South Korean singer and actor T.O.P has expressed excitement ahead of the release of Squid Game 2.
On Wednesday, T.O.P posted on his social media account, “D-1, Squid Game,” along with a photo.
The photo he shared included promotional material for Squid Game 2 with the message “Join the game again, 2024.12.26” and promotional content prepared by Netflix.
Although T.O.P has been absent from all official promotional events for Squid Game 2, he has drawn attention by actively promoting the series through posts on his social media.
T.O.P’s casting in Squid Game 2 has been controversial since it was announced. The public reacted strongly against his casting due to his previous conviction for marijuana use, for which he received a suspended prison sentence.
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk addressed the controversy during a press conference in August, saying, “I didn’t expect it to become such a heated issue. It happened quite some time ago, and the sentence was already handed down, with the probation period completed. In the past, others who caused public controversy have made their comebacks, too.”
He continued, “I thought enough time had passed for it to become a personal matter. However, seeing the extent of public concern made me realize I underestimated the issue. That said, we thoroughly vetted him and confirmed his strong personal commitment.”
Despite the director’s statement, the controversy has not subsided easily. Although aware of the ongoing backlash, T.O.P has refrained from participating in any official promotional events for Squid Game 2.
Meanwhile, all episodes of Squid Game 2 were released on Wednesday at 5 p.m.