Writer-Director Hwang Dong Hyuk of 'Squid Game 2' shared his thoughts on casting T.O.P (Choi Seung Hyun) during an interview with an overseas media outlet.
On December 28, 'People' magazine, published an interview with the director, which was conducted prior to the release of 'Squid Game 2.' He discussed the controversial casting of T.O.P and addressed questions about his acting skills.
Director Hwang began by saying, "As you may know, Choi Seung Hyun was embroiled in a marijuana controversy about nine years ago, which made it impossible for him to participate in any projects in Korea. 'Squid Game 2' is his return to acting after a long hiatus."
He continued, "In particular, he plays a character who is a rapper and a drug user. In some ways, I think it must have taken a great deal of courage for Choi Seung Hyun to take on this role, especially since the character shares many negative similarities with his personal experiences. I believe it required a lot of bravery to step into that character."
Hwang added, "Despite his long break, as a director, I found his acting to be very impressive, and I am extremely satisfied with how he portrayed the character."
T.O.P was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence in 2017 for marijuana use. Following this, he left BIG BANG and ceased his acting career. At the time, T.O.P stated that he had no intention of returning to the entertainment industry. However, his comeback with the globally anticipated 'Squid Game 2' sparked considerable controversy.
Public reactions to T.O.P's casting were largely negative. However, Director Hwang highlighted T.O.P's efforts and acting talent, saying, "In the end, I concluded that the only way to show why this project needed to be done with this actor was through the results themselves. That’s why I decided to proceed without reversing the decision."
Despite these remarks, T.O.P failed to garner a positive response from viewers after the release of the series. Many criticized his exaggerated gestures, awkward pronunciation, and the outdated portrayal of the rapper character, leading to mixed reactions about his performance.
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