Following the success of Season 1, creators released Squid Game 2 after a three-year wait, featuring lead actors Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, alongside new cast members including Choi Seung-hyun, who impressed audiences despite appearing in just a few episodes. Before his career decline, Choi, known as T.O.P, was a well-known figure in the Korean entertainment industry.
T.O.P plays Thanos in Squid Game Season 2, a rapper and villain who engages in risky behavior during the deadly games. His casting has stirred controversy due to past legal troubles related to drug use. In 2017, T.O.P was sentenced to ten months in prison and received a two-year military service suspension for marijuana use, which is illegal in South Korea. This history has elicited mixed reactions; while some commend his performance, others criticize the casting decision.
Lee Byung-hun significantly supported Choi's casting in Squid Game Season 2, drawing on their previous collaboration in the thriller series Iris.
Why Choi was Blacklisted?
Following his 2017 arrest for marijuana use, T.O.P was blacklisted from the entertainment industry, adversely affecting his career and public image. His role in Squid Game Season 2 marks an attempt at a comeback, yet reactions are varied. International audiences have praised him, but many Korean critics have been harsh, labeling him a "druggie" and deeming his acting "cringy" and unfit for the role.