Sumith Prasad
Park Sung-hoon’s Cho Hyun-ju is one of the most empathetic characters in the second season of Netflix’s survival series ‘Squid Game.’ When she sees Young-mi struggling with her fears, she tries her best to calm her down, forming an endearing bond with her. While most of the players who compete in the Squid Game display selfishness to ensure their survival and maximum prize money, the transwoman is one of the few exceptions. That explains why her life appears to be invaluable. However, she puts herself on the line when Seong Gi-hun sets out to shut the deadly game down for good by sparking a rebellion with his supporters! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Cho Hyun-ju Confronts Death by Leading the Rebels
In the second season finale, Seong Gi-hun forms a group of rebels and wages a war against the organizers of the Squid Game to put an end to the deadly madness. When he asks other players to join him, many step back, including his teammate, Kim Jun-hee. Surprisingly, Cho Hyun-ju steps forward and joins the faction. Throughout the game, the transwoman struggles to prioritize her interests over the “right thing” and vice versa. That’s why she changes sides multiple times. In a significant scene, she even subtly clarifies that, ultimately, her focus is on garnering enough money to complete her medical transition.
However, when Gi-hun announces a rebellion against the forces behind the Squid Game, Hyun-ju chooses to put her life on the line rather than cling to it. She even teaches her fellow rebels how to use an MP5 submachine gun, thanks to her experience as a first-class sergeant in the Republic of Korea Army’s special forces. When Gi-hun and Jung-bae set out to find the control room, Hyun-ju even leads a small group of rebels, especially after Hwang In-ho, the Front Man, goes after the two inseparable friends. She courageously fights the war against the soldiers and guides her compatriots with her wisdom, even if it means facing death.
Kang Dae-ho and Jang Geum-ja Save Cho Hyun-ju From Her Death
Even though most of the rebels are killed by the Front Man’s soldiers, Cho Hyun-ju survives the rebellion thanks to Kang Dae-ho (Player 388) and Jang Geum-ja (Player 149). She remains alive only because she leaves her post to find Dae-ho and garner magazines required to continue fighting the organizers. After she departs, the remaining rebels at the place get shot by the soldiers, clarifying that Dae-ho’s fear rescues her from her death. If the Marine veteran hadn’t retreated from the rebellion and hid himself in the living chamber, the transwoman wouldn’t have started looking for her, which protects her from the soldiers’ ambush.
Even after locating Dae-ho, Hyun-ju sets out to continue fighting the soldiers, only to be stopped by Jang Geum-ja, the mother of Park Yong-sik (Player 007). The old woman stops her from firing her gun at the soldiers, who have enough ammunition to kill the surviving players. Geum-ja’s intervention makes Hyun-ju retreat for now, which saves her life. Having said that, it is too early to assuredly state that the transwoman will survive the Squid Game for good. Since the Front Man knows that she is an experienced shooter who can cause damage, it wouldn’t be surprising if he considers killing her like he shoots down Jung-bae.
The Front Man kills Jung-bae to make Gi-hun suffer. He can choose not to stop with one murder and go on a killing spree to break the resilience of the protagonist. If he decides to do anything of the sort, one of his first targets has to be Hyun-ju. Therefore, the transwoman’s survival is ultimately tied to the Front Man’s decision concerning the fates of the rebels who turn against him and his survival game.
Read More: Squid Game: Are Pink Motel and Club HDH Real Places in Seoul?
