The Dark Story Of Squid Game's Thanos (And The Actor Who Played Him)

Contains spoilers for "Squid Game" Season 2

As the hundreds of green tracksuit-clad players around him fear for their lives, one man (with the help of his drug-filled crucifix) is only concerned about flirting with the ladies, getting financial compensation from Player 333, Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan), and breaking out his best dance moves to the popular children's song "Round and Round."

Of course, we're talking about Player 230, aka rapper Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun), who, with his spikey purple hair and over-the-top demeanor, flooded social media in viral clips after the December 2024 premiere of Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2. However, little did many "Squid Game" fans outside of South Korea realize, Choi's participation in the show — not to mention his portrayal of an individual with a troubled past — is a huge deal.

In 2017, the real-life rapper known as T.O.P was blacklisted from the South Korean entertainment industry for drug use, despite him being part of one of the biggest K-pop bands, BIGBANG, for more than a decade. "Squid Game" marked his first time back in the spotlight in seven years. Though his home country largely continues to shun him, T.O.P (and Thanos) has gained a strong Western fanbase, turning this artist and actor's troubled past into one of redemption.

Recreational marijuana may be legal in most parts of the United States, as well as other countries around the world including Canada and Uruguay, but in South Korea, the drug is strictly forbidden. Even when traveling abroad where it is allowed, Koreans will face repercussions once back home if they're caught partaking.

Therefore, when T.O.P was convicted of using marijuana, the consequences were dire. In addition to being suspended from his mandatory military service for two years, he was sentenced to 10 months in jail. And though he was at the height of his career, releasing music with BIGBANG (the studio album "Made" came out the year prior) and appearing in numerous films, including 2017's "Out of Control," public perception of T.O.P greatly changed after the incident.

Though T.O.P's crime might not seem like a huge deal to the average American, it must be noted that there are no drug classes in South Korea. Therefore, all drugs — from marijuana to heroin — are seen as equally bad and have the same zero tolerance policy.

T.O.P's links to substance abuse didn't end there. The day after he was indicted for marijuana use, the rapper overdosed on prescription tranquilizers. After he was discovered unresponsive, T.O.P was taken to a Seoul hospital in critical condition.

False news reports began to circulate online, with T.O.P's distraught mother quickly setting the record straight. She said (via Koreaboo), "My son is still unconscious and to read articles that say he's 'deep in sleep' is hurtful. Please edit and refrain from saying such things. We don't know how things will turn out. My son is in critical condition. I see my son dying but I also see reports saying he's just sleeping. Isn't that wrongful reporting?" She added, "Due to the lack of oxygen, he may have possible brain damage."

Thankfully, he did regain consciousness and was moved to another facility for psychiatric care. But as he was being transferred from the intensive care unit, members of the press were on hand to snap photos of T.O.P leaving in a white hospital gown and wheelchair, forever chronicling this dark period in his life. In 2022, during a rare interview with Prestige, T.O.P candidly shared that his overdose was a suicide attempt, saying, "I realized later how much hurt and painful memories I gave to the people around me, my family, and fans out there."

For the most part, T.O.P largely stayed out of the public eye until his performance as Thanos in "Squid Game" Season 2. In addition to being ostracized from the entertainment industry following his marijuana conviction and subsequent overdose, T.O.P admitted in a handwritten apology letter to his fanbase that he felt embarrassed by his actions.

He said (via NME), "I have no excuses and deserve any kind of punishment. I feel very regretful and fearful for having left an irreparable scar in everyone's hearts, including our [BIGBANG] members, my agency, friends, and family. I will reflect on my wrongdoing over and over again. Once more, I apologize for not being able to apologize to everyone personally." 

Though T.O.P remained part of BIGBANG until 2023, he seriously considered saying "goodbye" to the music industry following the controversy. Instead, he quietly stepped away from the spotlight and used his passion for music to help him through those dark days, writing over 100 songs between 2017 and 2022. "It's been my motivation, like wanting to fill up a bookshelf with my work," he told Prestige. T.O.P added, "I feel reborn." As he put his full focus on penning new music, T.O.P stopped appearing on screen after "Out of Control." That is, until director Hwang Dong-hyuk cast him as one of the most unforgettable characters on one of the top shows in the world.

There's no denying that the character of Thanos is a lot. From the get go, he's complaining to the guards about his expensive sneakers and using his celebrity status — and ability to toss in the occasional English phrase — to try and attract female players. With his purple hair, painted nails, and giant, drug-filled crucifix around his neck, Thanos isn't one to stay under-the-radar. He likes to be the center of attention, and his exaggerated personality mirrors that.

