On the morning of August 5, Lee Sung-Woo-Noto for interpreting the player 226 in the long-awaited Play of squid Seasoni 2 and 3 – shocked fans by loading an NSFW illustration (not safe for work) to its Instagram history. The work of art portrayed his character in a provocative and sexualized way, with background music that many believed made the post even more inappropriate. Although the post had been quickly removed, the screenshots had already started to spread quickly on X (previously Twitter).
A storage of history has attracted over 1.4 million views in a few hours, attracting a deluge of shocked and angry reactions. “The actor played 226 seriously only after 18+ fans of himself? Is it also real?” A user wrote, attached the screenshot. Many Netizen have slammed the pole as a desperate stratagem for attention, exploiting Play of squidGlobal fame in a way that has been considered very inappropriate.
While most of the reactions was fundamental, some fans attempted to defend the actor. They hypothesized that Lee Sung-Woo may not have fully understood the nature of the fanart or simply wanted to share the work of a fan without realizing his implications. Others have questioned, “Did he also grab how sensitive the image was? Or was he just thrilled to see himself designed by a fan?”
Despite the debates, many fans argue that this behavior is unacceptable, especially by a member of the cast of one of Netflix’s most observed franchise. The controversy has even re -emerged another scandal since the beginning of 2025, when Fellow Play of squid The actor Park Sung-Hoon was focused on having published a film cover with themes of sexual violence inspired by the series. Although Park Sung-Hoon was subsequently and stated that it was an accidental share, the repercussions were serious: he retired from a television project and remained outside social media for weeks.
Now, many worrying of Sung-Woo could face a similar destiny. Starting now, neither he nor his agency have released a public declaration regarding the dispute.
Born in 1983, Lee Sung-Woo began his career in the theater before moving on to cinema and television. Although it is not a traditional celebrity, it was praised for his roles in Drainage (2022), The hunter of desolate land (2024) and the original Play of squid (2021). It is known in the world of theater to be a dedicated and serious actor. However, this accident can throw a lasting shadow on its reputation.
With Squid Game Season 2 Release to the horizon, all eyes are on how Netflix, the show production team, and Lee Sung-Woo themselves will respond to the growing situation.
Sources: Kenh14
