Lee Jung-jae Talks Candidly About T.O.P’s Bad Acting Controversy in ‘Squid Game 2’
In a recent meeting with Sports Chosun, Lee Jung-jae commented, “The public’s reaction can vary depending on the kind of performance an actor gives, and that’s something the actor has to endure.”
The Netflix original series “Squid Game,” which was released in September 2021, gained global popularity, creating a massive cultural phenomenon. The long-awaited Season 2, which returned after three years, continues the story of Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) seeking revenge and participating in the deadly games again, facing off against the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), and diving into a new chapter of the brutal competition. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk also returned for this season.
Season 2, however, received significant criticism from the casting process due to the inclusion of T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun), who was involved in a drug scandal. Despite the controversy, the discussions have not died down, particularly regarding his acting performance. T.O.P, who played the role of a “drug-addicted rapper” Thanos, has received harsh criticism for his acting.
In response, Lee Jung-jae stated, “He worked hard on set. The director carefully directed all the actors. Since the director is also a creator and writer, he explained that he wrote the script with a certain emotion in mind. We had many discussions with Choi Seung-hyun about it.” He added, “The public’s reaction is inevitable depending on the kind of acting the actor delivers. It’s the same for me. It’s something an actor must endure.”
“Squid Game 2” features not only returning stars like Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo, and Wi Ha-joon but also a host of new faces, including Im Si-wan, Jo Yu-ri, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Park Kyu-young, and Kang Ha-neul. When asked about the most impressive actor during filming, Lee Jung-jae said, “Everyone was impressive. It felt like all the great actors in Korea were gathered. Being a good actor requires keen observation of the performances of others.” He added, “All the actors observed each other and adjusted their performances, creating a perfect balance on set.”
Lee Jung-jae also spoke about his reunion with Lee Byung-hun, “I’ve never had many opportunities to work with him, so I was wondering why we didn’t act together earlier. We met briefly in Season 1, but in Season 2, I was happy to be able to work closely with him. We met often on set and shared many stories, and it was a pleasure to see him work.”
Regarding Gong Yoo, who played the role of Ddakji Man, Lee Jung-jae revealed, “I didn’t know Gong Yoo had such squinty eyes, but he made great use of them. He’s such a great actor that his energy exploded on set. Gong Yoo acted freely, and I had to match his energy. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to match the tone during rehearsals.”
Meanwhile, Netflix’s “Squid Game 2” was released on December 26, and Season 3 is expected to be released in 2025.
