Park Seong-hoon Faces Backlash for Sharing Inappropriate Image

Actor Park Seong-hoon is under fire for sharing a parody image of 'Squid Game' that features explicit content from a Japanese adult video (AV) cover. On December 30, he posted the image on his personal social media account without any commentary. The image, which parodies the series he starred in, displayed a woman's nudity without any pixelation, except for certain areas, shocking viewers. The title of the parody also used suggestive language, further provoking outrage. Park quickly deleted the post after it went live.

Despite the swift removal, the image spread rapidly across online communities, leaving fans stunned that an actor would share such an inappropriate representation of a project he was involved in, especially as his character in 'Squid Game 2' is currently gaining popularity among global audiences.

The controversy intensified in light of a national tragedy that occurred just a day prior, when a Jeju Air flight crashed, resulting in the deaths of 179 out of 181 passengers. The government declared a national mourning period from December 29 to January 4, which made Park's post seem even more insensitive.

As celebrities began posting tributes to the victims, Park's AV upload was seen as particularly egregious. Some netizens speculated that he might have accidentally posted the image intended for a private account, while others expressed disbelief that he would save and share such content at all.

In response to the growing backlash, a representative from BH Entertainment stated that Park had received numerous direct messages on social media, and during the process of checking them, he mistakenly uploaded the image. The actor was reportedly shocked and embarrassed, leading to the quick deletion of the post. The agency expressed deep regret for the incident, especially during a national mourning period, and promised to exercise greater caution in the future.

Despite the explanation and apology, public sentiment remained largely negative. While some were willing to understand the mistake, many others believed Park's claims were insincere. They pointed out that sharing a post via direct message would typically include the original poster's account, indicating that he had uploaded the image directly, which involves multiple steps, making an accidental post unlikely.

As a result of the controversy, many are calling for Park to step down from his upcoming project, a new drama titled 'The Tyrant's Chef'. This series, based on the web novel 'Surviving as the Chef of Yeonsangun', features Park as a tyrannical king who is also a gourmet, alongside Lim Yoona, who plays a time-traveling chef. The drama is set to air on tvN in the second half of next year. Following the news of his involvement, fans have expressed their desire for him to withdraw from the project, stating they do not wish to see a romance performance from an actor who shared such inappropriate content.

Park Seong-hoon recently gained attention for his role as Hyun-joo in 'Squid Game Season 2', where he portrayed a transgender character, receiving significant acclaim both domestically and internationally. The third season of 'Squid Game' is expected to be released in the latter half of next year.