'Squid Game' Season 2: Choi Seung-hyun Excluded Amid Controversy

'Squid Game' Season 2 is set to premiere on December 26, 2024, and has recently unveiled a new poster. However, the absence of Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P), the former member of BIGBANG, has sparked discussions, especially following his past drug controversy.

The highly anticipated Netflix original series will continue the story of Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who returns to participate in the deadly games, facing off against the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). This season marks the return of the series after nearly three years since its first season.

Despite the excitement, some viewers have expressed discomfort regarding Choi Seung-hyun's involvement due to his previous legal issues. In 2016, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for marijuana use. Since then, he has distanced himself from the entertainment industry, even hinting at retirement after leaving BIGBANG.

Given his controversial past and unproven acting credentials, questions arose about his casting in 'Squid Game' Season 2. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk stated, 'I didn’t expect it to become a controversy. When casting, I was unsure if my judgment was correct, but the incident happened a long time ago, and the sentence has been served. Many entertainers have returned after similar issues, and I thought it was time to give him a chance.'

Despite Hwang's defense, negative perceptions lingered regarding Choi Seung-hyun's return to the screen, leading to his decision not to attend the production presentation scheduled for December 9.

Additionally, the recently released poster notably omits Choi Seung-hyun, featuring other cast members like Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Lee Jin-wook, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, and Jo Yu-ri. This has led to speculation among netizens about whether his exclusion was a response to the ongoing controversy or if he was edited out entirely.

'Squid Game' Season 2 will be available for streaming on Netflix starting December 26, 2024.