From BigBang's T.O.P to Squid Game star: Who is K-pop singer Choi Seung-hyun?

South Korean artist has been praised for taking on challenging role in season two of hit drama after 2017 arrest

K-pop star and actor Choi Seung-hyun plays the part of Thanos in Squid Game. Photo: Netflix

Among the new names starring in the second season of Netflix thriller series Squid Game is a faintly familiar face.

Playing the role of rapper Thanos, Choi Seung-hyun is making his comeback in the bloody South Korean drama. He first found fame in the world of K-pop as rapper T. O. P in the popular boy band BigBang, but fell out of public favour in the years since.

But his performance in Squid Game could push the entertainment industry to embrace Choi again in the wake of his 2017 arrest in South Korea for substance abuse.

Beyond the strong reviews, Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk was impressed by Choi's performance on set. “It took a lot of guts to portray this character, especially someone who shares quite negative similarities to him as a person,” Hwang told People.

“So I think it took a lot of courage to take on that role. Despite the long hiatus, I have to say, as a director, he performed very impressively, and I'm very satisfied with what he did with the character.”

Here are five other things to know about Choi.

1. He plays a complex character in Squid Game

Choi’s portrayal of fallen rapper Thanos has been a talking point. Brash, irascible and with loud purple hair, Choi dials up the drama and diva within Thanos by portraying him as deeply troubled yet charismatic, his cheeky grin often disguising the malevolence beneath.

2. A seasoned acting career

The fact that Choi looks so at ease on screen should not come as a surprise to those following his career. His role in Squid Game is one of many he has gained since his 2007 television debut in I Am Sam.

The romantic K-drama, which featured Squid Game co-star Yang Dong-eun, marked the beginning of his acting journey. In 2010, Choi made his mark with the South Korean war film 71: Into the Fire, earning him a slew of local film prizes, including Best New Actor at the 2010 Blue Dragon Film Awards. Choi also landed lead roles in the stylish 2014 crime drama Tazza: The Hidden Card before his last film, the German-Chinese spy thriller Out of Control in 2017.

3. He was a K-pop star

South Korean band BigBang members are Seungri (Lee Seung-hyun); Daesung (Kang Dae-sung); Taeyang (Dong Young-bae); G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong) and T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun). Reuters

Choi’s film status was bolstered by a promising music career. A founding member of the successful K-pop band BigBang – its success partly paved the way for future stars like EXO and BTS – Choi was both the frontman and co-songwriter behind hits such as Fantastic Baby and Bad Boy.

His nimble rapping was also supported by a rich tenor, which scored him solo hits with Turn It Up in 2010 and Doom Dada three years later. All that acclaim propelled him to become a fashion personality, having been seen at Paris Fashion Week in 2016.

Choi and BigBang were due to perform as part of the 2020 Coachella music festival, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, he confirmed that he was no longer a member of the group.

4. Choi's career revival

Choi Seung-hyun is making his career comeback with Squid Game. Getty

Before this small-screen return, a central reason for Choi's career fallout was his arrest in 2017 for substance abuse. The incident occurred while he was serving mandatory military service in South Korea and involved a fellow trainee.

Not only did it result in a 10-month suspended sentence, but South Korea's strict laws prohibiting drug use, coupled with the moral standards expected from K-pop stars, caused his entertainment career to languish for nearly a decade.

Completing his military service in 2019, Choi only re-emerged through Squid Game season two and it remains to be seen if he plans to make a musical comeback.