"Father is a Vietnam War Veteran" Kang Ha-neul's Line Sparks 'Squid Game 2' Boycott Movement

To Vietnam War Veterans, "Outstanding Figures"
Some Also Claim "Historical Distortion"

There is a growing movement in Vietnam to boycott the Netflix drama 'Squid Game 2.' The reason cited is that it triggered trauma among the Vietnamese people by referencing the Vietnam War.

Netflix

Multiple local media outlets reported that "historical lines in 'Squid Game 2' sparked backlash from Vietnamese viewers." The problematic part came from the characters Dae-ho (Kang Ha-neul), a former marine, and Jeong-bae (Lee Seo-hwan). When Dae-ho said, "Since I am the second son, my mother made me play only inside the house with my sisters," Jeong-bae retorted, "You sent your second son to the marines? Such a precious son?" Dae-ho explained, "My father sent me to toughen up. He was a Vietnam War veteran." Jeong-bae then gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Your father is admirable."

The Vietnam War, known as the Indochina War (1946?1954) followed by the division of Vietnam, was fought between 1955 and 1975. At the request of the U.S. military, South Korea deployed 320,000 troops. While this deployment allowed South Korea to have a stronger voice in the international community and brought economic development, it left an indelible scar of civil war on the Vietnamese people. The economic losses were also enormous. From Vietnam's perspective, the South Korean military was seen as a foreign force interfering in their civil war. The reference to the traumatic civil war and the portrayal of the deployed South Korean soldiers as "admirable figures" sparked backlash. There were also accusations of historical distortion.

Vietnamese official newspaper Lao Dong reported, "This video quickly spread through social media, leading many viewers to demand a boycott of the show, request a re-censorship from Netflix Vietnam, and even call for the removal of the show from the Vietnam region."

The authorities also acted swiftly. A representative from the Vietnamese Ministry of Cinema stated, "'Squid Game 2' is currently under review and evaluation for potential violations of the film law," adding, "We will handle it according to the law."