'Squid Game' director praises K-pop icon T.O.P's 'gutsy' comeback after past marijuana scandal

T.O.P returns in 'Squid Game' Season 2 as Player 230, marking his comeback after a 9-year entertainment hiatus.

K-pop star T.O.P, real name Choi Seung-hyun, has made a bold return to acting with Squid Game Season 2, stepping into the role of Player 230 a.k.a Thanos, a rapper grappling with drug use while competing in the deadly games. This marks T.O.P’s first major appearance after a nine-year hiatus following a marijuana scandal that shook his career and public image in South Korea.

In 2017, T.O.P, a member of the globally renowned K-pop band BIGBANG, faced a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after being found guilty of marijuana use—an illegal act in South Korea. Following the controversy, he was blacklisted in the entertainment industry and largely absent from public life.

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk addressed his casting decision in an exclusive interview witth PEOPLE, stating, "This is a comeback after quite a long hiatus, and particularly because he portrays a character that's a rapper and also someone who is on drugs. I feel it took him a lot of guts to take on a role that mirrors some of his personal struggles."

Despite the challenges, Hwang expressed admiration for T.O.P’s dedication to the role, saying, "As a director, he performed very impressively, and I'm very satisfied with what he did with the character."

After his indictment, he issued public apologies to his fans and faced a health crisis during his military service due to a tranquilizer overdose.

Squid Game Season 2 is available for streaming on Netflix.