On November 26, Netflix released its original series Squid Game 2 worldwide. The sequel follows Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) as he returns to the deadly games in search of revenge, facing Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and diving into a new chapter of the brutal competition.
Soon after the release, a controversy emerged in Vietnam. The media outlet “Tuổi Trẻ Online” criticized the series for a reference to the Vietnam War, calling it inappropriate and offensive to Vietnamese audiences.
In one scene, Kang Dae-ho (played by Kang Ha-neul) tells his superior in the Marine Corps, Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), that his father was a Vietnam War veteran. Park Jung-bae responds, “Your father must have been a great man.”
This dialogue sparked outrage in Vietnam, where the portrayal of South Korean soldiers as “great” during the Vietnam War drew heavy criticism. Given the painful and complex history of the Vietnam War, which entailed immense suffering for the Vietnamese people, the policy touched a raw nerve and the public reaction was swift and ferocious.
A representative of the Vietnam Film Department stated: “We are currently reviewing and evaluating whether ‘Squid Game 2’ violates the country’s film laws.”
