K-Pop Stars Dominate Stage in “Squid Game” Season 2, with T.O.P. and Jo Yoo-ri Highlighting Their Acting Skills

With Netflix’s globally successful series “Squid Game” Season 2 releasing on December 26, K-pop stars are attracting attention for their appearances as new characters. While the original cast members such as Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, and Gong Yoo are returning, K-pop artists are making significant appearances in new roles, sparking widespread discussion. The most notable casting is that of T.O.P., former member of BIGBANG (real name Choi Seung-hyun). At 37, Choi Seung-hyun was the lead rapper who debuted with BIGBANG in 2006 and played a key role in helping the group become one of the most successful boy bands in K-pop history by selling over 140 million albums worldwide. The music video for “Fantastic Baby” even reached 300 million views on YouTube, becoming the first K-pop video to achieve that milestone. Choi Seung-hyun officially left BIGBANG in June 2023 and was unable to engage in activities in South Korea for about 9 years after being given a suspended sentence for marijuana use in 2017. In “Squid Game” Season 2, he portrays “Thanos” (Player 230), a failed rapper struggling with drug addiction. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk recently said in an interview that Choi Seung-hyun could not operate in South Korea due to a marijuana scandal about 9 years ago, making this his return after a long hiatus. He added that it must have taken great courage for Choi to take on a character with similar negative traits—being a rapper and a drug addict—as himself. The director also stated that despite the long break, Choi delivered an extremely impressive performance, and he is very satisfied with how his character was portrayed. Another K-pop star is Jo Yoo-ri. At 23, Jo Yoo-ri ranked third in Mnet’s “Produce 48” in 2018, joining the Japanese-Korean mixed-gender girl group IZ*ONE. During their three-year contract, IZ*ONE sold millions of albums across Asia and quickly became global stars before disbanding after their contract ended in 2021. Since then, Jo Yoo-ri has been active as a solo artist, releasing singles such as “Glassy,” “Taxi,” and “Lovely.” In “Squid Game” Season 2, she plays “Kim Jun-hui” (Player 222), a woman who trusts someone she shouldn’t and is forced into the game. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Jo Yoo-ri explained that the casting process was very lengthy, stating that she spent a lot of time talking with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk. She recalled that the entire audition process took 3 to 4 months and interpreted her character by saying she wanted to earn money in any way possible for the baby Jun-hui had, which led her to decide to participate in the game. The success of Season 2 is drawing new attention to the acting abilities of K-pop artists. It represents a moment when the versatility of these K-pop stars, who pursue both music and acting careers, is recognized in a global Netflix series.