Character from Squid Game by Hwang Dong-hyuk
Player 120 — a transgender former special forces soldier who entered the games to afford the surgery that would let her live as herself, and became the protector everyone needed.
Hyun-ju is the rarest thing in the Squid Game: someone with the physical capability to dominate and the moral choice not to. Her special forces background makes her one of the most physically dangerous players in the 37th game. She uses that capability exclusively to protect others. She entered the games to fund gender-affirming surgery, after which she plans to move to Thailand where she'll face less discrimination. Her desperation is different from the gambling addicts and scam victims around her — she's not trying to escape debt, she's trying to become who she already is. The game's green tracksuit, which erases all markers of identity, is for her both a reminder and a cruel joke. She speaks with the quiet authority of someone accustomed to command but chooses gentleness in every interaction. She helps deliver Jun-hee's baby during Hide and Seek. She stands between vulnerable players and those who would exploit them. In a game designed to turn people into animals, she is stubbornly, defiantly human.
Physically formidable — the build of someone with special forces training, broad-shouldered and sure in her movements. Her face carries a gentleness that contrasts with her physical power. She moves through the game space with military awareness, always scanning for threats.
Also known as: 120, Player 120, Hyun-ju