On the morning of August 5, Lee Sung-woo — known for portraying Player 226 in the much-anticipated Squid Game Seasons 2 and 3 — shocked fans by uploading an NSFW (Not Safe For Work) illustration to his Instagram story. The artwork portrayed his character in a provocative and sexualized manner, with background music that many believed made the post even more inappropriate. Although the post was swiftly removed, screenshots had already begun spreading rapidly on X (formerly Twitter).
One repost of the story attracted over 1.4 million views within hours, drawing a flood of shocked and angry reactions. “Did the actor playing 226 seriously just post 18+ fanart of himself? Is he even real?” one user wrote, attaching the screenshot. Many netizens slammed the post as a desperate ploy for attention, exploiting Squid Game’s global fame in a way that was deemed highly inappropriate.
While the majority of reactions were critical, some fans attempted to defend the actor. They speculated that Lee Sung-woo might not have fully understood the nature of the fanart or simply wanted to share a fan’s work without realizing its implications. Others questioned, “Did he even grasp how sensitive the image was? Or was he just excited to see himself drawn by a fan?”
Despite the debates, many fans argue that such behavior is unacceptable — especially from a cast member of one of Netflix’s most-watched franchises. The controversy has even resurfaced another scandal from early 2025, when fellow Squid Game actor Park Sung-hoon came under fire for posting a parody film cover with sexual violence themes inspired by the series. Though Park Sung-hoon later apologized and claimed it was an accidental share, the fallout was severe: he withdrew from a TV project and stayed off social media for weeks.
Now, many worry Lee Sung-woo may face a similar fate. As of now, neither he nor his agency has issued a public statement regarding the controversy.
Born in 1983, Lee Sung-woo began his career in theater before transitioning to film and television. While not a mainstream celebrity, he has been praised for his roles in Ddeugeoun Pi (2022), The Wasteland Hunter (2024), and the original Squid Game (2021). He’s known in the theater world for being a dedicated and serious actor. However, this incident may cast a lasting shadow over his reputation.
With Squid Game Season 2’s release on the horizon, all eyes are on how Netflix, the show’s production team, and Lee Sung-woo himself will respond to the escalating situation.
Sources: kenh14
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