Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ season 2 having the intensity it did at every step of the way, it’s honestly no surprise there were more than just a few obvious antagonists in this original production. However, amongst them, the one to intrigue us the most was actually the purple-haired self-proclaimed professional rapper Choi “Thanos” Su-Bong (Player 230), owing to his sheer arrogance. Whether it be nonchalantly picking up fights, hitting on younger girls, or getting high out of his mind before every challenge, he did it all to the extreme until it ultimately backfired for the worse.
Thanos’ Over-Confidence and Selfishness Played a Role in His Death
From the moment we first came across Thanos, it was evident he was interested in playing the game, unlike others, in the hopes of winning enough money to become free of his ₩1.16 billion debt. This only went further once he realized cryptocurrency and financial influencer Lee Myung-gi was in the arena too, especially since the latter’s investment advice is what had led him into such a state. Thus, he was vicious towards Myung-gi every opportunity he got to make it clear he expected to be paid back, which then turned into outright ruthlessness as well as anger towards others too.
The fact Thanos was constantly drugged up from the party pills he kept in the massive cross on his neck at all times didn’t help his situation either, and neither did his overall cocky personality. His going out of the way to flirt with younger girls, showing off his broken English, and trying to act as if he was all-mighty since he was a professional rapper brought him further negative attention. In the end, it was partly his ego that led him to be brutally stabbed with a fork on Day 4 of the games – at the other end of this weapon in the men’s room during a massive group fight was Myung-gi.
Thanos is Portrayed by Successful Entertainer T.O.P
Although T.O.P (born Choi Seung-hyun) is an incredibly successful actor, musician, and songwriter in his homeland, it wasn’t until he appeared in ‘Squid Game’ that he became a global sensation. However, that’s not to say his professional career has ever been lacking, considering he first developed an interest in the industry when he was just a young boy and then carefully honed his skills. That’s how he evolved into a rather well-known underground artist before suddenly finding himself amongst the elites and getting signed by YG Entertainment at the age of 16 back in 2003.
Choi Seung-hyun was later given the stage name T.O.P by experienced artist Seven (Choi Dong-wook), which he took complete advantage of to later rebrand himself as well as spread his wings. In fact, from being in boy bands to going solo in 2007 and from providing soundtracks for original productions to starring in them himself, he has actually done it all over the past two decades. In other words, apart from having a handful of albums as well as some incredibly lucrative tours, this professional rapper also has at least 5 television and 8 film credits under his belt as of writing.
Like Thanos, TOP Has Struggled With Substance Abuse
While the character of Thanos was developed by ‘Squid Games’ creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, well before T.O.P’s casting, the actor reportedly did once hold onto many of the former’s bad habits. According to reports, it was while the rapper had just kickstarted his 2 years of mandatory service in the South Korean military that it came to light he was to be prosecuted for marijuana use. The recreational drug is still illegal in his homeland, so he ended up pleading guilty as charged, for which he was later handed down a 10-month suspended sentence as it was his first offense.
However, things only went from bad to worse as time passed because T.O.P was soon hospitalized for an overdose of prescribed tranquilizing pills, making it clear he had some significant issues. Since then, though, from what we can tell, he has not just managed to make a full recovery but has also turned over a new leaf for the sake of himself, his family, as well as his fans across the globe. Nevertheless, we should mention that this rapper’s dark past likely did help him step into Thanos’ shoes for ‘Squid Game,’ which is how he did such a perfect job. So, it’s safe to assume he is really thankful for where he stands today.
Read More: Gong-gi in Squid Game, Explained: Rules and How is it Played?
You must be logged in to post a comment.