Choi Seung Hyun, aka T.O.P, former member of BIGBANG, is getting a lot of attention for his role in Squid Game 2, but the reactions are very different from local and international audiences.

The highly anticipated Squid Game Season 2, which hit Netflix on December 26, follows the intense battle between Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung Jae), who returns for revenge and to participate in the games once again, and Frontman (Lee Byung Hun), who is waiting for him. The season, as a follow-up to the global hit Squid Game, has created major buzz since production began.

However, the casting of Choi Seung Hyun for a key role in the show caused quite a stir in South Korea. The star, who had previously left BIGBANG due to a marijuana scandal and retired from the entertainment industry, faced backlash over his casting. His return to acting in Squid Game 2 became one of the most talked-about and criticized decisions.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk defended Choi Seung Hyun’s casting at a press conference before the show’s release, saying, "It took a lot of courage for Choi Seung Hyun to take on this role. I believe he was the perfect fit." He added, "You may not understand my choice now, but after watching the show, you'll see why I insisted on casting him. It wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t easy for him either. I hope you judge him after seeing the work."

But when Squid Game 2 premiered, South Korean viewers were not impressed with Choi Seung Hyun's acting, especially his portrayal of Thanos, a character shown as a "drug addict." This portrayal led to a lot of negative feedback from the local audience.

Despite this, Director Hwang stood by his decision. In a People magazine interview on December 28, he praised Choi Seung Hyun’s performance, saying, "Even after a long break, I think he gave an impressive performance. I’m very satisfied with his work." This sparked even more criticism from domestic viewers, who were clearly not on the same page.

However, the international reaction to Choi Seung Hyun’s performance has been very different. Overseas audiences have praised his portrayal of Thanos, calling it one of the most memorable characters of Squid Game 2. Some international outlets even went so far as to name Thanos the standout role of the season, highlighting his realistic depiction of a "drug addict."

It seems that while domestic viewers have been tough on T.O.P's return to acting, international audiences are giving him the recognition he deserves.

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The battle between NewJeans (NJZ) and HYBE just got more intense! During a court hearing, NewJeans presented evidence claiming that ILLIT’s concept, styling, and choreography are too similar to theirs!

On March 7, the Seoul Central District Court held a hearing on ADOR’s injunction request to stop NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein) from operating independently and signing advertising contracts without ADOR’s approval.

NewJeans’ legal team didn’t hold back, stating, “HYBE launched ILLIT as a copy of NewJeans. They tried to damage NewJeans’ brand and replace them.”

They added, “Even HYBE employees noticed it. NewJeans debuted three years earlier, but their project plans look shockingly similar. The structure, documents, and content are nearly identical.”

NewJeans’ side even compared hanbok photoshoots of both groups, saying, “At first glance, you can’t tell which one is NewJeans and which one is ILLIT.”

They added, “Why did they have to copy the same colors, styles, and textures? Even fans were the first to point this out, saying, ‘This is too much.’”

They also accused ILLIT of copying NewJeans’ iconic choreography. They presented a side-by-side comparison video of NewJeans’ “Attention” dance move, claiming that ILLIT directly copied it.

“Some people said ILLIT was just paying homage to their seniors, but NewJeans never gave permission for that,” they stated. “This is an unauthorized and almost identical copy of our signature moves.”

Instead of responding to these accusations, NewJeans’ side claimed that HYBE launched an internal audit against Min Hee-jin and engaged in media play. They added, “HYBE simply said, ‘We can’t determine if this is plagiarism, so let’s wait for the court’s ruling.’”

NewJeans members are fighting to leave ADOR, claiming their exclusive contract ended on November 28, 2023.

They even announced their new group name, ‘NJZ’, and have started independent promotions, including a song release at ComplexCon Hong Kong on March 23.

However, ADOR insists that NewJeans is under contract until July 31, 2029. The agency has filed lawsuits to prove the contract is still valid and to stop NewJeans from signing solo advertisement deals.

As the legal battle continues, fans are left wondering—is this just the beginning of an even bigger fight?

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