their too-brief friendship and remain heartbroken about how it ended!
Nadine Thornhill - Sexuality Educator
2025-02-10 17:14:03 +0000 UTCSo it is worth stating that Itaewon Class is done. Most kdramas only last one season unless they do extremely well and there’s a demand for a second season. This is changing a bit now due to companies like Netflix but the majority of kdramas have one season. But it is worth stating that Itaewon class did extremely well at the time. It was also known for a prominent black character which is rare in kdramas. I’d be curious to see your take on it because in some ways it’s the opposite of squid game. The message is very much we can beat the evil capitalists all we have to do is capitalise better. From what I remember it doesn’t really focus on trans pain. But I’ve never seen a trans person’s take on it.
Laurie Andrade
2025-02-09 07:26:34 +0000 UTCOn the topic of character introductions for trans characters, personally I rather like Nia Nal's introduction in Supergirl. They just had her turn up as a new employee at CatCo, the new girl frantically worrying about making a bad impression her first day on the job. I just love the way Kara looked at Nia and saw herself in her... Kara probably thinking "Oh my gosh, I was like that too when I started. How time flies!" I loved the way the introduction linked Nia's and Kara's experiences and also in a way linked it to something no doubt many in the show's audience have experienced. It doesn't matter if you're cis or trans cause that first day can be tedious regardless.
Moonflower_Gal
2025-02-07 13:01:50 +0000 UTCAbout the themes of working class rebellion of this season, I love that it brought things full circle for Gihoon because the reason he was unemployed and in debt was because he went on a strike in his workplace. He knew there were going to be casualties. He did lose a friend in the strike. This isn't his first rodeo. I am not sure about the Front Man's smile and what it means in terms of what the writer's thinking but I'm leaning towards your interpretation. I think it is a commentary on the false rhetoric of "if you do x you're as bad as they are". No, Front Man, Gihoon isn't as bad as systematic oppression caused by capitalism just because he has to live with the choice that there will be some casualties for the system to change.
Celes
2025-02-04 16:59:24 +0000 UTCIt's tragically ironic that a show whose message is anti-capitalist (even with subtitles) is still grossly misinterpreted by capitalists as "ha-ha death game for money." I think Hyun-Ju's character is done really well. I was honestly worried that because it's Squid Game, I thought her character would be killed off (because the first season broke my heart with character deaths before), but I'm glad that wasn't the case. But considering how season 2 ended it leaves me wondering how season 3 will go or if the characters made it or not. Great review of the character and of the series.
EvilKittie
2025-02-01 00:48:27 +0000 UTCThank you, Jessie, for this excellent, thoughtful exploration. It helped me think about season 2 on a much deeper level. I did have a different read on the rebellion at the end. I wouldn't necessarily assume that the show is saying Gi-hun had the right idea to violently rebel in that moment. I'm not sure the Front Man's smile indicated a misinterpretation that Gi-hun wants to play the hero; it may have been for the small victory of having pushed Gi-hun into (arguably) callous Utilitarian thinking. I think we can read Gi-hun's willingness to sacrifice lives for the greater good as a compromise that does, indeed, implicate him in a mindset similar to the oppressors, a sort of "you have to break some eggs to make an omelette." As of the S2 cliffhanger, Gi-hun's plan has not gone well, and perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to assume it was the best option. In reality, these uber-complex issues of how to fight systemic oppression are in the realm of emergent practice, where we have to try things and can't clearly see what worked and why except in hindsight (if then). And even if it "works," we may end up implicated in our own heinous deeds done to make it work.
Arwen Spicer
2025-01-31 19:53:36 +0000 UTCI haven't seen the Squid Games as it's been difficult for me to make time to watch something... but damned if this review didn't convince me to see it. Especially the second season... I cried so much watching it because good lord, do I ever feel where you're coming from, especially after an incident yesterday. I've lost all my grandparents and sometimes I wonder what they'd make of me being non-binary. I hope they'd accept and love me, but I won't ever know. I didn't know until years after they passed on. So... to see you review the bit where the older mom confirms and shows love and support for the trans character... it felt like my grandparents were doing the same for me. Yes, I wish they'd gotten a trans actor to play the character, but I am so happy she was handled with so much care and grace and love and respect.
Jamie
2025-01-31 18:14:23 +0000 UTCOne comment I did find interesting (I think it might have been on Vera's video?) was someone noting that in Korea a lot of the conservative mindset against LGBT issues is that it's an invasive Western thing. And they argued that was why it was important for it to be a born-in-Korea Korean person in this role, someone the audience was familiar with, rather than someone found abroad, as it would further help normalize the trans experience that way. ... I admit I'm also skeptical enough of Netflix execs making good decisions at this point that I feel that if director Hwang had asked for money to do a global search for a trans actor, they would probably respond "Oh, do you rally need a trans storyline? Just make it a cis person." Still have to watch most of the video, but as someone who's found the second season very queer I'm excited to see what your thoughts are!
zara
2025-01-31 16:33:29 +0000 UTC
