After the release of “Squid Game 2”, director Hwang Dong-hyuk gave an interview and shared various stories about the making of this series. In particular, he mentioned the casting of former BIGBANG member Choi Seung-hyun, also known as TOP, as the weak-looking rapper Thanos.
The director said: “I auditioned a lot and couldn’t find anyone suitable for the role. The directing team gave me a list and on it was Choi Seung-hyun’s name. I asked if he was still active in the entertainment industry and they said, “He is willing to act.” At first I thought he wouldn’t accept to play this role because the character’s background story is too similar to his. However, after much thought, he contacted me and said he would give it a try. During the audition and reading the script, I could see great potential in him. He fit the character well, from his appearance to his acting.”.
He continued: “In the third season there is a story about a character whose life was ruined by drugs and I thought it could have a significant meaning if he played this role. Considering all aspects I decided to choose him, but people still haven’t forgiven him. I didn’t expect the criticism of him to continue. I was surprised to see the reactions. If I had known it would go like this I wouldn’t have announced his casting in advance.”
TOP was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 2 years of probation for smoking cannabis at his residence in 2016. “Squid Game 2” is his return as an actor after a long 9-year hiatus. Thanos (real name Choi Soo-bong), a drug-addicted rapper, appears to have been inspired by T.O.P.’s life.
Director Hwang shared: “I wondered if it was right for him to take on this role. I looked up and saw that many celebrities have returned to activities after drug scandals. I also believed that his hiatus was long and assumed that people would only judge him based on the outcome of his acting. However, as soon as TOP’s casting was announced, netizens criticized it so harshly that I had to look to see if he had done something worse.” He added, “Later I found out that he argued with fans on the Internet and was criticized for his attitude in responding to fans’ comments online. However, I couldn’t simply write off his role. Instead I decided to let him continue playing the role and see if he could be forgiven for his performance.”
Director Hwang believed that Thanos was a unique and necessary character for the development of the story of “Squid Game”. However, some viewers found the character strange and embarrassing. In fact, the backlash focuses on TOP, not the character. In this regard, the director stated: “I wanted to create an MZ group. Topics such as online gambling leading to debt and drugs are popular among young people. I wanted to mention these issues. That doesn’t mean I glorify the act of taking drugs with this character. I hoped this would make young viewers reconsider drugs and stop. I did the casting with positive intentions.”
Regarding the ongoing controversy over the casting of a large number of BH entertainment actors, from Lee Byung-hun to Park Sung-hoon, Lee Jun-wook, Won Ji-an and T.O.P., director Hwang Dong-hyuk insisted that had also tried to discover new faces, as he did in the first season. The director emphasized that all the actors were selected through auditions, adding “The underlying principle of all casting is their acting ability.”
The production cost of “Squid Game 2” was 100 billion won but viewers’ reactions were full of disappointment. Season 3 will be released in the first half of next year and many are wondering if season 3 would do better. Director Hwang shared: “It’s difficult to say anything in detail. Personally, I like the third season better. The story is more dynamic and shows the true face of the human being.”
