Time to say it like it is—Squid Game‘s Season 2 is TV’s biggest letdown. From lackluster storytelling to one of the worst season endings in history, it struggled to capture the magic of its predecessor. More importantly, the new characters SUCKED! One character, however, who stood out to me was Thanos.
The guy was the perfect villain, and I kept waiting for his scenes because he’s the only thing entertaining. But then I remembered; who the hell is that guy, and why was he not in a single promotion?
I knew something was off the moment I noticed Thanos wasn’t in any of the promotional materials for Squid Game 2. It was strange, especially since the character turned out to be one of the best things about an otherwise disappointing season. Curious, I dug deeper—and that’s when I learned about the ridiculous backlash against the actor behind the character, T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun).
That’s when I fell into the rabbit hole!
But First; Who’s T.O.P?
For those, like myself, who might not know, T.O.P—real name Choi Seung-hyun—is a global icon in the world of K-pop. As a member of Big Bang, one of South Korea’s most influential boy bands, he played a significant role in shaping the Hallyu wave that swept across the globe.
But T.O.P isn’t just a music star—he’s also a talented actor. His performances in films like Tazza: The Hidden Card and Commitment showed his ability to take on complex roles and deliver nuanced performances.
Despite his accomplishments, his career took a hit in 2017 after a marijuana scandal that led to public outrage and a hiatus from the entertainment industry.
During the scandal, T.O.P faced relentless attacks that drove him to a suicide attempt—a tragedy that was cruelly mocked as an effort to ‘gain sympathy.
Now, in Squid Game 2, T.O.P returned to the screen as Thanos, a villain with depth and charisma that many fans praised as one of the season’s standout characters. Unfortunately, his past scandals overshadowed his performance, sparking unnecessary backlash and erasure from promotional materials.
You’d think his comeback would be celebrated? Nope. A huge backlash happened, leading Netflix to remove him from all promotions. Not just that—T.O.P is even urged to issue an apology to the public for his appearance in the series.
I’m not a Big Bang fan, nor do I know much about T.O.P beyond his role in this show. But what I found left me stunned. The backlash over his casting was tied to a marijuana scandal from 2017—a victimless “crime” that somehow continues to haunt him.
Worse, the attacks weren’t just about his casting; they also reopened old wounds, targeting his mental health and mocking his suicide attempt during the original scandal.
It’s horrifying to see how a fandom, driven by herd mentality, can completely destroy someone’s career and reputation over something so trivial, all while turning a blind eye to far more serious allegations against other cast members.
And Netflix, instead of standing by one of the season’s standout performers, caved to this misplaced outrage, erasing T.O.P from the show’s promotions.
You’d think maybe the Korean drama fans want an all squicky clean cast, and everyone else involved in the series is godsent to humanity, right?
Nope! The cast is full of abusers and legit scary men that no one seems to want to cancel.
Ah, yes! Here’s where the hypocrisy becomes glaring: while T.O.P faces relentless scrutiny over smoking weed, his co-stars have far more troubling allegations in their pasts—yet they remain celebrated.
Let’s take a look at the wonderful cast behind the hit series, which no one is trying to cancel:
O Yeong-su
- Charged with sexual misconduct in 2022 for an incident from 2017. In 2024, he was found guilty and received an eight-month suspended prison sentence.
Lee Jung-jae
- Two DUIs: Arrested in 1999 and again in 2002 for drunk driving.
- Assault incidents: Dragged a woman out of a nightclub and kicked her, causing injuries that required two weeks of recovery.
Song Young-chang
- Convicted of underage prostitution in 2000. He served 10 months in jail.
Oh Dal-su
- Faced sexual assault allegations during South Korea’s #MeToo movement in 2018. He denied the accusations but issued a public apology.
Lee Jin-wook
- Accused of sexual assault in 2016. The accuser was later forced to admit to making false claims, and Lee was cleared.
Lee Byung-hun (Number 001)
- Publicly cheated on his pregnant wife with multiple women.
Why Are We Okay with This?
The contrast is staggering. T.O.P smoked weed—a victimless act that harmed no one—and owned up to it. Meanwhile, his co-stars include individuals with histories of abuse, assault, and exploitation. Yet fans have no problem celebrating them.
Why? Because attacking someone over a taboo like marijuana use is easy. It doesn’t require nuance or confronting systemic issues like misogyny, abuse, or homophobia. It’s performative outrage at its finest—a way to feel morally superior without actually standing for anything meaningful.
Netflix’s Role in This Hypocrisy
Netflix’s response to this backlash is just as problematic. By erasing an actor who happened to get caught with weed from promotions, yet keep abusers and drunk drivers, they’ve validated a toxic mob mentality.
How can Netflix justify keeping actors with histories of abuse and exploitation while punishing someone for a minor, non-violent offense? The message is clear: public perception matters more than fairness or even the truth.
If we, as audiences, claim to care about justice and accountability, then we need to be consistent. We can’t keep forgiving abusers while vilifying those who break taboos. And we can’t allow corporations like Netflix to pander to outrage culture at the expense of fairness and creativity.
