T.O.P Officially Ends Ties with BIGBANG: “No Contact Even If You Support Me, False Hope is Painful”

On January 15, T.O.P sat down for an interview with My Daily at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to discuss his role in the Netflix series “Squid Game 2” and share his thoughts on various topics.

T.O.P’s Role in Squid Game 2: A Quirky, Troubled Rapper

‘Squid Game 2’ portrays the intense battle between Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who returns to the game seeking revenge, and the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun), as well as the restart of the true game. In the series, T.O.P plays Thanos, a retired “troubled rapper.”

People have compared Thanos’ initial lyrics, “Red, orange, yellow, green,” to T.O.P’s part in BIGBANG‘s “Last Dance” and spread rumors that Thanos danced to Taeyang’s “Ringa Linga” during the “Ring Around the Rosie” game. T.O.P clarified, “I’ve seen the discussions about it. The dance I performed in ‘Ring Around the Rosie’ wasn’t inspired by BIGBANG but by traditional American cowboy dance moves.”

Regarding Thanos, he added, “I think Thanos’ mental age is on par with Shin-chan. I designed the lyrics, “Red, orange, yellow, green,” to be intuitive, silly, and a bit cringy to match his character. Squid Game 2 is rated for ages 19 and up, but since shorts may reach younger audiences, I wanted the ‘quirky rap’ to be easy for elementary school kids to follow. People said it’s similar to the rap in ‘Last Dance,’ but I wrote that rap as well, so it’s not something I intentionally connected.”

Reflecting on BIGBANG and the Decision to Leave

On this day, T.O.P also opened up for the first time about his departure from BIGBANG. He revealed, “I felt like I was the one causing significant harm to BIGBANG. After much contemplation, I concluded that I couldn’t continue to burden the team.”

He added, “To be exact, after completing my alternative military service, I told my agency and the team that I planned to leave. It was a long-standing decision. I was at my lowest. Around the time my contract ended, I decided to leave BIGBANG after our ‘Still Life’ project.” He continued, “I don’t think I could return now. I’m willing to take all the blame and criticism for my mistakes as I move forward as a solo artist. I can’t risk harming the team again.”

After leaving BIGBANG, T.O.P has blocked fan accounts on social media that mention him as a member of the group, which some saw as an emotional reaction. He addressed this, saying, “Watching fans who still hope for a reunion feels like giving them false hope, which has been heartbreaking and painful for me. Looking at old group photos feels like revisiting a broken family—no one feels that pain more deeply than the person involved.”

Regarding his relationship with the other members, T.O.P said, “I’ll carry this guilt for the rest of my life. I still feel so much remorse that I can’t bring myself to reach out.” When asked if he watched G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung perform together at the 2024 MAMA Awards, he responded, “Of course I did. They were amazing. I’ll always cheer for their success.”

Life Beyond BIGBANG and Finding Stability

T.O.P also reflected on the 7–8 years he spent in a hiatus before joining Squid Game 2. “I cut myself off from social life and spent my time between home and my music studio. Creating music was the only thing that gave me a sense of relief. I didn’t have a specific goal—I just felt alive when I was in the studio. Whether I’m T.O.P making music or Choi Seung-hyun acting, it’s all me.”

Currently, T.O.P describes himself as “much more stable.” He shared, “I’m trying my best to stay healthy and hope to live a stable life as an upstanding person.” He also hinted at having a team helping him with his projects, though he remains cautious about calling it an official agency.

T.O.P also addressed the canceled “dearMoon” lunar mission he had been part of, saying he had clear and genuine reasons for joining the ambitious project. He shared, “I had prepared for it for a long time and was honored to pass all the tests. What drew me to the project was the idea of creating music inspired by the moon and sharing it with people—it felt like a beautiful fairy tale. I started with pure intentions. More than going to the moon, I wanted to see Earth on the way back.”

He added, “During my time of reflection, I struggled with intense self-loathing and spent too long hating myself. From space, I hoped to see Earth and realize how insignificant I am—a mere speck of dust. I wanted a new perspective and a chance to change.”