Squid Game Director Speaks Up on Criticism of T.O.P

‘Squid Game’ director speaks up on criticism of T.O.P

Hwang Dong Hyuk, director of the globally popular Netflix series Squid Game, responded to the polarizing commentary around T.O.P’s performance as Thanos in the second season of the show. While international reception has been warmer, South Korean reviews have been very critical, which is largely due to cultural differences and T.O.P’s history.

Netflix

He has faced troubles in the past, caught in the throes of legal issues, such as a drug conviction and his subsequent suspension of military service. It has thusly affected the public’s acceptance of his casting. In defense of T.O.P.’s casting and performance, Hwang insisted that the character of Thanos necessitated something else. In Korea, most performances are rooted in realism. Thanos exaggerated, cartoonish style seems out of place to some viewers. “I wanted to make a character that the two poles will evoke different reactions.” He knows that there may be younger fans or fans of other cultures that will appreciate Thanos’ unique portrayal.

Casting Decisions

Hwang recounted the casting process and the challenges his team faced in finding a suitable actor for the role of a troubled rapper.

Audition Struggles:

The casting team did indeed have their world open to them but struggled to unearth that perfect someone with these specific attributes of being.

T.O.P’s Suggestion:

It was not until a team member suggested T.O.P that they reconsidered him for the role. Hwang was skeptical at first because T.O.P had been out of acting for a long time since the controversies.

It was, Hwang relayed, “shocking how harsh people were on T.O.P.” He speculates that this new, reflective time might make T.O.P a better actor at embodying a character who carries his own backstory of addiction and loss.