K-pop star T.O.P, born Choi Seung-hyun, has made a bold return to acting in Squid Game Season 2, playing Player 230, aka Thanos, a rapper struggling with drug use while participating in the deadly games. This marks his first major appearance after a nine-year break following a marijuana scandal that tarnished his career and public image in South Korea.
In 2017, T.O.P, a member of the globally popular K-pop group BIGBANG, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, after being convicted of marijuana use, which is illegal in South Korea. As a result, he was blacklisted from the entertainment industry and remained largely out of the public eye.
Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk praised T.O.Pβs return, explaining in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, “This role mirrors some of his personal struggles, and it took a lot of guts to take it on.” Hwang also commended T.O.Pβs performance, saying, “As a director, I was very impressed and satisfied with what he did with the character.”
After the scandal, T.O.P issued a public apology to his fans and faced a health crisis during his military service due to a tranquilizer overdose.
Squid Game Season 2 is now available for streaming on Netflix.
