Season 2 of 'Squid Game' is finally unveiling the return of Top (Choi Seung-hyun) from Big Bang. From start to finish, it’s been extraordinary and absurd. Instead of a sincere apology, Top, who has become unlikable, will conclude the interviews for 'Squid Game' Season 2. Unusually, an embargo has been placed.
On the 10th, Netflix announced, "On the 15th and 16th, we will conduct additional interviews with actor Choi Seung-hyun and the production team (art director Chae Kyung-sun, music director Jung Jae-il, and cinematographer Kim Ji-yong)," and added, "We ask for your understanding regarding the embargo for actor Choi Seung-hyun."
Previously, the actor interviews for 'Squid Game 2' (directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, hereafter 'Squid Game 2') concluded on the 9th. Starting with director Hwang Dong-hyuk, interviews with top actors including Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Im Si-wan, Wi Ha-jun, Park Gyu-young, Yang Dong-geun, and Kang Ae-sim were conducted over about two weeks.
In particular, the discussions included Top's story, along with director Hwang Dong-hyuk and the actors who were involved in the series and mentioned in the 'network casting controversy', such as Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, and Im Si-wan, who had been in conflict with Top throughout the series.
Lee Jung-jae, who immediately stated that the controversy was "completely unfounded," expressed during the interview, "Like all actors, Top (Choi Seung-hyun) should be evaluated based on his acting skills and must endure any evaluations he receives."
On the other hand, Lee Byung-hun, who did not make any statement during the controversy, responded to the question, "Did you feel unfair about the network casting controversy?" by saying, "I didn't feel unfair. I wasn't particularly upset." He added, "When I heard about Top's casting from the director, I thought it would be interesting. At that time, I didn't feel the need to make a statement regarding the network casting allegations."
Im Si-wan, regarding the public's harsh criticism of Top's acting, said, "I respect everyone's opinions," but added, "If it were me, I wouldn't have been able to play 'Thanos'. I wouldn't have had the courage to challenge it in every aspect, including the setting."
Above all, director Hwang Dong-hyuk stated, "I didn't realize that Top was not forgiven by the public to this extent. In foreign countries, marijuana is legal... I thought it would be okay since actors with past drug offenses have been able to continue their careers after some time. I was surprised to see the intense criticism after the casting was announced, but it couldn't be undone." He continued, "It seems that exaggerated and cartoonish characters are not particularly liked in Korea. I think the issue is not with Top but with the character of 'Thanos' not aligning with domestic viewers. I believe Top acted well."
When asked about the audition competition for Top, he said, "I don't remember exactly." It is common sense that an audition requires the individual to apply first, but director Hwang explained, "At that time, we couldn't find a suitable candidate for 'Thanos' among many applicants, and Top was on a list someone provided. I was unsure if he could be a suitable fit due to his circumstances, so I asked him, and after some consideration, he agreed to audition."
Additionally, while typical auditions do not give multiple chances to insufficient candidates, director Hwang said, "Initially, I didn't like it at all and asked him to redo it several times. We went through the process together, providing feedback and requesting re-auditions multiple times."
He also added, "I thought it would be difficult to promote together from the beginning. It wasn't a deliberate exclusion due to negative public opinion."
In just 11 days, 'Squid Game 2' recorded 126.2 million views (the number of views divided by the total running time of the work) and maintained the number one spot in the global TOP 10 in its second week of release. The series, which ranked seventh among Netflix's all-time most popular series (non-English) in its first week, continues to break records, with both seasons 1 and 2 now listed among Netflix's all-time most popular series (non-English).
Perhaps fueled by the dream of making a comeback as a world star, he, who has been hiding behind his colleagues and causing trouble, has unexpectedly confirmed an interview alongside the success of the content without a proper apology. There is a time for apologies, and now, one wonders if any sincerity would reach the audience.
In the series, Top plays the role of Thanos, a washed-up rapper addicted to drugs. Once a successful rapper, he invested in a coin recommended by YouTuber Lee Myung-ki (played by Im Si-wan) and ended up failing. He participates in the game due to debts incurred from the coin and secretly brings in synthetic drugs, hiding them in a necklace, appearing as a villain succeeding Heo Sung-tae from season 1. However, even excluding his 'drug offenses', his insufficient acting skills have led to harsh criticism, further amplifying negative public opinion.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk noted, "Overseas, there are quite a few positive reactions to 'Thanos', but it seems there are particularly many harsh criticisms in Korea," adding, "It feels harsher in my hometown. It seems like you start with a deduction rather than a 50% chance of success. It doesn't sit well with me. I hope people can view it more kindly."
Meanwhile, Top's finale interview scheduled for the 15th can be reported from 8 AM the following day.
