'Squid Game' Director Explains Controversial Casting of T.O.P
Jan 05, 2025
|
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk met with Sports Chosun at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 2nd to interview Netflix's original series 'Squid Game 2' (played by Hwang Dong-hyuk, directed by Choi Seung-hyun) and responded to the reviews of the casting of Top (Choi Seung-hyun). After being sentenced to 10 months in prison and two years of probation for cannabis inhalation charges in 2016, Top left the team in April last year when his exclusive contract with YG Entertainment expired. Already "Be self-considered. He also hinted at retirement, saying, `I don't intend to do it either,' when a netizen said, `Don't even come back.' Not only that, "I'm always sorry for the fans. I will not make a comeback in Korea. I don't want to make a comebackHe also expressed his firm thoughts on retirement to the extent that he expressed ". Many netizens criticized the news that he would return to 'Squid Game 2'.
In response, director Hwang Dong-hyuk "In fact, it seems that there are many complaints about the character Thanos (Top, Choi Seung-hyun) itself, especially in Korea. I'll say 'Choi Seung-hyun'. Because I'm an actor. I heard a lot of problems in Korea about Choi Seung-hyun's casting. That's not going to be said abroad. Because hemp is legal there. I knew about it because I heard a lot of concern and criticism (at home). In fact, I thought I had no choice but to bear that part to some extent. As I told you last time (press conference), I was evaluated for what role I played by telling you, and I thought I should give you an answer to the questions that came out then, and I saw many people's reactions."
When writing the story, it was divided into two because it was written in a dozen stories, but I didn't think this friend had any weight because he was a character who died at the beginning, and I thought he was a character who could not be put to the forefront of publicity. Since it's a character that stands out, it feels a lot of weight, but we didn't try to promote Seung-hyun at first, but we didn't lose it because public opinion was bad. Originally, there was criticism from the beginning of the casting. So I've been thinking since then that it would be difficult to promote it together. I didn't have a plan from the beginning, and I didn't take it all out. Seunghyun came back after seeing how much he revealed and what kind of character he did, so reporters know what he did when he was ready to talk about his past years and works, so I think it would be right to prepare such a place, whether you promote it or tell your story. I think it's better to do a more in-depth interview when you're ready" expressed his thoughts.
|
Director Hwang said that the process of joining the tower was not easy. He "I had an audition, but I didn't have Seunghyun in mind. Cryptocurrency, virtual currency craze and drugs are becoming a problem for young people, and I think the same will be true for overseas. I wanted to make a room that would reflect that kind of situation. I've been auditioning for a friend who does hip-hop, likes it, and even drugs for a long time, but I can't find a friend who can play this role as my standard. At that time, Seung-hyun was among the list that someone brought to me. I asked if it's been a long time since I've done this friend, and he took a long break since the incident (cannabis), and he said he would rap a little, so I contacted the production company about how it would be if it was put on the list. There's a role like this in 'Squid Game 2', and they're asking if you're willing to audition. I didn't expect it. My friend, who took a long break and quit everything because of cannabis, looks so similar to him, but I think he's been wondering if he can be a rapper who's ruined by medicine for a long time."
I want to try "In the end, I got a call and auditioned and read, but even then, the friend's whole body was sweating. I was so nervous. I've seen the possibilities, I've done more reading, and there's a point where it's shaking, so it's not going to work' Stop again because you want to, and 'Tape the audition and send it back. I can't trust you in this state. Even at the press conference, I didn't know that Top wasn't forgiven this much. I looked it up when casting this friend. I looked up the history of people who quit their activities due to cannabis or drugs and returned, and they said it was from the time of President Park Chung-hee. Those who were caught with cannabis were returned after about four years, and after that, they returned after a moderate amount of time, although not in the country, and there were many famous people. This friend was already six to seven years old, so I cast it with the thought that people would tolerate it to some extent, but I was surprised to see the reaction. Come to think of it, I wasn't very interested in it after that, so I had a war of words with my fans, and I saw comments that I wouldn't return from Korea, and I thought, `You've worked a little harder,' but personally, you can't do it. I couldn't throw it away because I couldn't get forgiveness. Let's just make it well together and show it to them. What it's like if you're the one to be forgiven. In the end, all celebrities who used cannabis were criticized, and in the end, they said they decided what to show and what to forgive the public and whether people would accept it again, but they said let's leave it to that judgment."
'Squid Game 2' is a story about a fierce battle between Ki-hoon'(Lee Jung-jae) who returns to play after vowing revenge, and 'Frontman'(Lee Byung-hun) who greets him, and a real game that begins again. Since its release on December 26, it has recorded 68,000,000 viewers (view time divided by the total running time of the work) in four days, topping the global TOP 10. In addition, the first week alone ranked seventh in Netflix's all-time most popular series (non-English), setting a record for the highest number of viewers in the public week. This is a record that far exceeds the 50.1 million viewers in the first week of 'Wendday'. Season 1 is also ranked third in the Global Top 10 Series (non-English), drawing enthusiastic responses from viewers around the world.
lunamoon@sportschosun.com