However, T.O.P's over-the-top performance didn't resonate with all viewers of "Squid Game," who feel that Thanos is the worst new character and out of place. A number of them took to social media to express their dislike of the character, with many finding him cringey. On X, @rikomalta shared a GIF of a man looking celebratory as he's hoisted into the air by a crowd with the caption, "Me after Thanos from 'Squid Game' died (worst most annoying character in the whole season)." @JayJayOcfemia shared a similar sentiment, saying, "No way people actually like this Thanos guy in 'Squid Game' right????" In fact, Thanos made some "Squid Game" fans so angry, that a South Korean news outlet urged T.O.P to issue an apology to the world for his performance. 

The show's director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, said (via Korea JoongAng Daily) that T.O.P shouldn't be blamed by the Thanos haters. The rapper was simply bringing Hwang's vision to life, he explained, saying, "The result was what I wrote, directed, approved, and edited, so it should be seen as my intention."

All who enter the games on "Squid Game" are desperate for a way out of extreme financial debt, and Thanos is no exception. Before becoming Player 230, Thanos, whose real name is Choi Su-bong, was a successful rapper who made poor decisions with his earnings.

As an avid fan of YouTuber Myung-gi, Thanos had full confidence in him when he insisted that investing in a new cryptocurrency would earn big bucks. Thanos invested his entire fortune, but Myung-gi was mistaken, causing Thanos to find himself in debt of over one billion wan.

At a loss for what to do next and how to recoup his money, Thanos went to the Han River Bridge with the intention of jumping off. But the recruiter of the games (Gong Yoo) showed up just in time, challenging him to ddakji. Thanos explains to Player 125, Park Min-su (Lee David), "It felt like divine intervention. Like the universe was giving me a second chance, man. That's when I decided I was gonna turn my whole life around, make my mom proud." This is one of many ways in which Thanos' experience mirrors T.O.P's. Just as the games give Thanos a new lease on life, "Squid Game" is giving T.O.P a second chance to entertain the masses on screen. 

When preparing to enter the games for the second time, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) replaces one of his back teeth with a tracking device so that his new law enforcement buddy, Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), can track him to the island and help put an end to the games. However, the guards discover the device and take it. Meanwhile, Thanos is able to smuggle in a large crucifix filled with colorful drugs, which is one of the biggest plot holes of "Squid Game" Season 2. It's hard to believe that the guards missed this while searching Thanos upon entry, which means they likely let him keep it, believing the drugs would add an interesting element to the games ... which they do.

Thanos first pops one of the pills (believed to be some type of amphetamine, according to fans) during Red Light Green Light. It makes him carefree during such a high-stress situation, so much so that he does a mid-air heel click, massive grin on his face, as his fellow competitors fight back tears.

Then, prior to both the mini game obstacle course, which made the actors sick, and Mingle, he and Player 124, Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won), take one. The latter game sees the viral moment of this duo skipping in a circle, arms linked, as the catchy "Round and Round" plays. Though the drugs seem to help Thanos in the games (he comes out successful in each) and result in some of the season's most hilarious moments, it begs the question of how reliant he was on drugs outside of the games.

Though he may look pretty harmless while skipping around the games and giving finger hearts to the ladies, Thanos has a side to him that is very erratic, aggressive, and confrontational. Off the bat, he directs his anger toward Myung-gi for steering him in the wrong direction regarding the cryptocurrency. Not once does Thanos take accountability for his own actions. Myung-gi never forced him to invest and always dropped a disclaimer at the end of his videos, which he makes clear in a line that means more than "Squid Game" Season 2 viewers realized. 

He's also not above attacking his fellow competitors. For example, in Red Light Green Light, after taking a pill, he shoves the three players in front of him to the ground, causing them to move and be "eliminated." Though he does this with a smile and merrily frolics to a remix of "Fly Me to the Moon" shortly after, this action, even if drug-induced, was cruel and unnecessary.

As the season progresses, his animosity toward Myung-gi continues to grow, leading to a bloody altercation in the bathroom. Thanos' hateful and bullying nature is what ultimately leads to his demise. While strangling Myung-gi, his opponent fights back, fatally stabbing him in the neck with a fork.

