Player 120 Is The True Hero Of Squid Game

Spoilers practice for Squid Recreation Season 2

I by no means felt like the primary or final level used to be price a lot attention. Trans folks exist, and transitioning is costly and keeping apart, particularly in South Korea (a complete breakdown of statistics is to be had within the article related above). It stands to reason why {that a} trans individual could be determined sufficient to play Squid Recreation, and if you’ll be able to’t deal with artwork about minorities that depicts the desperation and violence they face, you must most definitely keep on with observing tv by way of TikTok shorts.

The Casting Will have to No longer Be An Factor

Player 120 taking her picture in Squid Game

Alternatively, the casting of a cisgender guy used to be extra nuanced. I all the time felt that, given the loss of to be had out trans ladies in South Korea (a subject matter mentioned within the display, and showed via the showrunner in an interview in which he describes the reality as “heartbreaking”), it used to be both ‘forged a cis guy or lower the nature’. The previous used to be all the time the easier possibility.

After all, they may have forged a cis lady, however the entire level of Participant 120 is that she is enjoying for surgical treatment cash. She nonetheless feels as although she seems like a person. As a trans individual, that is much more relatable than Nikita Dragun strolling the runway or Hunter Schafer having a look stunning at the purple carpet. I don’t believe I have ever noticed a extra real looking model of my very own enjoy than the glint of higher lip shadow glinting thru Participant 120’s sweated-off basis, or the way in which she shrinks away and slumps her shoulders as folks have a look at her.

The primary manner the casting of a cis guy can have long gone flawed is via making her a determine of a laugh. Squid Recreation obviously does now not do this – whilst our creation to her is an older lady enquiring aloud “is {that a} guy or a lady?” (any other beautiful real looking second), her son shushes her and the 3 of them finally end up operating in combination. Participant 120 isn’t there to be the butt of the funny story, however to focus on the other types of desperation folks face in fashionable society.

Participant 120 Is A Nuanced Transgender Hero

Alternatively, otherwise it might have long gone flawed is via pitying her. This can be a mistake numerous media via trans allies makes, most likely partially on account of the mindset that means striking a trans lady in Squid Recreation in any respect is a hateful act of Kill Your Gays. Participant 120 is definitely a sympathetic personality, however then, just about everybody who isn’t an outrageous villain like Thanos is sympathetic. They’re willingly risking their lives in bloodsport variations of kids’s video games to repay some money owed.

However she isn’t just there to make us really feel sorry for her. Within the six legged race, she is the chief of the gang, using them ahead and providing consistent encouragement. In Mingle, she runs the numbers each and every time, making sure the workforce is secure and striking herself at risk to save lots of others. It later emerges that she used to be a military sergeant, kicked out for her transition, and after they release the armed attack at the sport masters, Participant 120 leads her squad valiantly.

That might introduce any other drawback – when you’ve got a personality who takes rate, served within the army, and barks orders at everybody, then you are simply writing a person in a wig, the very factor the display used to be immediately accused of when casting a cis guy to play her. However there’s such a lot tenderness to Participant 120 that it by no means feels that manner. Her shyness in social eventualities that do not name for militaristic course, her transparent discomfort together with her personal frame as she shifts her shoulders and anxiously squeezes her fingers, and her tragic friendship with Participant 095 all make Participant 120 a much more rounded personality.

Most likely the most efficient instance of that is when Participant 120 explains she wanted folks to seem away as a result of she does not really feel “carried out” but, and Participant 095 tells her she is “already gorgeous”. She starts to cry, and a part of me thinks the explanation she cries is as a result of she is aware of Participant 095 is mendacity to her. No longer mendacity to be merciless, however mendacity to be sort. Perhaps it used to be written as though this can be a authentic praise, or perhaps a mirrored image of Participant 120’s inside good looks as a being concerned soul. But it surely moved me as it felt like but any other step in Participant 120 getting there, however nonetheless now not somewhat being carried out.

There have been such a lot of techniques for Squid Recreation’s resolution to incorporate a trans personality to head flawed, and it gracefully side-steps they all. In doing so, it turns into one of the fascinating and precious depictions of a trans lady on tv, and I will’t wait to peer what the long run holds for Participant 120.