While Squid Game has earned global praise for its intense storylines and standout performances, some of the cast have faced controversies in real life that are just as serious as what plays out on screen. From long-forgotten legal cases to more recent scandals, a number of actors across seasons one to three have been involved in issues ranging from assault and drug use to much more disturbing allegations.
Here’s a look at the main Squid Game cast members who’ve been caught up in legal troubles or controversies that people are just finding out about.
Park Sung-Hoon
Cho Hyun-Ju / Player 120 via Netflix
While Park Sung-Hoon hasn’t faced criminal charges, he stirred controversy for multiple reasons. His casting as a transgender character drew criticism due to his identity as a cisgender male, with many calling out the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in Korean media.
Then earlier this year, Park accidentally shared a parody pornographic Squid Game cover, titled Squirt Game, on his Instagram story. Given that explicit content is illegal in South Korea, the backlash was swift. He apologised publicly, teared up in interviews, and stepped down from his next K-drama amid pressure from admirer of his co-star YoonA.
Lee Jin-Wook
Kyung-Suk / Player 246 via Netflix
In 2016, Jin-Wook was accused of sexual assault by a 33-year-old woman who claimed he forced himself on her after drinks at her apartment. The actor counter-sued and the court ruled in his favour. According to Korea Times, this was after police revealed the woman confessed to making false allegations. She was later sentenced for defamation.
Song Young-Chang
Im Jeong-Dae / Player 100 via Netflix
One of the darkest scandals on this list involves veteran actor Song Young-Chang. In 2000, he became the first major Korean celebrity convicted of soliciting underage prostitution, after paying a 16-year-old girl twice for sex in the backseat of his car. He served just over a month in prison before being released on a suspended sentence. After relocating to Canada, he eventually returned to Korea but remains banned from major broadcasters like KBS and MBC.
T.O.P
Thanos / Player 230 via Netflix
BIGBANG rapper T.O.P, real name Choi Seung-hyun, brought a rebellious energy to Squid Game season two. But in 2017, T.O.P was prosecuted without detention for smoking marijuana during his military service, after being outed by ex-trainee Han Seo-Hee. T.O.P pleaded guilty and received a suspended 10-month prison sentence. He officially left BIGBANG in 2023.
Despite mixed public opinion about his casting, director Hwang Dong-hyuk defended it, noting T.O.P’s willingness to take on a role reflecting his real-life struggles.
O Yeong-Su
Oh Il-Nam / Player 001 via Netflix
The veteran actor shocked people in 2022 when he was indicted on charges of sexual misconduct. The case involved multiple allegations from a woman who said Yeong-Su inappropriately touched, hugged, and kissed her back in 2017. He denied the charges but was found guilty in 2024 and handed a suspended prison sentence alongside mandatory sexual violence education.
Lee Byung-Hun
The Front Man / Player 001 via Netflix
Lee Byung-Hun’s off-screen controversies arguably rival the drama of his on-screen persona. In 2009, his ex-girlfriend failing in a lawsuit accusing him of luring her into a relationship under the false pretence of marriage in which she also alleged chronic gambling and emotional abuse and as him then successfully suing her for defamation.
Then in 2014, Byung-Hun was blackmailed by singer Dahee (of GLAM) and model Lee Ji-Yeon, who secretly recorded him making lewd comments. The pair were jailed, and GLAM disbanded.
Lee Jung-Jae
Seong Gi-hun / Player 456 via Netflix
Before becoming the face of Squid Game, Lee Jung-Jae was one of Korea’s most bankable actors. But in 1999, Jung-Jae had his driving license revoked after crashing his BMW while drunk. His blood alcohol level was over four times the legal limit. Another DUI followed in 2002, resulting in a second suspension.
Additionally, in 2000, Lee was charged with two separate assault allegations. One for dragging a 22-year-old woman from her car and injuring her outside a nightclub in Busan, and another for assaulting two men during a bar argument in Seoul. He was arrested by the Busan Haeundae Police, but was not held in custody.
More recently in 2024, he was involved in a legal dispute with the CEO of a production company he acquired.
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