How ‘Squid Game’ Allowed This K-pop Star to Make a Music Comeback After 11 Years

Squid Game Season 2 introduces several new faces who were invited to these death games along with Seong Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae). One of them is Thanos (Player 230), a former rapper in debt after a failed cryptocurrency gamble and who uses drugs in the games. But what stirred controversy in South Korea wasn’t the character, but the actor behind him – Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P. Once a member of the iconic K-pop group BIGBANG, T.O.P. ‘s casting in Squid Game became one of the main talking points that season. It wasn’t just a casting choice but a comeback that arrived many years after a drug scandal almost ended his career.

Inside T.O.P’s Drug Controversy and Its Fallout

T.O.P. debuted with the second-generation K-pop group BIGBANG in 2006, releasing hits like “Fantastic Baby. In 2017, the K-pop star began his military service, which is mandatory in South Korea, typically lasting 18 to 21 months. However, exceptions can be made for individuals, such as athletes or eSports professionals, who have made “exceptional achievements” that enhance the country’s global image.

Four months into his service, it was discovered that T.O.P. used marijuana multiple times in 2016, according to The Korean Herald, which is illegal in South Korea. He received a 10-month jail sentence and was suspended for two years after pleading guilty to the drug charges. Although he issued a public apology and expressed remorse, his statements were largely dismissed. An intense media backlash, public scrutiny, and harassment from anti-fans followed, which continued for years. There were also reports of T.O.P. being hospitalized after a drug overdose and self-harm attempts due to the negative publicity. His personal battles mirror the fictional journey of his character in Squid Game Season 2, Thanos.

How ‘Squid Game’s Thanos Helped T.O.P. Address His Past

Choi Su-bong/Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun) cheering with two fists in the air in Squid Game Season 2 — Image via Netflix

While he’s known mainly as a rapper, T.O.P. is no stranger to acting. His last on-screen role was in the 2017 movie Out of Control. So when Netflix announced his casting in Squid Game Season 2, the backlash was swift. Both T.O.P. and series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk faced criticism from the Korean public.

In an interview with People, Hwang acknowledged that it took “a lot of guts” for T.O.P. to take the role. He praised the actor for having the “courage” to step back into the spotlight, particularly in a role that mirrors his public downfall. T.O.P himself admitted that playing Thanos, a “stereotypically failed, pathetic hip-hop loser,” was an emotional challenge. In a group interview reported by The Korea Herald, he described the role as painful but also a way for him to confront his past.

Player 456 standing in front of a crowd in Squid Game Season 2 Poster Art

Every Death in ‘Squid Game’ Season 2, Ranked

To the characters who will be missed.

Initially, T.O.P. was kept out of Squid Game’s promotions and barely featured in Netflix’s marketing. That changed when his scenes went viral on TikTok after the show’s release, leading to newfound support from international fans. It wasn’t until late-January 2025 that the rapper made his first promotional appearance on social media, which led to numerous features and appearances as part of the show’s marketing, including the recent Netflix 2025 Tudum event.

Is T.O.P. Returning to Music?

Six months after his Squid Game debut, T.O.P is officially returning to music as a solo artist and has no intentions of returning to BIGBANG. According to AllKpop, he’s working on a solo album that’s set to come out in a later date. While details of it have yet to be revealed, Choi described the creative process in a separate interview as life-saving, saying that working on music again helped him breathe after feeling “an outcast from society.” Although the South Korean public remains divided, international fans embrace his comeback. If the careers of other solo K-pop artists like CL, Suga, and G-Dragon are any indication, there’s plenty of room for success outside of idol groups.

Since the scandal, T.O.P. has fallen from grace. He left the K-pop group he had been part of since the beginning and received newfound love from those who supported him internationally and those who liked his Squid Game role. The K-pop star had to face and address his mistakes for many years, due to South Korean laws and how idols tend to be seen as “perfect” rather than human. One wrong move could damage your career and your public image. But thanks to Squid Game, Choi got a second chance and can now make a comeback, something that’s rare in South Korea’s entertainment industry. T.O.P.’s new solo album has yet to announce a release date. In the meantime, you can watch Choi’s appearance in Squid Game Season 2 on Netflix.