Director Hwang Dong-hyuk of Squid Game has opened up about the controversy surrounding the casting of Choi Seung Hyun (T.O.P), who joined the upcoming season despite past legal issues.

During a press conference for Squid Game Season 2 on August 1, Hwang discussed various aspects of the new season, including its changes and challenges. "It’s been over two years of work, and now with the trailer out, it feels real," Hwang said, sharing his excitement but also the pressure surrounding the new release.

He revealed that Squid Game Season 2 will see Lee Jung Jae’s character, Seong Gi-hun, return with a clear goal of ending the game and seeking revenge. "The biggest change is his purpose. In Season 1, he played to win money, but now he’s back for justice," Hwang explained.

Alongside returning stars like Lee Jung Jae and Lee Byung Hun, the new season will feature fresh faces such as Lim Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul, and T.OP..

However, the casting of Choi Seung Hyun sparked debate, due to his past involvement in a drug scandal. Hwang admitted, "I didn’t expect it to cause such a big controversy."

Hwang defended his decision, saying that the incident with Choi Seung Hyun happened years ago, and the actor had served his sentence. "I thought it was possible for him to make a comeback," Hwang shared. "But after seeing the public reaction, I realized my thinking may have been short-sighted."

Despite the backlash, Hwang emphasized that Choi Seung Hyun auditioned for the role and showed great effort and talent. "It wasn’t an easy decision, but after working closely with him, I believe he’s the best fit for the role," Hwang said.

There were also rumors that Squid Game stars Lee Jung Jae and Lee Byung Hun used personal connections to influence the casting. Hwang strongly rejected this, calling the accusation "unfair." He explained, "As a rookie director, I’ve had requests to cast certain people, but I’ve turned down most of them. I cast actors who were the best fit for the role, not based on personal relationships."

Squid Game Season 2 will follow Gi-hun as he returns to the deadly games to seek revenge, facing intense challenges and confrontations with new and familiar characters. The season will drop on Netflix on December 26, with Season 3 expected in 2025.

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The hit drama Weak Hero 2 is taking over both streaming charts and fans’ hearts—and now it’s bringing massive attention back to the original Naver webtoon Weak Hero.

According to Netflix's Tudum Top 10 update on April 30, Weak Hero 2 pulled in a huge 6.1 million views (based on total watch time divided by full runtime) just three days after its release. It grabbed the #1 spot on the Global TOP 10 Non-English TV Series chart.

That’s not all—right after it dropped, the drama soared to the top of Korea’s TOP 10 Series and even made the TOP 10 charts in 63 countries, including Brazil, France, Mexico, Belgium, Morocco, Greece, Indonesia, and more.

This follows the success of Weak Hero 1, which previously ranked #8 and stayed on the global chart for five weeks straight.

With all eyes on the new season, fans are now rushing to read the original webtoon, leading to a massive jump in popularity.

The webtoon, which first started in May 2018 and wrapped up in November 2023, is famous for its intense storytelling and emotional depth.

It tells the story of Yeon Si Eun, a quiet and seemingly weak student who turns into a top fighter at a violent school—giving fans a unique and gripping coming-of-age story.

After Weak Hero Class 2 aired, many viewers started reading or re-reading the webtoon from beginning to end. As a result, sales of the webtoon have shot up more than 20 times compared to its average monthly sales after completion.

The series has also been turned into printed books, a mobile game, and even emojis, and has been exported to 9 countries, including North America.

When the first season of the drama premiered on Wavve in 2022, it held 45% of the platform’s total viewing share, proving its wide appeal.

Fans are now hoping for a new sequel season of the webtoon, and the franchise is being praised as a perfect example of how a strong original story can keep growing through great adaptations.

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