“Squid Game” Director Addresses The Controversy After Casting T.O.P, Says, ‘I Am Not Sure If My Judgment Was Right, but..’
“Squid Game” Director Hwang Dong Hyuk has recently addressed various issues surrounding the casting of certain members for the highly anticipated 2nd season.
Recently, a press conference for Netflix’s original series Squid Game season 2 was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and CEO Kim Ji Yeon attended the press event.
Squid Game is a Netflix series about people who participate in a mysterious survival game with a 456 billion KRW prize on the line, challenging extreme games to become the final winner.
After the release of season 1 in 2021, Squid Game set a record for the highest Netflix viewership hours of all time, and became the first Korean production to win an Emmy Award, marking its global popularity. The series will return with season 2 on December 26. Additionally, the final series, Squid Game season 3, is scheduled to be released in 2025.
Earlier, Squid Game faced controversy when it cast T.O.P (real name Choi Seung Hyun), a former member of BIGBANG, who had been involved in a marijuana smoking scandal.
Regarding this, director Hwang Dong Hyuk said, “I didn’t expect it to become such a controversy. Personally, I’m not sure if my judgment was right, but time has passed, and since the verdict has been made, I thought it would be okay. There are people who have returned and are active despite causing social issues. I thought it would be fine, but I realize now that my judgment could have been wrong.”
However, he emphasized that thorough checks had been made: “I personally attended auditions, and we did readings. T.O.P showed a lot of talent. Even though it became controversial, it was hard to backtrack. We had to proceed with this actor for this project, and we had no choice but to show the result through the work. I hope you will understand that it wasn’t an easy decision after watching the project. I hope you will judge after waiting a little longer and seeing the work.”
On the issue of “friendship casting,” Hwang Dong Hyuk stated, “I feel wronged. I don’t think anyone has ever been as dismissive of my works as I have been. Whenever I’ve been cast like that, I regret it. Even in the past and with Squid Game, I didn’t cast based on friendship. I cast the person who was most suitable. I want to say that ‘friendship casting’ is a huge misunderstanding.”
Meanwhile, in Squid Game season 2, new faces will appear alongside returning cast members Lee Jung Jae, Lee Byung Hun, Wi Ha Joon, and Gong Yoo. New cast members include Im Siwan, Kang Ha Neul, Park Gyu Young, Lee Jin Wook, Park Sung Hoon, Yang Dong Geun, Kang Ae Shim, Lee Da Wook, Choi Seung Hyun, Noh Jae Won, Jo Yu Ri, and Won Ji An.
Squid Game season 2, eagerly awaited by audiences worldwide, will be released globally on December 26.
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