Actress Park Gyu-young has become the center of controversy after unexpectedly posting a major spoiler for Netflix's 'Squid Game' Season 3.
On January 8, Park shared a photo on her Instagram Story that potentially revealed significant details about the upcoming season, only to delete it shortly after. The photo appears to feature a key moment from the new season. In the image, Park is dressed in the iconic pink guard uniform on set, looking directly at the camera. While she likely intended to share only her appearance, she inadvertently included another actor seated next to her, whose identity has become a hot topic among fans.
Although the other actor’s face is partially obscured by a hat, many speculate it to be Lee Jin-wook, who starred in 'Squid Game' Season 2. Lee portrayed Park Kyung-seok, a character who joined the deadly game to save his ailing daughter and played a pivotal role in the latter half of the season.
If fans' guesses are correct and Lee’s character is indeed shown wearing the pink guard uniform, it could hint at a critical plot twist in Season 3. This has led to widespread criticism of Park’s unintentional leak. Amid the mounting controversy, Park quickly removed the post.
The production of 'Squid Game' has been shrouded in secrecy, with Netflix enforcing strict confidentiality agreements for cast, crew, and even journalists. It has been reported that cast members and staff are required to adhere to stringent security protocols, including non-disclosure agreements and potential liability for damages.
During media visits to the set, reporters were also required to sign agreements emphasizing the importance of secrecy. Press conferences and advance screenings were similarly held under tight security measures.
However, Park’s accidental reveal of what could be a critical twist in the story has drawn criticism from some corners. This incident has sparked particular debate given Park’s previous remarks during a Season 2 interview, where she stated, “Everything will be revealed in Season 3,” while demonstrating caution against spoilers herself.
In 'Squid Game,' Park plays No-eul, a North Korean defector and former soldier who works in a theme park wearing a mascot costume while searching for her daughter left behind in the North.
According to Netflix’s Top 10 rankings on its Tudum website, 'Squid Game' Season 2 garnered 58.2 million views (calculated by dividing total watch hours by the series’ runtime) between December 30 and January 5, ranking No. 1 on the global Top 10 series chart across both English and non-English categories. The season also made the Top 10 list in 93 countries.
In addition, the series ranked as Netflix’s 7th most popular non-English series of all time in its debut week and reached 126.2 million views within 11 days, securing the No. 2 spot in Netflix’s history, following its record-breaking predecessor, Season 1.