sabiz

"Together with the director, we meticulously designed the character, and if we consider Thanos' mental age, it's at the level of Shin-chan."

On January 15th, Top (Choi Seung-hyun) of BIGBANG participated in an interview at a café in the Sokgyeong-dong area of Jongno-gu, Seoul, where he responded to questions about his criticized acting performance in Netflix's Squid Game 2 with this answer.

Top, who debuted as a member of the idol group BIGBANG in 2006, left YG Entertainment in February 2022 after the release of Spring Summer Fall Winter and ended his contract with the agency. He made his return as an actor in Squid Game 2, playing the role of a washed-up rapper named Thanos. Once popular as a rapper, Thanos invested in a coin recommended by YouTuber Lee Myung-gi (played by Lim Si-wan) and lost everything. Burdened with debt from his failed investments, Thanos joins the deadly game and secretly smuggles synthetic drugs hidden in a necklace. The character's resemblance to Top's own past issues with marijuana also caught the attention of viewers.

However, rumors spread regarding his casting, with some speculating that Top had been recommended due to his personal connections with Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, two major figures in global entertainment. Both Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun denied these claims, asserting that casting decisions were made independently of their influence, while director Hwang Dong-hyuk clarified that he saw potential in Top and after several auditions, decided to cast him.

Following the casting announcement, criticism surrounding Top’s past, including his 2016 conviction for marijuana use, resurfaced, along with his previous statements that he would not return to Korea. These criticisms were compounded by mixed reviews of his acting after the show’s release.

Top had been excluded from the domestic press conference and the U.S. showcase for Squid Game 2, but he later participated in an interview, his first official interview in 11 years. He explained, "I had many concerns, and I was really careful about choosing the right time. Eventually, I decided it was better to meet people in person. To be honest, I was a little scared since it had been so long since I last appeared."

Although Squid Game 2 was a rare opportunity for Top, the public reaction to his casting was not entirely positive. He reflected, "I felt guilty when I heard that senior actors' names were mentioned in connection with my casting. At that time, I was on the verge of quitting. I was really nervous, but I thought that the best way to repay the trust that the director had in me was by giving it my all."

Top denied that his casting was based on recommendations or personal connections, emphasizing that he had received an audition offer through the production company. "When I first saw the character description, I was hesitant because of my past. To be honest, I thought this character could become permanently linked to my image as someone associated with drugs. I spent a lot of time thinking about it," he revealed. After multiple rounds of auditions and meetings, he was eventually cast.

"I had a time when no one was looking at me for 10 years," Top continued. "It was director Hwang Dong-hyuk who first extended his hand to me. His belief in me gave me the courage to take on this role. Repaying that trust became my responsibility as an actor."

In preparing for the role of Thanos, Top said he researched extensively, particularly on the effects of strong drugs. "Taking the drug scenes was difficult because of the stigma attached to it. I had to confront my past in front of hundreds of staff and actors. I researched the character thoroughly and looked into the effects of the drugs Thanos uses. I wanted to portray how the character behaves differently before and after taking the drug."

Despite his efforts, the portrayal of Thanos received mixed feedback. Some viewers in Korea felt that the character disrupted the flow of the story, with comments such as "His acting was cringe-worthy." In response, Top humbly accepted the criticism, saying, "I have to bear it and accept it with humility. If people feel that the character is too exaggerated, that was the design I made with the director."

Top explained that the character of Thanos was deliberately designed to be "ridiculous" and "underdeveloped." "In the script, Thanos is not a glamorous or cool rapper, but a failed, 'hip-hop loser.' He was intentionally made to look foolish and incompetent, especially since he relies on drugs."

Regarding the rap scenes, Top noted, "The rap was in the script, and it was meant to be ridiculous and quirky. Thanos' mental age is like that of Shin-chan, so I wanted to express that awkwardness and embarrassment." When asked if he thought of Shin-chan while performing, he replied, "Not exactly, but as someone in my late 30s, it was awkward to rap at a mental age of Shin-chan. Even I felt embarrassed, but I gave it my best because it was my role."

In conclusion, whether the portrayal was an intentional and well-executed acting choice or a misstep is up to individual viewers to decide. Top himself expressed, "I am monitoring both the positive and negative reactions, and I am using them as motivation to improve."