Everything was fine before I told people who I really am. Sure, some people thought I was a bit strange, but I never had any big issues. But once told people I wanted to live as a woman and started transitioning, everything changed. My mom cried a lot, And my father stopped talking to me. I was fired from my job and lost all my friends. I wasn't done with the treatment and procedures, but I wasn't earning any money so my debt kept piling up. Although I felt liberated, my life... became so much harder.
Cho Hyun-ju sharing her backstory in "One More Game"
Cho Hyun-ju (조현주 Jo Hyeon-ju?), also known as Player 120, is a contestant of the Squid Game in 2024. She entered with the goal of getting enough money to fund her gender-affirming surgeries. During the games, Hyun-ju formed an alliance with Park Yong-sik, Jang Geum-ja, and Kim Young-mi.
Personality
Hyun-ju appears caring towards every player except Seon-nyeo, to which she seems annoyed by her religious breakdowns, and also Lee Myung-gi, to which she berated him for inadvertently causing Young-Mi's death. She is also very brave, such as when she risked her own life to help a man with Gi-hun during Red Light, Green Light. Despite this, she appears to be shy and unconfident in herself, likely due to the fact her life took a downturn upon transitioning. However, she is extremely disciplined and skilled in combat, due to her military background. Through her resilience, she breaks down stereotypes and shines as an inspiring character.
History
Early Life
Not much is known of Hyun-ju's early years and pre-transition, outside of how much support she got from her family and friends. Growing up, Hyun-ju often played games such as ddakji, which she was particularly good at. As an adult, Hyun-ju joined the army and rose through the ranks to become a staff sergeant.
When Hyun-ju began her transition as a woman, she was abruptly fired from her job and ostracized by her family and friends. With no steady income or social support, Hyun-ju started going into debt. She continued her transition and began developing trust issues. At some point, she moved out to Gwangmyeong.
2024
With her debt standing at ₩330 million, Hyun-ju decided to participate in the Squid Games, with the ultimate goal of winning enough money to move to Thailand and finish getting the surgeries which would complete her transition.
After waking up in the Squid Game dormitory, Hyun-ju is one of many players who raises questions the staff. Her name and debt amount are read aloud and footage of her playing ddakji is shown to the assembled players.
Hyun-ju is seen as the photo booth prior to the first game. Not far away, she is judged by Jang Geum-ja who wonders about her choice of transition. During Gi-hun's warnings of the game's sadistic nature, Hyun-ju can be seen among the few listening to him rather than mock him. After Player 444 gets shot in the leg, she helps Gi-hun in carrying him to safety; she then succeeds the first game. However, the given prize not being enough, and Hyun-ju votes to keep going.
Before Six-Legged Pentathlon begins, Hyun-ju is one of the few unable to find a team of five, with said teams either full or players judging her. While searching further, she encounters the nervous Kim Young-mi, who wants to team up with her. She accepts and soon is joined by Park Yong-sik, Jang Geum-ja, and Seon-nyeo. As the game begins, she is able to give Young-mi confidence, helping her pass ddakji by advising her to throw with the thicker side down.
Hyun-ju threatens to kill Seon-nyeo before her gods do
During the Six Legs, Hyun-ju spends most of her watching time stopping Seon-nyeo from disturbing the others. As Seon-nyeo is unable to complete Paengi Chigi, she then has one of her religious-themed breakdowns. This causes Hyun-ju to snap, slapping Seon-nyeo hard twice - enough to make her nose bleed - and threatening to "kill her before her gods do". Seon-nyeo then succeeds in her game. Before Hyun-ju kicks the jegi, she reveals her shy personality and underlying gender dysphoria by requesting no one to look. They oblige, and she succeeds, causing the team to win the game.
