
This photo provided by Netflix shows Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos in “Squid Game” Season 2. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — For rapper-turned-actor Choi Seung-hyun, portraying the eccentric drug addict Thanos in “Squid Game” Season 2 was both a cathartic and challenging experience, as the role compelled him to confront the “mistakes” from his past.
“I gave it a lot of thought before accepting the role, as the character forced me to confront the embarrassing mistakes of my past,” he said during an interview with local media Wednesday.
“I was worried that playing this role might solidify my image as a drug addict. But at the same time, I couldn’t ignore the thought that perhaps the role suited me precisely because of that, and that it might be a character I was destined to play,” he said candidly.
Seeming introspective and thoughtful, the actor appeared worlds apart from the loud, restless character he portrayed in the series, a purple-haired villain whose impulsive and bizarre behavior, fueled by drug use, masks his desperation to rebuild his life after losing most of his wealth in a cryptocurrency investment.
Choi is still more widely known by his stage name, T.O.P, as a rapper and singer-songwriter from the boy band BIGBANG, one of the most successful K-pop groups in history. But in 2017, he became embroiled in a drug scandal and was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for marijuana use. Following the release of BIGBANG’s single “Still Life” in April 2022, he announced he had parted ways with the group.
Over the course of more than seven years between the career-altering controversy over drug use and his appearance in Netflix’s global sensation “Squid Game,” he described himself as “psychologically devastated” and “completely broken.”
“Everything was so dark. I was unable to make sound judgments and ended up making a big mistake,” he said when asked about his behavior in a 2019 incident where he reacted impulsively to a fan’s comment, making a sarcastic statement about leaving the entertainment industry once and for all. The following year, he reiterated that he would not make a comeback, at least in Korea, during an Instagram livestream.
“I mostly isolated myself from the outside world, alternating between my music studio and home, creating music in the dark,” he said. “It felt like I could breathe a little only when I was making music.”
Then came the audition offer from director Hwang, who, as he put it, “extended his hand when no one else did,” despite his tarnished reputation. Choi felt he should honor the trust the director was placing in him.
The actor engaged in extensive discussions with the director to shape Thanos as a character who stands out in the otherwise intense atmosphere, with his cartoonish, exaggerated attitude and high-strung nature. He also focused on highlighting the contrast between the character’s behavior before and after his drug use.
As a fallen rapper, unsuccessfully seeking fortune through cryptocurrency investments while struggling with substance addition, Thanos serves as a central figure in conveying the director’s commentary on pressing social issues affecting today’s youth.
“I was drawn to my character because he is a fallen, extremely immature and clueless figure who represents one of the worst examples of the younger generation,” he said.
Calling Thanos “a hip-hop loser,” Choi said: “I wouldn’t have accepted the offer if it weren’t for the character. I found the courage to take it on because he is not a righteous man.”
(Yonhap)