“Free my man Thanos from Korean netizens,” reads one of the most up-voted comments on Reddit about Squid Game Season 2’s most polarising character.
The sentiment captures the stark divide between global fans embracing T.O.P’s magnetic performance and the ongoing controversy in his home country.
Who Plays Thanos in Squid Game Season 2? Meet Actor Choi Seung-hyun
When director Hwang Dong-hyuk cast former BIGBANG rapper T.O.P as Thanos in Squid Game Season 2, he knew exactly what he was doing.
“It took him a lot of guts,” Hwang explained in an interview, addressing the elephant in the room – the striking parallels between T.O.P’s real-life struggles and his character’s demons.
For the uninitiated: T.O.P plays Player 230, a fallen rapper with a drug habit who brings chaos to the deadly games.
Outside the show, T.O.P (real name Choi Seung-hyun) faced his own battles after a 2017 cannabis scandal that effectively ended his Korean entertainment career.
“He wasn’t able to do any projects for nine years,” Hwang revealed, making this role a high-stakes comeback.
Squid Game Actor T.O.P Faces Mixed Reviews as Thanos
“I’ve got to ask, is he getting hate because his acting was considered ‘bad’ as in a poor portrayal of an annoying character, or do they just not like his character over in Korea?” one confused international fan asked on Reddit. The answer? Neither.
“It’s plainly because of the cannabis thing,” explains a Korean fan in the discussion.
“No matter what he does, they will still hang on to it.” The response highlights the cultural chasm between international viewers who’ve made “Welcome to Thanos world!” a beloved catchphrase and Korean audiences who remain divided over T.O.P’s return.
Thanos Casting Controversy: Why Squid Game Season 2 Sparked Debate
The controversy runs so deep that T.O.P’s face remains censored on Korean telly, and he’s notably absent from Season 2’s promotional activities.
Yet Hwang stands firmly behind his casting choice: “Despite the long hiatus, I have to say, as a director, he performed very impressively, and I’m very satisfied with what he did with the character.”
Western audiences agree. “I found his sidekick to be more of a psychopath than him,” notes one viewer, while another adds, “His character has really grown on me throughout the series. I could see him as a Bond villain sidekick.”
The Hospital Game Controversy: Behind T.O.P’s Dramatic Scene
“Korean netizens are a different beast and they do not care even if it drives people to off themselves,” one commenter grimly notes, referencing the devastating toll of public scrutiny.
T.O.P’s own struggles with mental health following his scandal make his portrayal of Thanos even more poignant.
The role’s complexity wasn’t lost on the actor. Playing a character who shares what Hwang calls “negative similarities” to his public image required remarkable courage.
In a clever twist, the show’s creators turned these parallels into compelling storytelling, with Thanos’s arc resonating particularly strongly with viewers familiar with T.O.P’s history.
The Squid Games Season 2: What’s Next for T.O.P?
“He should move to Hollywood,” suggests one fan, echoing a growing sentiment among international viewers. “We love him over here.”
While the Korean entertainment industry’s stance remains complicated, T.O.P’s performance as Thanos has opened new doors globally.
As one fan eloquently puts it: “That’s so mad considering American celebrities are far from perfect and yet praised worldwide. Poor T.O.P.”
The contrast between these cultural attitudes raises fascinating questions about redemption, second chances, and the evolving landscape of global entertainment.
Whether you love him or hate him, one thing’s clear: T.O.P’s portrayal of Thanos has people talking.
And in the entertainment world, that’s worth its weight in gold – or perhaps, in this case, infinity stones.