Hyun-ju (right) with her teammates and new friends
Hyun-ju becomes an official team with Geum-ja, Yong-sik, and Young-mi, spending time with them after the game. They share details of their lives, although Hyun-ju is reluctant, and Young-mi begins referring to her as 'Unnie'. Geum-ja invites Young-mi and Hyun-ju to her and Yong-sik's house to eat, and despite initially not answering, Hyun-ju accepts. During the vote, Hyun-ju decides to keep going once more, causing friction between her and her team, especially Young-mi, who breaks down crying during the vote and emotionally begs the crowd to let her leave. This visibly moves Hyun-ju. After the vote, Geum-ja questions Hyun-ju about her decision. She then emotionally confesses her backstory and goals; before her transition, Hyun-ju was confident, well-surrounded, and a strong sergeant in the army, which she all lost upon transitioning, making her life more challenging, alongside accumulating debts. She then reveals her wish to gain enough money which will be enough to move to Thailand and live a new and comfortable life among the LGBTQ+ community. Young-mi calls her beautiful, causing Hyun-ju to become emotional, and Geum-ja is more accepting to her transition. Later on, during the night, she decides to accompany Kim Jun-hee and Geum-ja to the bathroom, where Geum-ja states she can, as she is also a woman, and she calls herself down in the mirror. Soon after, she helplessly watches a scared Jun-hee break down sobbing for fear of her and her babies lives. Later in the morning, she joins her team for the next game, Mingle, and whilst walking there pulls Young-mi aside to apologize for voting "O". Young-mi happily forgives her and says they will escape after the next game.
During the first round of Mingle, Hyun-ju saves Seon-nyeo from death by taking her into a safe room, only to witness the latter's another religious breakdown. On the second round, she survives by joining her team and abandoning Seon-nyeo, who subsequently turns on her former teammates. She survives the third round off-screen after Park Gyeong-seok saves her and Young-mi. However, on the fourth round, despite finding a room for her team, Young-mi is tripped by another player. In an attempt to save her, Hyun-ju rushes outside with mere seconds left, but her life is saved when Lee Myung-gi enters with her. A scared Young-mi pleads Hyun-ju to open the door to no avail, and Young-mi is shot dead in front of her. Devastated, Hyun-ju lashes out on Myung-gi, until the latter scolds the group that he saved their lives, with Jun-hee and Dae-ho reluctantly defending him. In the fifth and final round, a distraught Hyun-ju is able to survive due to the intervention of Gyeong-seok. Gyeong-seok joins her group, and Seon-nyeo threatens Hyun-ju, stating she will join Young-mi soon. During the vote, Hyun-ju changes her mind and decides to leave the games. She is later comforted by Geum-ja.
Hyun-ju teaching the revolt group how to use the MP5 submachine gun
In the aftermath of the bathroom brawl, Gi-hun decides to launch a revolt against the staff in a hope to confront the Front Man. Hyun-ju, being in the "X" Camp, agrees. During the dorm massacre, Hyun-ju does as told and hides behind a bed with Gyeong-seok until the lights come back on. Faking death, she picks a weapon from a pink soldier which she uses to kill the other staff, showing her military expertise is as sharp as ever. After teaching the other players how to use the weapons they took, she explains to a curious Gyeong-seok that she was in the special forces. She accompanies Gi-hun as they advance to find the Front Man, tasking everyone to gather the most ammunition possible, and she is able to destroy the cameras. As they begin the revolt, she becomes the leader and is able to easily kill most of the soldiers due to her immaculate accuracy. When the group approaches the Front Man's office, Hyun-ju and other members become stuck and begin to run out of ammo. After tasking Kang Dae-ho to return with ammunition, Hyun-ju returns to the dorm when he fails to come back to find him trembling. As she leaves, Squid Game soldiers intervene. Hyun-ju prepares to shoot, but Geum-ja persuades her otherwise, to which she agrees.
Trivia
- Hyun-ju may have gone through breast augmentation surgery, given comments made by Jang Geum-ja. However, it could also be a result of hormone replacement therapy.
Behind the scenes
Hyun-ju is portrayed by Park Sung-hoon, who was casted due to the fact that there are few transgender actresses who are open about their gender identity. She was created to represent those who are marginalized in South Korea similar to Ali Abdul. More specifically, she was meant to bring light to what trans people face within South Korea. While they are allowed access to gender affirming care, members of the military are discharged on the spot and finding work is difficult for them.
Appearances
- Season Two
- "001"
- "Six Legs"
- "One More Game"
- "O X"
- "Friend or Foe"
Gallery
Promotional
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