Thanos and Myung-gi might have a contentious relationship in "Squid Game," but behind-the-scenes, T.O.P and Yim Si-wan got along swimmingly. In fact, the two underwent action training together to work on their characters' chemistry and make that violent bathroom scene appear as realistic as possible, with both doing their own stunt work.

However, while performing the fight choreography, T.O.P broke his ribs. Still, the actor didn't let this dampen his performance. During a press conference (via Sportskeeda), Yim said of his scene partner, "It was actually his fighting spirit after getting injured. I also broke my ribs while boxing with Choo Sung-hoon, so I know how much it hurts and hurts. It was so bad I couldn't even breathe. That injury meant we had to stop filming again, but he didn't care and continued filming. I thought to myself, 'A celebrity among celebrities, his career is extraordinary.'"

Oftentimes, when an actor returns to the screen after many years away, they're met with praise and excitement, as was the case for A-listers like Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan. But T.O.P he didn't get this kind of reception in South Korea, where many haven't forgotten about his past controversies.

When promoting "Squid Game" Season 2, the MBC show "Live This Morning" intentionally blurred out T.O.P's face during a Thanos scene, which angered many fans. On X, @Rai17181516 said, "SK needs a life!!! Everyone else in the world enjoyed seeing him act again but South Koreans and idk. I wish they would treat REAL criminals like that." @29_paulinas asked, "Why didn't they blur Snoop Dogg when he recorded a song and music video with PSY? Why didn't they blur Wiz Khalifa at MAMA 2016? I swear, the Korean media want to destroy T.O.P, and it's not even funny anymore. The guy is struggling with serious issues, and they still harass him."

Additionally, T.O.P is noticeably absent from the official "Squid Game" Season 2 promotional photos from Netflix, as well as the cast's many press interviews, allegedly to deter anyone who dislikes him from boycotting the show. This was done despite Thanos being as prominent a figure as most of those featured, including other supporting characters like Player 246, Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-uk), and Player 044, Seon-nyeo (Chae Kuk-hee). 

While not everyone in the world agrees that T.O.P should've been cast in "Squid Game" Season 2, director Hwang Dong-hyuk is standing fiercely by his decision to cast the fallen rapper and actor in the show. Not only that, Hwang gave T.O.P credit for taking on a character like Thanos, who in many ways mirrors his real life and past controversies.

"This is a comeback after quite a long hiatus, and particularly because he portrays a character that's a rapper and also someone who is on drugs," Hwang told People. He went on to say, "I feel that it took him a lot of guts, in a way, to portray a character, especially someone who shares a lot of similarities that are quite negative to him as a person too ... So I think it took him a lot of courage to take on that role."

T.O.P didn't hold back when it came to Thanos, and even incorporated subtle nods to his K-pop years. For example, though many "Squid Game" viewers likely think Thanos' circular fist pump move during Mingle, which has been hailed as the best new game, is a humorous character quirk, it's actually reminiscent of the choreography from BIGBANG's live performance of "Bang Bang Bang." Even Thanos' random finger gun hand gestures are seen in the music video for the song. T.O.P also acknowledged his past rap battle lyric snafu, with Thanos called out by Myung-gi for forgetting his lyrics during "The Rap Battleground." For T.O.P, art imitates life in many ways on "Squid Game."

Though T.O.P's "Squid Game" performance isn't getting much love in South Korea, fans around the world are hailing him as one of the best aspects of Season 2. Reddit user u/Nogarda said, "The entire thing would be dead in the water without him ... Thanos gets you over all of the hard tedious 'bumps' as the games and votes advance."

Many agree that he did an excellent job of leaning into the arrogant and unlikeable qualities of Thanos, all while bringing a sense of charm and humor that, despite his bullying ways, made him a fan favorite. Others are applauding T.O.P for doing the unthinkable and choosing a controversial, drug-riddled rapper as his big comeback to the screen. U/eatalways said, "...it's a giant middle finger to those netizens that condemned him for smoking weed."

With his "Squid Game" journey at an end, fans are calling for T.O.P to seek more acting work abroad. U/schuyywalker said, "The US needs to scoop him up if he isn't getting any projects in SK." And, of course, international fans have noticed that T.O.P isn't exactly hard on the eyes. U/throwawayaway388 simply said, "I loved him on the show. He's hot lol. He should come to North America." "Squid Game" Season 2 debuted on Netflix with a whopping 68 million views. This means that millions of people around the world have been introduced to T.O.P, who may finally get a chance to put his past behind him once and for all.

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