TOP (real name Choi Seung-hyun), formerly of BIGBANG, shared his thoughts on playing Thanos in the Netflix original series “Squid Game” Season 2. During an interview on the morning of January 15 in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno -gu, Seoul, TOP addressed the controversy surrounding his acting, “I humbly accept it as something natural.“
The second season of “Squid Game” follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who returns to the game seeking revenge, and his fierce confrontation with Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), as well as the resumption of the deadly game. The immense success of the first season, which became the most watched Netflix series globally, prompted the creation of the sequel.
In this work, T.O.P plays Thanos, a former runner-up in a hip-hop survival competition whose unpredictable and erratic behavior leaves others bewildered. His over-the-top acting and awkward rapping skills sparked controversy, but according to TOP, these were intentional choices for the character.
TOP explained: “I had extensive discussions with the director and this character was designed meticulously. In the script, Thanos was supposed to break the heavy and dark atmosphere with his cartoonish and unrealistic nature. He was presented as a failed individual, a “hip-hop loser”, rather than a charming or cool rapper. As a character addicted to substances, I intentionally portrayed him as ridiculous and unserious.“
As for rapping, he shared: “Rap was in the script. It originally had even more words. The scene itself had to be absurd and grotesque, so I tried to express it accordingly.”
TOP candidly admitted:”I’m in my late thirties and acting like someone with Shin-chan’s mental age was awkward and awkward for me. But it was my role, so I did my best.”
During the interview, TOP also confirmed a widely discussed incident in which he fractured a rib during filming. He said: “It’s true that I broke a rib during a fight scene. I received simple treatment and continued. A lot of people were doing action scenes in the bathroom sequences, so I felt a sense of responsibility to give it my all.“He added:”Siwan has extensive experience with action scenes, so I leaned on him a lot and we supported each other with a positive attitude during filming.”
There was also a story in online communities that TOP performed a dance from BIGBANG’s choreography in the “Round and Round” scene. Addressing this, he clarified: “That dance is actually similar to the traditional American cowboy dance. Given Squid Game’s global audience, I instinctively did the dance, but it wasn’t meant to reference BIGBANG.“
Additionally, TOP shared the story behind his casting in “Squid Game 2.” After a period of deep contemplation, the final decision was inspired by director Hwang Dong-hyuk.
He revealed that his hiatus was not voluntary but due to lack of offers. He explained: “In that period I did not receive any offers. For 10 years no one paid attention to me. Director Hwang’s faith in me motivated me to gain confidence and accept the role.”
However, he admitted that playing a character addicted to drugs was taxing. “I had a lot of concerns because this character required me to face my past mistakes and my shameful history. I feared being a role model or having my image permanently tied to this role. There were times when I thought about quitting, feeling destroyed inside. But Director Hwang’s guidance and trust in designing the character with me gave me the courage to proceed. It wasn’t an easy decision and my heart was heavy.“
Reflecting on his tumultuous twenties, TOP said: “Looking back, my twenties were glorious and full of gratitude. I received a lot of love but I made serious mistakes. The fall and collapse I experienced was unprecedented for me. I was mentally devastated, extremely dark and completely broken. My judgment was impaired and I made terrible decisions. I’m still ashamed and I think I’ll have to think about it for the rest of my life. I am deeply sorry to everyone I have hurt.”
