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After the massive success of Squid Game 3, one part of the show has sparked major criticism—the portrayal of the VIPs. Viewers were quick to voice their disappointment, calling the roles poorly written and oddly performed. In the series, five masked VIPs are shown, each seemingly representing different countries: two from the U.S., and one each from the UK, France, and China. Many viewers felt their presence added little to the story and took away from the intense atmosphere the show is known for.
In response to the backlash, Bryan Bucco, who played one of the American VIPs, recently addressed the criticism on TikTok. He clarified that the voices heard in the show were not those of the actual actors. “Those are the English dubs. Not the actors’ voices,” he explained, pushing back at people blaming the actors for the awkward delivery.
He also agreed with viewers who said the VIP scenes didn’t contribute much to the plot. Bryan shared that he too wished their characters had been given more purpose and better integration into the story. He didn’t hold back on his frustration, suggesting that the fault may lie with Netflix: “It could be Netflix messing sh*t up?”
When asked why the original actors’ voices weren’t used in the Korean version, he admitted he wasn’t sure. “Yeah I don’t know. I mean it’s whatever… maybe it’s a region thing?” He also noted that some of the dubbed voices felt surprisingly different, but gave credit to the voice actors for doing their best. “I don’t even want to sh*t on my voice actor either because I think he did fine. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him to say his lines either haha…”
Despite the criticism, Bryan shared positive memories from filming. He talked about working closely with Lee Byung Hun, who plays The Front Man. They practiced lines together for three days on set, and Bryan praised the experience.
Interestingly, the other American VIP, Kevin Yorn, is not a full-time actor but a well-known lawyer. He’s also part of the law firm that represents Squid Game creator Hwang Dong Hyuk, which has added more curiosity around how the roles were cast.
In the end, while fans were hoping for more depth or relevance from the VIP characters, Bryan Bucco’s comments help explain what might have gone wrong—and who might really be responsible.