A controversial scene from Season 2 of Netflix's original series "Squid Game" depicts characters discussing a Korean veteran of the Vietnam War. / Captured from Netflix Vietnam
By KTimes
Season 2 of Netflix's smash series "Squid Game" is facing calls for a boycott in Vietnam due to dialogue referencing the Vietnam War, which has sparked criticism for allegedly distorting history. Vietnamese authorities are also closely monitoring the situation.
According to Vietnamese state media outlet Lao Dong on Monday, the Vietnam Cinema Department which oversees films is reviewing whether the second season of "Squid Game" violates Vietnam’s film laws.
The department said, “If it is concluded that the series violates regulations, we will handle the matter in accordance with the law.” This follows a widespread backlash on Vietnamese social media, with calls to boycott the series for misrepresenting the nation’s history.
Controversial dialogue
The controversy stems from dialogue involving a contestant in the deadly games. Actor Kang Ha-neul, who plays the character Dae-ho (participant No. 388), describes his family’s military history, saying, “My father wanted me to become a real man, so he sent me to the Marines. My father was a Vietnam War veteran.” Other contestants respond by praising his father, saying, “Your father must be an honorable man.”
This exchange has angered many Vietnamese viewers, who criticized the series for glorifying South Korean soldiers who served in the Vietnam War.
Comments on social media include, “It’s wrong to portray Korean veterans of the Vietnam War as honorable figures,” and “The series whitewashes the atrocities committed by South Korean soldiers during the war.”
Some also accused South Korea of hypocrisy. “South Korea demands apologies and reparations from Japan for colonial rule but boasts about its military involvement in Vietnam," he said. "This is a double standard.”
Reactions on Vietnamese social media to the Vietnam War dialogue in "Squid Game" Season 2. Criticisms include, "They are boasting about a war fought on the blood and bones of another nation," and "Korea always demands reparations from Japan but proudly boasts about deploying troops to Vietnam." Captured from Facebook
Boycott demands escalate
Lao Dong reported that many viewers have demanded Netflix Vietnam reevaluate the series, with some even calling for its removal from the platform in the country. Depending on the Cinema Department’s findings, Season 2 could be pulled from Netflix Vietnam.
This isn’t the first time a Korean drama has faced scrutiny in Vietnam. In 2022, tvN's drama "Little Women" was removed from Netflix Vietnam after being accused of distorting history and violating local laws. The controversy arose from dialogue describing South Korean soldiers as capable of killing 20 Viet Cong soldiers and portraying them as heroes of the Vietnam War.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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