https://m.entertain.naver.com/now/article/609/0000938014
'Squid Game 2' Director Hwang Donghyuk revealed his thoughts on casting T.O.P (Choi Seunghyun) in an interview with an international media outlet.
On December 28th, the American entertainment media outlet People released an interview with Hwang Donghyuk, the director of 'Squid Game 2. 'It was confirmed that this interview was conducted before the release of 'Squid Game 2.'In the interview, Director Hwang mentioned the reasons why casting T.O.P became controversial and commented on his acting skills.
Director Hwang began by saying, "As you know, Choi Seunghyun was involved in a marijuana scandal about 9 years ago in South Korea, which made him unable to take on any projects in Korea. 'Squid Game 2' is his comeback work after a long break."
He continued, "In particular, he plays a character who is a rapper and a drug user. I believe it took a lot of courage for him to take on this role. The character shares many negative similarities with him, so I think it must've taken a lot of courage for him to take on that role."
Director Hwang added, "Even after a long break, as a director, I was very impressed with his acting and I am very satisfied with his portrayal of the character."
T.O.P was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation for smoking marijuana in 2017, after which he left BIGBANG and paused his acting career. At the time, he had stated that he had no plans to return to the entertainment industry, but then he announced his return through the globally anticipated 'Squid Game 2,' causing controversy.
The public reaction to the news of T.O.P's casting was cold. However, Director Hwang expressed confidence, saying, "I've come to the conclusion that the only way to show why this actor had to be in this role was to present the result to the journalists and viewers. That's why I decided to proceed with the casting."
However, even after the release of the show, T.O.P failed to receive a positive response from viewers. There has been a mixed reaction, with many criticizing his exaggerated gestures, pronunciation, and the outdated portrayal of a rapper character.
-You two look great together❤️
-It's been a long time since I've seen such shockingly bad acting. His acting skill is just so bad that it's unpleasant to watch.
-What kind of relationship do they have?
-It seems like they're dating....
-Why use an actor who can't act when there are so many talented actors who don't do drugs? No wonder people are criticizing.
-What, are they in love or what?
-They look alike
-They’re either dating or out of their minds
-I was like 'What the f*ck? Are they dating or what?!' as I scrolled down this post and seeing people having exactly the same thoughts as me in the comment section is both funny and frustratingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-I hate it.
-Did the director owe T.O.P money or something? What's wrong with him?
-Every time T.O.P comes on screen, it gets so cringey that I can’t focusㅠㅠㅠ
-If he’s satisfied with that, it seems like there’s a problem with him as a director.
-I get annoyed just by looking at him.
-Director... Director. I really enjoyed watching 'Squid Game', but I can't defend this...
