"I looked again and saw that he had been arguing with fans"- Squid Game 2 director Hwang Dong-hyuk on T.O.P's casting, resulting backlash, & more

On January 5, 2025, a South Korean media outlet, JTBC News reported insights shared by acclaimed Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk. He spoke regarding the casting of Choi Seung-hyun, popularly known as T.O.P of BIGBANG. The director spoke candidly about the challenges and controversies that accompanied his casting decisions, especially concerning the idol.

He shared his rationale behind the decision and addressed the backlash that followed, particularly in Korea. Hwang admitted that he had expected some criticism but was taken aback by its intensity. He stated,

"I looked for him around the time I was casting him. People who stopped working due to mar*juana or other dr*gs and then returned often return after some time has passed. Since it's already been 6 or 7 years, I thought people would be somewhat tolerant. But I was really surprised by his reaction. So I looked again and saw that he had been arguing with fans and had even said that he would never return to Korea again."

The director continued,

"But I couldn't just kick out a friend I had prepared with him so lately. I thought we should work together to make it well, and I thought that the public's judgment would ultimately be determined by what Choi Seung-hyun shows."

Despite this, Hwang chose to move forward, feeling a responsibility to honor the work they had already undertaken together in Squid Game 2. He believed that the final judgment on the casting would rest on the audience’s reaction to T.O.P’s performance in the series.

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More about Squid Game Director Hwang Dong-hyuk's perspective on BIGBANG's T.O.P casting controversy

The interview further reported that to minimize potential disruptions, the production team opted to exclude T.O.P from major promotional events of Squid Game 2, noting that his character played a relatively minor role in the overall story. This decision was also influenced by the public outcry that began at the time of his casting. The director stated,

"Since he is a character who dies in the beginning, I didn't think his presence was that big. From the beginning, I didn't think he was a character worth putting at the forefront of promotions, but as we cut off to Season 2, the character itself stood out so I think it felt like he had more presence. It's not that he was originally on the list to participate in promotions and then was removed."

Regarding T.O.P’s performance as Thanos in Squid Game 2, Hwang expressed confidence that the character’s exaggerated traits served the narrative’s purpose. While domestic reviews were mixed, the portrayal resonated more with international audiences, reflecting cultural differences in how the character was perceived. He stated,

“I expected Thanos's evaluation in Korea to some extent. I created the character to play that kind of role, and I think I expressed the character I created well as I intended. I created the character despite the likes and dislikes, but overseas, Thanos' character is well-received. I feel the cultural differences and differences in perspectives on the character once again”

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Squid Game 2, which premiered on December 26, 2024, has quickly achieved global acclaim, setting records for viewership despite the controversies surrounding its casting. It continues to dominate Netflix rankings worldwide, solidifying its status as a significant cultural event.