Season 2 of Netflix's hit series "Squid Game" faced backlash from Vietnamese viewers when it premiered on December 26, 2024, due to a line referring to Vietnamese history, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
Speaking to Lao Dong reporters on December 27, 2024, a representative of the Department of Cinema said that they had received the information, were reviewing and evaluating, and handling it in accordance with the law if the film violated the Cinema Law.
The Korean newspaper cited Article 9, Clause 1 of Vietnam's Cinema Law, which regulates historical content when included in films.
The controversial scene in “Squid Game 2” is the scene in episode 5, when the characters Dae Ho (played by Kang Ha Neul) and Jung Bae (played by Lee Seo Hwan) talk about their days serving in the Marine Corps.
Jung Bae asked, “Did your father send his only son to the Marines?” Dae Ho replied, “My father sent me to be more of a man. My father fought in the Vietnam War.”
Then Jung Bae said, “Your dad must be a great person.”
Many Vietnamese audiences criticized the production team for referring to the phrase "Vietnam War" in a misleading way.
In an interview on January 6, actor Lee Seo Hwan explained the scene.
“That line was supposed to be a compliment about sending his only son to the Marines, not about him serving in the Vietnam War. There was a misunderstanding in that scene,” the actor explained.
But from a Vietnamese perspective, I understand that it can be hurtful. I feel the weight of responsibility that actors have to bear in every line they say,” the actor shared.
“Squid Game 2” continues part 1 released in 2021, the main character Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) - the winner of part 1 - refused to move to America to return to participate in the game again, to find the manipulator behind this deadly game and avenge the dead.
“Squid Game 2” rose to the top of Netflix’s most-watched non-English-language TV show chart globally after just four days of release, with 487.6 million viewing hours, breaking the record set by season 1 (448.73 million viewing hours in its first week).
