“Squid Game 2” Sparks Controversy For Featuring Actor Who Is A Convicted Sex Offender

Netflix’s Quid Game 2 has stirred up some controversy with its cast.

On November 1, the show released a new teaser for its upcoming season, unveiling some old and some new characters. The last season’s winner, Gi Hun (played by Lee Jung Jae), is seen trying to navigate the rest of the participants through the chaotic and lethal games, but some of them rebel against him.

Some of the new faces spotted in the trailer include T.O.P, Jo Yuri, Lim Si Wan, and veteran actor Song Young Chang. Song’s appearance, however, has sparked some controversy regarding his past sex crime conviction.

In September 2000, Song was convicted of underage prostitution. It was reported that he paid 150 USD to have sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl twice in a car. The court found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 months of suspended prison term, along with two years of probation.

The actor barely served a month in prison before he was out on probation. After his release, he moved to Canada with his family under the pretext of “studying English.” His acting career continued in Canada, where he appeared in a few musicals.

Song’s reputation remains tainted as the first person in the Korean entertainment industry to be convicted of underage prostitution. He was banned from major broadcast channels such as KBS, MBC, and EBS. But after his return to Korea, Song has appeared in multiple K-Dramas and movies in supporting roles, becoming a well-known face among avid viewers.

You can check out the rest of the cast members of Squid Game 2 here.