The Dark Story Of Squid Game’s Thanos (And The Actor Who Played Him)

Contains spoilers for “Squid Game” Season 2

Surrounded by numerous men in green tracksuits, who seem terrified, there’s one individual, aided by his drug-laced religious artifact, who is more focused on courting women, securing money from Player 333, Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan), and showing off his dance skills to the catchy tune of “Round and Round.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’m referring to Player 230, also known as the rapper Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun). With his distinctive spiky purple hair and larger-than-life personality, he became an internet sensation following the December 2024 premiere of “Squid Game” Season 2 on Netflix. Yet, many fans outside of South Korea might not have known the significant impact Choi made on the show – both by being part of it and portraying a character with a tumultuous past.

2017 saw the South Korean rapper T.O.P being barred from the entertainment industry due to drug-related issues, despite his long-standing tenure with the popular K-pop group BIGBANG spanning over a decade. After a hiatus of seven years, “Squid Game” brought him back into prominence. Although his native country largely avoids acknowledging him, T.O.P (and Thanos) has managed to garner a substantial Western fanbase, transforming this musician and actor’s challenging past into one marked by redemption.

T.O.P was convicted of marijuana use

In many areas of the United States and various nations such as Canada and Uruguay, recreational marijuana use has been made legal. However, in South Korea, this substance is strictly prohibited. It’s crucial to note that even when traveling to places where it is legal, Korean citizens could encounter consequences upon their return if they are found using it.

As a result of T.O.P being found guilty of marijuana use, the repercussions were severe. Not only was he barred from his compulsory military service for two years, but he also received a 10-month prison sentence. Despite being at the peak of his career, with BIGBANG’s album “Made” released the year before and appearances in movies like “Out of Control” (2017), public opinion of T.O.P shifted dramatically following this incident.

While T.O.P’s alleged offense may not appear significant to many Americans, it’s important to understand that South Korea doesn’t categorize drugs into different classes. Consequently, every substance, including marijuana and heroin, is viewed with equal severity and subject to the same strict zero-tolerance policy.

He was hospitalized after overdosing

After being indicted for marijuana use, T.O.P suffered an overdose from prescription tranquilizers the very next day. Subsequently, in a grave condition, he was rushed to a hospital in Seoul.

As a dedicated fan, it pains me to share that misleading news about T.O.P’s condition has been spreading online. However, his mother has made it clear (through Koreaboo) that contrary to reports suggesting he’s “deep in sleep,” he remains unconscious and such statements are hurtful. She urges everyone to correct these reports and refrain from making such comments. In her words, “My son is critically ill. I see him fighting for his life, but articles saying he’s merely sleeping feel like wrongful reporting.” Moreover, she has expressed concerns about potential brain damage due to lack of oxygen.

Luckily, he recovered from unconsciousness and shifted to another institution for psychiatric treatment. However, while being transferred from the intensive care unit, journalists were present to capture images of T.O.P departing in a white hospital gown and wheelchair, preserving this troubled phase of his life forever. In 2022, during an uncommon conversation with Prestige, T.O.P openly admitted that his overdose was an attempt to take his own life, expressing regret for the distress he caused those close to him, including family and fans, saying, “I came to understand later how much pain and past memories I inflicted upon those around me.

T.O.P’s career suffered

Mostly, T.O.P was rarely seen in public until he appeared as Thanos in “Squid Game” Season 2. Due to his legal trouble with marijuana and a subsequent overdose, which led to his exclusion from the entertainment industry, T.O.P expressed regret for his actions in a letter written by hand to his fans, stating that he felt ashamed.

In his statement (as reported by NME), he acknowledged having no justification and deserving any form of penalty. He expressed deep regret and fear for the permanent wound inflicted on everyone’s hearts, including his BIGBANG bandmates, the agency, friends, and family. He vowed to continually contemplate his mistake. Once again, he apologized for not being able to offer a personal apology to each individual.

Despite being a member of BIGBANG up to 2023, T.O.P contemplated leaving the music scene due to a scandal. Instead of making a public exit, he retreated from the limelight and channeled his love for music as a source of strength during those challenging times. He penned more than 100 songs between 2017 and 2022, viewing this work as a driving force, similar to filling a bookshelf with accomplishments. In an interview with Prestige, T.O.P expressed feeling rejuvenated. Following his disappearance from screens after “Out of Control,” he was brought back into the spotlight when director Hwang Dong-hyuk chose him for a memorable role in one of the most popular TV shows globally.

Fans criticized Thanos

There’s no disputing that Thanos is quite a character in many ways. Right from the start, he’s found grumbling to guards over the high price of his sneakers and trying to use his fame – along with the occasional English word – to draw female attention. Sporting purple hair, polished nails, and a large, drug-laden cross pendant, Thanos certainly doesn’t blend in easily. He thrives on being in the limelight, and his over-the-top demeanor reflects this perfectly.

