Park Gyu Young breaks silence on Squid Game 3 spoiler controversy: 'I felt a deep sense of guilt toward the director'

Time of India

03-07-2025

Actor Park Gyu Young, who portrayed one of the pink guards, No-Eul, in Squid Game 3, has finally broken her silence on the spoiler controversy that erupted earlier this year. In a heartfelt interview, she addressed the now-deleted Instagram post that inadvertently revealed the return of Lee Jin Wook's character and clarified rumours about a penalty.
The photo that sparked it all
In an interview with Sports Chosun on July 2, 2025, Park had shared a behind-the-scenes photo of herself in costume, but fans quickly noticed a blurred figure in the background believed to be Lee Jin Wook, whose character's fate had been left ambiguous in Season 2. The post was deleted, but not before it went viral.
'I think I showed a disappointing side of myself'
In her interview, Park began with a sincere apology, saying, 'Over the past few months, I think I showed a disappointing side of myself. Many of you may have been let down. But since I have this opportunity to speak to you directly, I want to address the questions I previously avoided out of concern they might harm the project.' She added, 'I believe I caused a lot of disappointment by unintentionally spoiling something on social media. Although I was asked about it at the press conference, I don't think I gave a proper response then, so I'd like to take this opportunity to explain.'
Immediate apologies to the team
Park revealed that she contacted the production team, director Hwang Dong Hyuk, and Lee Jin Wook right after the incident. 'Right after I uploaded the photo, I immediately contacted the production team, the director, and senior actor Jin Wook to apologize. The director told me, 'Let's make sure this kind of mistake never happens again.' Although Jin Wook sunbae said he was totally fine, I still spent a long time reflecting on my lack of awareness and maturity, and how I failed to take full responsibility for the project'. She also shared how Lee Jin Wook reacted with kindness, quoting, 'I reached out to him right away, and he actually comforted me by joking that he appreciated the attention. I felt even more sorry and grateful because of that. During the press conference, too, he tried to comfort me, and I was deeply thankful but also felt I didn't deserve it.'
'I just want to speak without excuses'
To her fans, Park offered a direct and emotional apology, saying, 'I just want to speak without excuses. I know many of you had high expectations for Season 3 after Season 2 ended. And I'm sure you began the season already guessing certain developments, like Lee Jin Wook's survival and character arc. I sincerely apologize for that, without offering any defense'. She added, 'I did blame myself a lot, but more than that, I felt a deep sense of guilt toward the director, who constructed such a thoughtful storyline, and the production team who brought it to life.'
'There was no mention of penalties'
Addressing rumours of a Netflix fine, Park clarified, 'I can't go into the specifics of the contract, but rather than penalties, the response was more focused on ensuring that nothing like this happens again. There were pre-filming guidelines about being careful with leaks or exposure, but there was no mention of penalties, and I want to clarify that as carefully as I can.'
'I spent a long time reflecting'
In a separate interview with JoongAng Daily, Park said, 'There's no excuse — it was a foolish mistake, and I've reflected deeply on it.' Further added, 'Honestly, I felt a huge sense of guilt. I blamed myself a lot, and I really reflected a lot on the responsibility that an actor should carry within a project.' She concluded with, 'Even though I was forgiven, I spent a long time thinking about whether I was mature enough and responsible enough for my work.'