'Squid Game 3': Backlash against Park Gyu‑young reignites after reporter's post goes viral

At a press interview held back in July, Park Gyu‑young began by thanking reporters for enduring the heat, acknowledged months of disappointing conduct, and stood to deliver a 90‑degree bow before cameras. She admitted that a prior set photo shared after Season 2 enabled audiences to infer a major Season 3 development, saying there was no excuse and apologizing to fans and the production team. She added that, while there were no hard device‑sealing protocols on set, staff had stressed personal vigilance-an explanation critics say underlined a lapse in individual prudence for a global franchise. Across roughly 50 minutes, the session moved away from performance and direction to apology, explanation, and questions about internal guidance. Attempts to steer the conversation back to character and craft repeatedly stalled as follow‑ups returned to the spoiler. Despite the elapsed time since the event, a reporter who allegedly attended the event, posted days ago, an account of tense off‑mic exchanges, hurried PR interventions, and persistent efforts to redirect questions-reigniting backlash long after the press day. According to KM Sports, that post reframed the July 2 session as reputation management rather than a creative briefing, fueling claims that Park's responses sounded overly coached and reactive. The timing amplified anger by suggesting unresolved unease within the room had simply gone unvoiced until now. Reaction has tilted more negative toward Park, with detractors arguing that citing the absence of strict on‑set security shifts attention away from the personal discipline expected on high‑stakes rollouts. The spoiler's early spread and an apology‑dominated press cycle are now framed as self‑inflicted distractions that eclipsed collaborators and narrative discussion. In the wake of the reporter's post, calls have grown for immediate disclosure to production after errors, clear personal protocols, and press sessions that acknowledge responsibility while preserving space to discuss the work.