Park Sung Hoon has officially stepped down from his role in the upcoming drama “The Tyrant’s Chef” alongside Girls’ Generation’s YoonA. The 39-year-old actor made this difficult decision following a public backlash over an explicit social media post related to “Squid Game 2”.
He accidentally shared a racy parody of “Squid Game 2” on his Instagram on December 30 and has been receiving hate intense backlash ever since. Despite an apology and repeated explanations, he continued to receive criticism, with K-netizens demanding his removal from his next project.
His agency BH Entertainment, claimed it was an honest mistake, saying he accidentally posted a photo sent via direct message. However, many people did not buy the explanation, citing Instagram’s features that make such a mistake unlikely.
In a tearful apology during an interview on January 8, Park Sung Hoon expressed regret, however, the public remains unforgiving.
YoonA’s fans and Korean netizens were vocal about wanting him out of ‘The Tyrant’s Chef’. At first, Studio Dragon and tvN supported keeping him as the main actor, but Park Sung Hoon decided to step down, so the drama will have a new lead.
On January 11, the production company of “The Tyrant’s Chef” Studio Dragon, stated, “After much discussion, the production team and actor Park Sung Hoon have decided that it would be difficult to work together on this project.”
They added, “After further discussion, the production team and Park Sung Hoon have decided to go their separate ways.”
Previously, the production team for “The Tyrant’s Chef” canceled the script reading scheduled for January 2, citing the national mourning period as the reason. At the time, they denied rumors that the “Squid Game 2” actor was leaving the project.
Studio Dragon assured fans that his departure would not disrupt the drama’s broadcast schedule, set for the second half of this year. They are currently in talks to find a replacement. Meanwhile, the script reading previously scheduled for January 16 has been temporarily postponed.
“The Tyrant Chef” is a fantasy survival romance drama about a chef who time-travels to the past. There, he meets a king known for being ruthless but also revered for his refined palate. Director Jang Tae Yoo, known for “My Love from the Star”, is at the helm. Park Sung Hoon was originally cast as the male lead opposite YoonA. All eyes are now on who will take over his role in “The Tyrant’s Chef”.