Squid Game" star Lee Sung Woo is facing heated backlash after posting a graphic drawing of his own character through Instagram Stories before deleting it hours later with no explanation.

The photo, which contained explicit sex material of Player 226, the character played by Lee in Seasons 2 and 3 of the international Netflix phenomenon, was immediately branded by netizens as "straight-up p*rn."

While others dismissed it as a crazy decision or got the joke, many others were appalled.

A backlash swept through social media, with many questioning Lee's judgment and whether posting such NSFW fan art in public was wise.

"LSW NOOOOOO. STOP I CAN'T THIS IS HILARIOUS," posted one Twitter user.

"Are squid game actors even real? I saw that player 120's actor posted squid game p0rn on his ig too"

Others pointed to the actor's platform and reach, expressing concerns about the message that such a post sends, particularly with the show's international audience and youth following.

The latest controversy compares to a previous one involving fellow actor Park Sung Hoon, who in January shared the cover of a pornographic parody of the show on his Instagram Story.

That image, featuring depictions of sexual violence, was roundly criticized. Park subsequently apologized, resigned from a drama production, and went dark on social media for weeks.

At the time of publication, Lee Sung Woo has not issued a public statement or commented on the issue. His management company has yet to respond to media questions as well.

"Squid Game" Season 3 is now in post-production and due for release later this year. Whether this scandal will impact Lee's part in promotional work remains to be seen.