Thanos. Player 230. One of the most controversial and debated characters from Season 2 of Squid Game. Love him or hate him you couldn’t take your eyes off him.
With this role, the actor portraying a fallen K-pop idol Thanos, Choi Seung Hyun, continues to show TOP acting ability. I honestly can’t remember if I saw him in a Korean movie or onstage with his K-hip-hop group BIGBANG first. But Choi Seung Hyun aka T.O.P. is always impressive no matter which spotlight he’s in.
Choi Seung Hyun, the actor
So if you enjoyed his performance as Thanos, and want to dive deeper into K-dramas, try watching him in other roles other the years:
On Tubi
- Iris: The Movie – A spy thriller (If you have time watch the TV series instead.)
- Commitment – The teenage son of an ex-North Korean agent becomes an assassin.
On Viki
- I am Your Teacher (aka I’m Sam, I Am Sam) – Choi’s debut TV show, a silly student K-drama
On Netflix
Iris (The TV Series) – A 2009 spy story that was later edited to be a movie in 2011. The show also stars Lee Byung Hyun (Player 001) in Squid Game.
On YouTube
Nineteen – Three 19-year-olds are accused of murder and go on the run.
Tazza: The Hidden Card isn’t available on any streaming platforms. Well, I couldn’t find it. But some of you industrious viewers can probably dig up a copy on Daily Motion or YouTube. Here’s the trailer:
T.O.P, man of many interests
Even though Choi Seung Hyun is a rapper in real life, don’t assume that as his persona T.O.P. he is anything like his character Thanos. His familiarity with being an idol in the K-pop world surely helped him play the role. His fans will recognize the easter eggs either he or the director incorporated into show. Like when Crypto guy called him out about forgetting lyrics. Or his arm movements during the Merry-Go-Round game.
This video lets you hear from T.O.P himself entirely in English.
T.O.P, the rapper
Although he is now 100% a solo artist, he was once a member of BIGBANG one of K-pop’s biggest groups. With three rappers in the 5-man group they leaned more toward hip-hop than straight pop in music and style. One of my favorite performances was their appearance at the MAMA Awards (formerly MNET Asian Music Awards). These next two videos give you an idea of who T.O.P is as the rap-fire rapper.
And if you want a taste of him with his former group this full concert in Japan does it well.
Let me know if T.O.P’s appearance in Squid Game left you screaming at the TV for more. And if you were already a fan, let me know if you enjoyed this quick look back.
Pinkpodster Ponders 