The controversy surrounding the casting of former BIGBANG member and actor Choi Seung Hyun (T.O.P) in the second season of Netflix's original series "Squid Game" has been addressed.

Director Hwang Dong Hyuk has decided not to provide any explanation for his decision to cast him.

When questioned by OSEN on the 5th about Choi Seung Hyun's possible departure from the show, a representative from 'Squid Game 2' stated that they had not heard anything about it.

The representative clarified that filming for "Squid Game Season 2" has not yet begun.

The representative further explained that director Hwang Dong Hyuk will not make any statements regarding T.O.P's involvement and will refrain from revealing the reasons behind his casting decision. The representative added that filming is expected to commence soon.

The news of the upcoming season and the anticipation of viewers worldwide, including in Korea, has sparked discussions among netizens, who have shared their thoughts on the matter:

"Why did they choose him?"

"So he wanted to target a global audience but disregarded the opinions of Koreans? I don't understand why he was cast."

"Ah, I won't be watching then.ㅠㅠ"

"Are they similar in some way? Why would he choose someone like him? Aside from his scandals, his acting is subpar and unpleasant."

"If you're not happy, just don't watch it."

"I didn't watch the first season, and I'll be even less interested in the second one. Birds of a feather."

"Out of all the actors available, why him? Just why?"

"I don't like Lee Jungjae either, so I didn't watch the first season. I won't be tuning in for the second one either.ㅋ"

"What a failure."

"No shame… absolutely shameless."

What are your thoughts?

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BTS's Jin continues to shine bright with his massive popularity, securing the No. 1 spot in the MY1PICK weekly rankings for an impressive 43 consecutive weeks!

In the MY1PICK K-POP Individual Category Weekly Ranking for the third week of December (December 16–22), Jin earned a massive 6,154,905 hearts, keeping his position at the top. From the 5th week of February to the 3rd week of December, Jin has been unbeatable in the weekly rankings, proving he has an enormous fanbase and global influence.

But Jin’s achievements don’t stop there. In November, he dominated the K-POP Individual Category Monthly Ranking, topping it with 25,452,283 hearts. He has held the No. 1 spot for 11 months straight, from January to November, showing his continuous popularity throughout the year.

Jin also claimed victory in the One Pick Chart’s “November Monthly Chart K-POP (Solo)” category, holding the No. 1 position for 8 months in a row, from April to November. On top of that, he won the 2024 Season Chart K-POP (SOLO) for both the 2nd and 3rd quarters, making him the best One Pick star of the season.

The Season Chart awards honor artists who have consistently earned love from fans, with a physical trophy given to the top artist. Jin’s back-to-back victories solidify his place as one of the most beloved stars in K-pop.

Jin’s fan power doesn’t end with rankings. He’s also triumphed in numerous themed votes, taking first place in categories like “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of,” “Star You Want to See First Pitch at a Baseball Game,” “Best Cooking Genius Idol,” “Star Who Would Be the Best Child,” and “Star You Would Fall in Love With at First Sight.” His reward advertisement for the “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of” vote began airing on December 26 and can be seen at Yeoksam Station until December 30.

Meanwhile, Jin’s first solo album Happy was released on November 15 and quickly became a global hit, showcasing his talents as a solo artist. He held a special showcase, Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage, on November 16 and 17, where fans were captivated by his beautiful vocals and flawless live performance.

Jin has also been keeping busy with appearances on popular variety shows like Salon Drip 2, Neighborhood Star K4, and Limousine Service. He’s also appeared on famous American talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Japan’s top music program Venue 101, where he impressed fans with his humor and solid live performances. His reputation as the “Vocal King” and “Live King” is stronger than ever!

As if that wasn't enough, Jin is also gaining attention globally for singing the main theme song for the new tvN drama Ask the Stars. Jin's talents continue to wow the world, and it's clear he's not slowing down anytime soon!

Source (1)