She addressed everything from her scandal to the audition process.
Koreaboo
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk recently addressed the controversy surrounding the casting of SUPERIOR (also known as Choi Seung Hyun) In Squid game 2. The decision has sparked heated debate and scathing reviews online ever since his participation was announced.
While international viewers showed more openness towards Thanos (TOP’s character), many South Korean viewers were critical both due to cultural differences and TOP’s past.
Hwang explained that larger-than-life, cartoonish characters, like Thanos, tend to be well-received internationally but often feel out of place for Korean audiences, who generally prefer down-to-earth, serious portrayals. Despite some scathing criticism, Hwang defended his creative choice, saying that Thanos was intentionally designed to be eccentric and exaggerated.
Even during the first season there were some cartoonish and exaggerated characters, and people in Korea said they felt out of place. They found these characters embarrassing. However, foreign audiences love these types of characters. In Korea, where serious, realism-based performances are the norm, the cartoonish and exaggerated nature of these characters may seem “clumsy” or “exaggerated”. That’s the kind of role Thanos plays, and that’s how I directed it.
He’s always in a euphoric state, similar to some of the eccentric rappers you see Show me the money. I combined elements of those figures into this character. Since he is under the influence of drugs, he is “high” and exaggerated. I think I acted according to my intentions. Although some viewers in Korea may find it exaggerated or excessive, I wanted to create a character that could evoke such polarizing reactions. I think younger audiences or international viewers might find the character memorable and even funny. Based on current reactions, foreign viewers seem to have a favorable impression of Thanos and find him surprising.
— Hwang Dong Hyuk
The casting process for the character was not easy. Hwang said his team initially struggled to find an actor who could embody the role of a troubled rapper involved in drugs, a storyline meant to reflect contemporary social issues.
We did auditions, but Seung Hyun wasn’t initially considered for the role. I wanted to create a group that reflected current issues among young people, such as the frenzy over cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies and drugs, which are also problems abroad. We auditioned for a long time, looking for someone who could play a character who loves hip-hop and uses drugs, but I couldn’t find anyone who met my criteria.
— Hwang Dong Hyuk
TOP’s name came up during this search, and although Hwang was initially hesitant due to the actor’s years-long hiatus following his marijuana conviction, he eventually reached out. After numerous auditions and some hesitation about preparing for TOP, Hwang decided he was right for the role.
Then someone on my team mentioned Seung Hyun and brought it to my attention. They said, “Hasn’t he disappeared from the public eye for a while?” and explained that after his incident (with marijuana), he had taken a long break. Since he was acting and rapping, they suggested contacting him through the production company. I wasn’t expecting much, considering he had been gone for a long time and had given up everything after the marijuana incident. I think he spent a lot of time thinking about whether he could play a drug-addled rapper, a role that was so similar to his story.
— Hwang Dong Hyuk
As for the public backlash surrounding TOP’s past, Hwang acknowledged that he underestimated the level of criticism. He noted that, historically, many public figures in South Korea have resumed their careers after a period of absence and believes that six years is a sufficient period for reflection.
I didn’t realize until the press conference that TOP had not been forgiven to this point. When I chose it, I researched the history of celebrities who had resumed their careers after drug scandals, going back to the Park Chung Hee administration. At the time, there was a crackdown on marijuana use and many were allowed to return to the industry after about four years. Since it’s been six to seven years for Seung Hyun, I thought enough time had passed for people to accept him. However, I was surprised by the backlash.
After seeing the controversy and his comments about not returning to Korea, I realized, “This is a bigger problem than I thought.” But I personally couldn’t just say, “You can’t be a part of this because you haven’t been forgiven.” I wanted to work with him to create something that could show whether he could earn forgiveness. Ultimately it is up to the audience to decide whether they will accept him again after seeing his work.
— Hwang Dong Hyuk