Despite T.O.P’s extravagant portrayal in “Squid Game,” not everyone was on board with the introduction of Thanos, a character some viewers consider ill-fitting and irritating. Many took to social media to voice their displeasure, often using words like “cringey” to describe their feelings towards him. For example, @rikomalta shared a GIF depicting a man being carried aloft by a crowd with the caption, “Me after Thanos from ‘Squid Game’ died (worst most annoying character in the whole season).” Similarly, @JayJayOcfemia questioned whether people genuinely appreciated this Thanos character. In fact, some “Squid Game” fans were so enraged by Thanos that a South Korean news outlet requested T.O.P to apologize for his acting performance on behalf of the global audience.

In simpler terms, the director of the show, Hwang Dong-hyuk, stated through Korea JoongAng Daily that T.O.P shouldn’t be criticized by those who dislike Thanos. This is because T.O.P was just executing Hwang’s creative vision, as he clarified, “The final product was what I wrote, directed, approved, and edited, so it reflects my intentions.

Thanos was at a low point before joining the games

In the world of “Squid Game,” every participant is in dire need of an escape from crushing financial struggles, and that includes none other than Thanos (previously known as Choi Su-bong). Prior to joining the game as Player 230, Thanos had been a successful rapper. However, his success led him to make questionable decisions with his earnings.

Thrilled about YouTuber Myung-gi’s advice, Thanos placed all his wealth on a suggested new cryptocurrency investment. Unfortunately for Thanos, Myung-gi turned out to be wrong, and he ended up owing more than 1 billion wan in debt.

In a quandary about his next steps and finding a way to recover his losses, Thanos found himself standing at the Han River Bridge, contemplating jumping off. However, fate intervened when the game recruiter (played by Gong Yoo) appeared unexpectedly, inviting him to play ddakji instead. Thanos, feeling like he’d been given a reprieve by destiny, confided in Player 125, Park Min-su (Lee David), “It seemed like divine intervention. As if the universe was offering me a second chance, buddy. That’s when I decided I would transform my life, make my mom proud.” This experience of Thanos is reminiscent of T.O.P’s, as the games offered Thanos a fresh start, just as “Squid Game” provides T.O.P with an opportunity to captivate audiences on screen once more.

Thanos is reliant on drugs throughout the games

In the second round of the games, character Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) swaps one tooth at the back with a tracking gadget so that his police companion, Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), could locate him on the island and halt the games. However, the guards find the device and confiscate it. In an implausible twist, character Thanos manages to bring in a big cross filled with vivid narcotics, a major inconsistency in “Squid Game” Season 2. It’s challenging to accept that the guards overlooked this during their search of Thanos upon arrival, indicating they probably let him keep it, considering they thought the drugs would spice up the games … and indeed, they do.

Initially, Thanos consumes a pill, thought by spectators to be an amphetamine, in the Red Light Green Light game. This drug seems to have made him carefree amidst such a tense circumstance, leading him to perform a casual heel click mid-flight and flaunt a wide grin on his face, while his fellow contestants struggle to hold back their tears.

Before the mini game obstacle course that left the actors feeling unwell, and the game called Mingle, where Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) and Player 124 are involved, we find them participating together. In Mingle, their viral moment includes skipping in a circle with linked arms while “Round and Round” plays. Although the drugs appear to aid Thanos in these games, as he wins every time, it raises concerns about how much he might have relied on drugs outside of the games, given some of the season’s funniest instances.

Thanos has an aggressive personality

Despite appearing charming and friendly as he dances around games and flutters heart gestures to women, Thanos harbors an unpredictable, aggressive, and confrontational nature. Immediately, his frustration targets Myung-gi for misguiding him about cryptocurrency investments. It’s important to note that Thanos never compels Myung-gi to invest, and Myung-gi consistently warns viewers in the end of his videos – a fact that might have gone unnoticed by “Squid Game” Season 2 viewers.

He doesn’t shy away from attacking his rivals either. For instance, in Red Light Green Light, following the use of a pill, he pushes the three players ahead of him to the ground, forcing them to move and effectively “knocking them out.” While he does this with a grin and dances merrily to a remix of “Fly Me to the Moon” shortly thereafter, this action, regardless of being under the influence, was harsh and unwarranted.

As time goes by, Thanos’ hostility towards Myung-gi escalates, eventually resulting in a violent clash in the restroom. It is his aggressive and abusive behavior that ultimately proves to be his undoing. In the heat of their struggle, Thanos chokes Myung-gi, but Myung-gi manages to retaliate, fatally wounding Thanos with a fork lodged in his neck.

