Warning: There are spoilers for Squid Game Season 2.Cho Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) consistently steals the show in squid game season 2. Hyun-ju is a transgender woman who participates in the games to be able to afford gender-affirming care and to start over in Thailand, where she will be more accepted. Unlike many others squid game players, Hyun-ju is competing for a reason that goes far beyond dire financial difficulties. Their reasons are linked to another level of injustice and inequality that exists outside of gaming.
As a courageous, sympathetic, and complex individual, Hyun-ju is easily one of the squid game the best new characters of season 2. One of the most important relationships she forms is with Kim Young-mi (Kim Si-eun), a sweet and fearful person who Hyun-ju befriends and supports during the games. Regardless of whether she shares the screen with Young-mi or another character, Hyun-ju is one of the most compelling characters to watchespecially during a new game in squid game season 2 – the six-legged pentathlon.
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Hyun-ju slaps Seon-nyeo
Season 2, Episode 5: “One More Game”
During the six-legged pentathlon, Seon-nyeo (Chae Kook-hee) is on Hyun-ju's team. Seon-nyeo is in charge of the spinning top game, but when she struggles to wrap the rope around the metal top, she panics and starts screaming about how she and everyone else present are going to die. Hyun-ju snaps Seon-nyeo out of this situation by slapping him twice, taking the top, and declaring that he will kill Seon-nyeo if he decides to give up now.
This proves to be just what Seon-nyeo needs as she successfully wraps the rope around the metal top and makes it spin. Even though Seon-nyeo is the one who technically wins in the spinning top game, Hyun-ju is the real star of the moment, because without her, Seon-nyeo would have been consumed by panicand the entire team would have lost the competition and been shot. The camerawork is effective in this scene as it zooms in on Hyun-ju's face, highlighting her intensity and sincerity as she threatens to kill Seon-nyeo if she backs down.
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Hyun-ju teaches the rebels how to use firearms
Season 2, Episode 7: “Friend or Foe”
Before proceeding with the rebellion that ends up failing squid game In the Season 2 finale, Hyun-ju demonstrates to her fellow rebels how to properly use firearms. While Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) was in the military, most of the rebels are ordinary citizens who have no military experience. This makes Hyun-ju's demonstration a valuable lesson in gun safety and helping players feel like they have a fighting chance against the guards.
Hyun-ju was fired from military service simply for being a transgender woman. While this injustice may never be corrected, it is gratifying to see her now using her military knowledge and experience on her own terms. She doesn't do it to show off, but because she is the best suited person to do so as a former Special Forces sergeant. It's also great to see how she surprises and impresses the other players and challenges their assumptions about trans women.
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Hyun-ju gives Young-mi courage before six-legged race
Season 2, Episode 4: 'Six Legs'
Before the six-legged pentathlon, Hyun-ju recognizes that Young-mi is terrified. Hyun-ju not only shows Young-mi compassion, but also gives Young-mi the confidence to believe in herself. By speaking kindly to Young-mi, Hyun-ju highlights Young-mi's choice to speak to her, something other players were afraid to do simply because Hyun-ju was transgender. Hyun-ju emphasizes that Young-mi is brave and that she now needs to believe in herself.
She proves to be a good judge of character by recognizing Young-mi's strengths that even Young-mi doesn't fully recognize and encourages her.
Hyun-ju does this partly out of self-preservation, as she doesn't want her team to lose and everyone to die due to Young-mi being overcome with fear. At the same time, Hyun-ju knows what it's like to be afraid and feel like an outsider. She proves to be a good judge of character by recognizing Young-mi's strengths that even Young-mi doesn't fully recognize and encourages her. This not only helps Young-mi when competing, but helps solidify a strong, meaningful bond between her and Hyun-ju.
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Hyun-ju gives Young-mi a life-saving Ddakji suggestion
Season 2, Episode 5: “One More Game”
During the six-legged pentathlon, Young-mi has the responsibility of playing ddakji. When Young-mi is struggling in the game and starts to panic, Hyun-ju suggests she flip the way she's holding the blue tile.. Unlike Seon-nyeo, Hyun-ju doesn't need to be aggressive to get Young-mi on the right path. All that is needed is a gentle but helpful suggestion that immediately produces the necessary results, as flipping the tile allows Young-mi to win the minigame.
While Young-mi deserves credit for the team's victory in this section of the six-stage race, Hyun-ju's contribution is equally important. If Young-mi hadn't flipped the blue tile, she probably would have continued using the same approach and the team would have run out of time. Hyun-ju later reveals that she used to play ddakji when she was a child and turning the piece was her secret trick. Hyun-ju is able to use her childhood to help herself, Young-mi, and her team through this situation.
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Hyun-ju watches helplessly as Young-mi dies
Season 2, Episode 6: 'OX'
Although there are many serious deaths in squid game In season 2, the most moving thing is Young-mi's death. During a round of the Mingle game, Hyun-ju finds an empty room and beckons Young-mi and several others to join her inside. Unfortunately, Young-mi is left out in the chaos to reach the rooms with the right number of people before time runs out, and she is unable to enter the room before it reaches full capacity and is locked.
