Director Hwang Dong-hyuk has opened up about the character Thanos (played by Choi Seung-hyun), who received the biggest reaction in Season 2.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk met with Dong-a.com for an interview about the Netflix series ‘Squid Game Season 2 (hereafter referred to as Squid Game 2)’ at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 2nd and talked about the work.

The character that garnered the most attention in ‘Squid Game 2’ is Thanos, played by Choi Seung-hyun, former member of the group Big Bang. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said about the reason he created the character of Thanos, “The reason I created a group consisting of Thanos, Min-soo, and Semi, represented by MZ, is because I wanted to deal with issues that the younger generation is facing today. There are a lot of people who lose money by investing in virtual currency, and there are a lot of drugs, so I wanted to deal with those problems.”

When asked why he cast Choi Seung-hyun for the character of Thanos, director Hwang Dong-hyeok said, “I chose him through an audition because I thought he would do well. This guy is so similar to me that it’s shockingly similar. A rapper who ruined himself with marijuana. Actually, I thought he would say no. When I asked him to audition, I thought he would naturally decline. That’s why I said I had the courage. I auditioned and saw more potential in him than others. I’m not a Big Bang fan, and there’s no reason to force him into this role just to help him make a comeback.”

He also added, “In season 3, a lot of people fall down because of the drugs this guy brought. I thought it would be more impactful if Choi Seung-heon did it. I thought it would be more meaningful if someone who went through that and fell did it. I did it with good intentions. Wouldn’t it be more meaningful?”



When asked if he wrote the Thanos character with Choi Seung-hyun in mind, Director Hwang Dong-hyeok said, “I really wanted to talk about drugs for the Thanos character, and that happens a lot in the hip-hop scene. Also, if you watch ‘Show Me the Money,’ there are a lot of guys with unique swagger, so I wanted to create a character by combining those guys. It wasn‘t a character written for Choi Seung-hyun.”

Then, regarding Thanos’ acting tone, which has been controversial, he said, “There were times when I laughed out loud while watching ‘Show Me the Money,’ but I created it after seeing that kind of character. Also, Season 2 is very heavy, so it‘s a bit exaggerated and cartoonish, and that’s why I named it Thanos. That‘s the kind of character I created. (Choi) Seung-hyun did it under my direction. If it had been weird by my standards, I would have done it again. I wrote and directed it and gave the okay, so please see it as I intended.”

Director Hwang Dong-hyeok emphasized, “Actually, the characters’ narratives aren’t finished yet, so I think the characters aren’t getting as many responses. Looking at the overseas reactions right now, Hyun-joo (played by Park Sung-hoon) and Thanos seem to be getting the best responses. I thought Hyun-joo would be loved. He tries to protect his values the most in a mess, and he’s the best at fighting. I wanted to create a character with that kind of likability. Thanos was actually a character I created half-heartedly. I thought he would be a character that many people in Korea would dislike. Like the characters Mi-nyeo and Deok-su from Season 1. Korean audiences and viewers prefer characters who act with a serious and realistic base. That’s why they tend to feel uncomfortable if they overdo it. I thought Thanos could be like that too. But overseas, people like that kind of character. This character has ridiculous characteristics, so when I saw that there were a lot of negative reviews, I thought, “That’s right. I thought there were cultural differences.”

Meanwhile, ‘Squid Game 2’, released on December 26, 2024, depicts the story of Ki-hoon (played by Lee Jung-jae), who vows revenge and returns to participate in the game, and the fierce confrontation between the frontman (played by Lee Byung-hun) who greets him, and the real game starting again.

Choi Yoon-na, Donga.com reporter yyynnn@donga.com