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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BTS’s V is proving once again why he’s a global music powerhouse! His song “Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)” has officially surpassed 210 million streams on Spotify, showing its long-lasting popularity.

On February 26, Winter Ahead crossed the 210 million stream mark on the world’s biggest music platform, Spotify. Since its release, the song has been charting for 91 consecutive days on both the Global Spotify Chart and Europe’s Apple Music Daily Song Chart, proving its strong presence.

Originally released on November 29, 2023, Winter Ahead made a huge impact on year-end charts for 2024. It debuted at No. 99 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart at No.1, and ranked No. 62 on Billboard’s Holiday Top 100.

Over in the UK, the song entered the Official Singles Chart at No. 86, while securing No.1 on the Official Singles Downloads Chart and No.2 on the Singles Sales Chart, proving its incredible digital sales power.

The music video for Winter Ahead also became a hot topic! V transformed into a sculptor, delivering a deep and emotional performance with his expressive acting, pulling fans into the song’s atmosphere.

Despite being 6 minutes and 22 seconds long, the video went viral, ranking No.1 on the "Music Video Trending Worldwide" chart.

On TIDAL, a global high-quality streaming platform, Winter Ahead made history as the longest-running K-pop song at No.1 on the Global Top Video chart.

It also topped Top Video charts in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain, Australia, and Singapore.

Even Billboard couldn’t resist the charm of Winter Ahead! The song was featured in "The 27 Best Winter Songs for the Season," with Billboard praising it as "evoking the feeling of the first day of winter, with harmonies as fresh as a snowflake."

They also noted that "its impact will last far beyond December 25."

Additionally, Winter Ahead was voted No.1 on Billboard’s ‘2024 Fan-Favorite Songs’ list, proving that fans can’t get enough of V’s music.

With this, V has now charted three songs on Billboard’s Holiday Hot 100, following Christmas Tree (2021) and his cover of White Christmas. He is officially the only K-pop artist to achieve this!

Even more impressively, he holds the record as the only K-pop artist to have three songs reach No.1 on Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart, solidifying his dominance in the holiday music scene.

With Winter Ahead continuing to shine worldwide, V once again proves why he’s the ultimate ‘Winter King’ of K-pop.

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