Squid Game actor donated Netflix check to trans doctoral student

Sushant Divgikr, a genderfluid performance artist who provided the Hindi voice of Squid Game season 2's trans character Cho Hyun-ju, reportedly used their Netflix check to financially support Dr. Ruth John Paul, the first transgender woman in India to be admitted to a postgraduate medical program.

Divgikr, who is also known as her drag persona Rani KoHEnur, announced her donation on social media on December 30, Them reports.

"I got my payment from Squid Game 2 early on special request because I wanted to help fund a wonderful transgender doctor for her Post Graduation course! Because otherwise she would have lost her job and her degree! And we ain't allowing that on Rani's timeline!"

After getting a callback for Squid Game, Divgikr says she "knew that I would be able to cover the fees for Dr. Ruth John Paul, who I have worked with in the past at the first transgender clinic in Hyderabad where she was working tirelessly to help transgender people with healthcare and sustain basic health requirements, which sadly many governments in our country don't seem to pay attention to."

Despite her own house burning down, she gave the "late Christmas gift and early new year gift" as soon as the money hit her account. Divgikr's Instagram carousel also included a video from Dr. Paul, expressing her thanks. She also hopes her donation can potentially "help many manyyyy Dr. Ruths so we can all feel love and care without bias and conditions."

It's great that Squid Game's international dubs are featuring transgender artists who care about their community. The show came under fire last year after it was announced that Hyung-ju would be played by cisgender male actor Park Sung-soon.

"In the beginning, we were doing our research, and I was thinking of doing an authentic casting of a trans actor," creator Hwang Dong-hyuk said in December 2024. "When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because unfortunately in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking."

But despite earlier hesitations, fans are loving the nuances of the character. And of course, some conservatives are spiraling with complaints about Hyung-ju using the women's restroom and the show going "woke." Which just might mean it is a win for trans representation.

Squid Game season 2 is streaming on Netflix.