Squid Game Season 2: BIGBANG's T.O.P to skip the production presentation event amid casting controversy

T.O.P, a former member of K-pop group BIGBANG, won't be participating in the production presentation event for Squid Game Season 2, scheduled for December 9 at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The development comes after massive backlash surrounding his return to acting after a seven-year hiatus.?T.O.P, whose real name is Choi Seung Hyun, hinted at his retirement from the entertainment industry in 2017 following his massive drug scandal that shook the K-pop industry. His decision to join the cast of the Netflix show has drawn sharp criticism from some fans and the general public.

Ex-BIGBANG's T.O.P to skip Squid Game event

The upcoming Squid Game Season 2 presentation marks the highly anticipated reunion of the cast, but T.O.P. will notably be absent, according to a Korea JoongAng Daily report. He's the sole cast member skipping the event despite confirming his role.

The upcoming event will feature a star-studded lineup, including Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Wi Ha-jun, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Seo-hwan, and Jo Yu-ri.?

Squid Game director on T.O.P's casting?

The cast lineup for Squid Game Season 2 revealed an exciting mix of new additions; however, K-netizens were stunned to see T.O.P's name on the list.?The casting announcement sparked intense social media criticism, with many expressing discomfort over the former rapper's involvement due to his past legal issues. However, Squid Game director Hwang Dong Hyuk addressed his decision to cast T.O.P after acknowledging that he never expected the issue to blow up the way it did.

He said, “The incident happened a long time ago, and the sentence was completed,” he said before adding, “Many artists have returned after similar incidents, so I thought it might be an appropriate time for him to return to work.”?However, he added that the public backlash has made him realise that he may have 'misjudged' the public interest in the matter.?

What's T.O.P's drug scandal??

T.O.P was involved in a drug scandal in 2017. He was accused of smoking marijuana with a female trainee, Han Seo Hee, on multiple occasions in 2016. The BAD BOY hitmaker admitted to consuming marijuana at least four times and was subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. Following this, he? was exempted from performing military duties and was listed as a public service worker instead.

About Squid Game season 2

The second season of the South Korean dystopian survival thriller will hit Netflix on December 26, 2024.?The first season including nine episodes was released on Netflix in 2021, and instantly became a global phenom.?

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