Hyun-ju then has to watch helplessly through the door as a crying Young-mi on the other side, unable to help her before she is shot and killed by squid gameof the masked guards. This would be devastating under any circumstances, but it is it got even worse since Hyun-ju previously voted to continue the games while Young-mi voted to stop them. Hyun-ju promised to take care of Young-mi, but in the end she was unable to keep her promise. Sung-hoon's phenomenal performance in this scene makes Hyun-ju's reaction even more emotional.
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Hyun-ju votes to discontinue games after Young-mi's death
Season 2, Episode 6: 'OX'
After Mingle, players have another vote where they must decide whether to continue or stop the games. Hyun-ju and Young-mi voted differently than last time, with Hyun-ju feeling more confident to play one more match after her success during the six-stage race. After Young-mi's death during Mingle, Hyun-ju changes her vote and presses the red X that means she doesn't want the games to continue, which is the best way to honor Young-mi's memory.
Hyun-ju's decision illustrates her growth as a character and that her connection with Young-mi was genuine. Hyun-ju is able to admit through her vote that she was wrongand even though she is doing well in the games, she is willing to give up her chances of winning 4.56 billion won. She regrets voting to continue the games and doesn't want to see the other players suffer the same fate as Young-mi in other brutal competitions.
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Hyun-ju and Gi-hun help an injured player reach the finish line at the red light and green light
Season 2, Episode 3: “001”
Hyun-ju makes a strong first impression during squid gameRed Light, Green Light. When Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) sees that Player 444 is physically injured and unable to reach the finish line, he rushes back to help him. It initially appears that Gi-hun is alone in this courageous and possibly foolish adventure. It turns out that's not the case, as Hyun-ju arrives to also help Player 444 and to make sure he and Gi-hun don't fall to the ground when they should be standing still.
This is the first indication that Hyun-ju is a good person who will do anything to help others. It is also a sign of her military background, as she is used to the mentality of leaving no one behind. Your selflessness in this case proves that Gi-hun won't be the only one to stick his neck out for people he doesn't know. While squid game It shows the worst of humanity, but it also shows the best, with people like Hyun-ju and Gi-hun risking their lives simply to do the right thing.
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Hyun-ju chooses to live in the end rather than sacrifice herself unnecessarily
Season 2, Episode 7: “Friend or Foe”
When Kang Dae-ho (Kang Ha-neul) doesn't return with the ammunition the rebels need, Hyun-ju goes to see what happened and retrieve it. After getting the ammo, the guards return, and Hyun-ju almost decides to go out in full glory fighting the guards alone. Instead, Jang Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) puts his hand on Hyun-ju's shoulder and tells her not to do that and that it wouldn't be a good death. Fortunately, Hyun-ju hears her.
Making a sacrifice may be brave, but it would have been an unnecessary sacrifice that helped no one, as the guards had already regained control and destroyed the rebellion. In that case, Hyun-ju choosing to live is the bravest and wisest choice. Despite the inevitable horrors that lie ahead squid game season 3, Hyun-ju decided to face them. She does this knowing that she is no longer alone and that she has people like Geum-ja by her side who care about her and are worth continuing to fight for in season 3.
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Hyun-ju reveals her emotional story
Season 2, Episode 5: “One More Game”
After Hyun-ju votes to continue the games, Geum-ja tries to understand if it's just because of the financial cost of gender-affirming care or if there's another reason. This leads Hyun-ju to reveal details about her emotional past. She explains how when she revealed to others that she was a woman and began transitioning, it upset her family and friends, and they distanced themselves from her. Hyun-ju also lost his military career.
This scene helps flesh out Hyun-ju, and her willingness to be momentarily vulnerable also brings her, Young-mi, Geum-ja, and Park Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) closer together.
It's disturbing to hear how, After Hyun-ju embraced who she was, she received no personal or professional support and was even punished by her loved ones and her work. This scene helps flesh out Hyun-ju, and her willingness to be momentarily vulnerable also brings her, Young-mi, Geum-ja, and Park Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) closer together. They are able to understand each other better, including Hyun-ju's ill-fated desire to play one more game so she can complete her gender-affirming care and fulfill her dream of moving to Thailand.
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Hyun-ju wins the six-legged race for her team
Season 2, Episode 5: “One More Game”
Given how important Hyun-ju is to her team successfully completing the previous rounds of the six-legged pentathlon, it's only fitting that she is the last member of her team to compete. Whether your team wins or loses is all up to them. Just as Hyun-ju helped her teammates rise to the occasion, she also rises to the occasion while playing jegichagias she successfully kicks the jegi five consecutive times and guarantees victory for your team.
It's not just a triumph for Hyun-ju and her team, but for all the players watchingwho cheer and are inspired by seeing how Hyun-ju's team worked together to win. This cements Hyun-ju, Young-mi, Geum-ja, and Yong-sik as a team, even if they don't have to compete together in future competitions. There are not many moments of happiness in squid game Season 2, but this is one of them, where the joy is palpable, and for a brief moment, the characters are able to forget the horror of their situation.