T.O.P broke a rib on set

In “Squid Game,” Thanos and Myung-gi may seem to have a strained relationship on screen, but off camera, T.O.P and Yim Si-wan developed a strong bond. They even engaged in action training together to enhance the authenticity of their characters’ interaction and ensure that the intense bathroom scene was convincing. Notably, both actors performed their own stunts during filming.

Despite sustaining a broken rib during the fight scene choreography, T.O.P persevered and didn’t let it affect his performance. At a recent press conference (via Sportskeeda), Yim praised T.O.P for his determination after getting hurt. He mentioned that he too had experienced a rib injury while sparring with Choo Sung-hoon, and it was so painful he could barely breathe. This setback necessitated another filming halt, but T.O.P didn’t seem to mind and carried on shooting. Yim admired T.O.P, calling him an extraordinary celebrity for his resilience in the face of injury.

Thanos’ face was blurred on a news show

Frequently, when an actor makes a comeback following a long absence, they are usually welcomed with applause and enthusiasm, much like the acclaimed stars Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan. However, T.O.P didn’t receive such a warm welcome in South Korea, as some people there still remember his past scandals.

During the promotion of “Squid Game” Season 2, the MBC show “Live This Morning” strategically obscured T.O.P’s face during a Thanos scene, sparking outrage among fans. User @Rai17181516 expressed their frustration by saying, “SK needs to live his life! Everyone else in the world seems excited about seeing him act again, but not South Koreans, and I don’t know why. I wish they would treat real criminals the way they do T.O.P.” @29_paulinas questioned, “Why wasn’t Snoop Dogg’s face blurred during his collaboration with PSY? Why was Wiz Khalifa not obscured at MAMA 2016? It seems like the Korean media is trying to undermine T.OP, and it’s no longer amusing. The guy is dealing with serious issues, and they continue to harass him.

Moreover, T.O.P is conspicuously missing from the official “Squid Game” Season 2 promotional pictures released by Netflix, as well as in numerous interviews with the cast. It’s rumored that this was done to discourage anyone who might dislike him from boycotting the show, even though T.O.P is as significant a character as many others depicted, including Player 246, Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-uk), and Player 044, Seon-nyeo (Chae Kuk-hee). This move was made despite the fact that T.O.P’s character is as prominent as these other supporting characters.

Squid Game director praised T.O.P for taking on Thanos

Despite some disagreement worldwide about T.O.P’s casting in “Squid Game” Season 2, director Hwang Dong-hyuk is strongly defending his choice to include the former rapper and actor in the series. Moreover, Hwang acknowledges that T.O.P bravely tackled a character similar to Thanos, whose persona shares striking resemblances with T.O.P’s personal life and past issues.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to see the return of this artist after an extended absence. What makes his comeback even more impressive is that he’s stepping into the shoes of a character who is not just a rapper but also grapples with substance abuse. To me, it takes a great deal of bravery for him to tackle such a role, especially considering how closely some aspects of this character mirror his own life. Therefore, I admire his courage in embracing this challenging part.

In the show “Squid Game,” T.O.P didn’t shy away from portraying Thanos and subtly referenced his K-pop past. For instance, what might seem to “Squid Game” viewers as a funny character trait, Thanos’ circular fist pump during Mingle, is actually a nod to the choreography from BIGBANG’s live performance of “Bang Bang Bang.” Similarly, Thanos’ occasional finger gun gestures mirror those seen in the music video for that song. Additionally, T.O.P playfully referenced a past incident where he was criticized for forgetting lyrics during a rap battle, with Thanos being called out by Myung-gi for the same reason during “The Rap Battleground.” Essentially, T.O.P’s character in “Squid Game” reflects aspects of his real life.

T.O.P (and Thanos) are receiving love from international fans

Despite T.O.P’s “Squid Game” performance not receiving much acclaim in South Korea, fans worldwide are praising him as a standout feature of Season 2. Reddit user u/Nogarda commented, “His presence is what keeps the story afloat… Thanos makes you overlook all the difficult, tedious elements as the games and voting process progress.”

People generally think he did a fantastic job of emphasizing Thanos’ arrogant and unlikable traits while still adding charm and humor to the character, making him a beloved figure among fans. Some are praising T.O.P for taking a risk by featuring a contentious, drug-associated rapper in his return to acting. As U/eatalways puts it, “…it’s a bold move that sticks up two fingers to the critics who criticized him for using marijuana.

After wrapping up his role in “Squid Game”, fans are urging actor T.O.P to pursue more international acting opportunities, particularly in the United States since he might not be getting any projects in South Korea. Users like u/schuyywalker suggest that the U.S. should take notice of him, while u/throwawayaway388 expresses her admiration for T.O.P on the show and thinks he’s attractive. With “Squid Game” Season 2 amassing a staggering 68 million views on Netflix, it has exposed millions worldwide to T.O.P, potentially giving him an opportunity to leave his past behind and make a fresh start.

2025-01-13 02:00