Actor from “The Squid Game” performed a Soviet song in Russian, causing a wave of indignation

Actor Ho Sung-tae, known for his role in the TV series “The Squid Game,” has once again come under fire, but this time not because of his character, but because of an unexpected television appearance. On the South Korean show “Seasons: Cantabile Park Bo-gum,” he sang the Soviet song “Cranes” in Russian.

Observers thought that after playing the role of a nasty criminal, the actor would no longer be able to arouse such antipathy. However, his recent performance appears unsuccessful against the backdrop of modern trends to abandon Soviet symbols in 2025. Russian propaganda resources are actively distributing a video of his performance.

Interestingly, Ho Sung-tae not only knows the text, but also has a good knowledge of Russian. Before becoming an actor, he was educated at the Russian language faculty of Pusan University. Then he worked at the Moscow office of LG, which may have contributed to his interest in such compositions.

The song “Cranes,” written by composer Jan Frenkel and poet Rasul Gamzatov, is not neutral, as it currently coincides with the pervasive perception of toxic legacy. In South Korea, the song gained popularity after its appearance in “The Squid Game” during the farewell to the players. Perhaps that is why the actor decided to sing it again.

Fans of the series were shocked. Ho Sung-tae, recently nominated for the Baeksang Arts Awards, could have chosen a more neutral composition, given the current cultural circumstances.