Controversial Squid Game Season 2 Star Removed From Second Poster, Cast List

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Key Takeaways

  • T.O.P is noticeably missing in the second poster for Squid Game Season 2.
  • T.O.P had a significant appearance in the first trailer for Squid Game Season 2 released in November.
  • acter limit due to the complexity of the article. Please feel free to revise as needed.)

As a gamer with a soft spot for Korean dramas, I must admit that the latest news about Squid Game Season 2 has left me scratching my head. The absence of T.O.P from the second poster is quite puzzling, especially considering his significant role in the first trailer.

The hit series, Squid Game, unveiled its poster for Season 2, but sharp-eyed enthusiasts spotted a fresh face conspicuously absent from the lineup.

The South Korean series “Squid Game,” which Netflix premiered in September 2021, quickly became a massive sensation. For weeks on end, it held the top spot on the streaming service and even broke records by being watched for a staggering 1.65 billion hours in its first month. Its triumph was further demonstrated by the numerous awards it received, including six Primetime Emmys and various other honors from the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, and others. Consequently, a second season of “Squid Game” was greenlit. Since many characters met their end in the first season, several new actors are expected to join the cast for Season 2. However, one notable absence can be seen in the show’s latest promotional poster.

Squid Game Season 2 is due later this month and the show dropped a new poster. However, T.O.P, whose real name is Choi Seun Hyun, was left out of the promotional material and removed from the official list of cast members and special guests, per Allkpop. The former BigBang member made a significant appearance in the first trailer released in November, where the participants played the infamous “Red Light, Green Light” game. In the said scene, T.O.P rocks purple hair and tells one of the players “There’s a bee on you.” The startled player reacts and moves and mocks Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who tells everyone to stop because nothing has happened to her. However, shortly after that, she is shot dead, leading to presumably more deaths as the other players can’t help but react to what they have just witnessed.

Allkpop speculates that the absence of T.OP from the second promotional poster might be a consequence of the backlash stemming from his past drug scandal. In 2017, he was given a 10-month prison sentence and two years of probation following his guilty plea for using marijuana on four separate occasions in October 2016. The judge emphasized that drug-related crimes are harshly penalized due to their detrimental impact on society. However, T.O.P expressed deep regret for his actions and apologized both in court and to his fans upon arrival.

It makes sense that Squid Game appears to be distancing from T.O.P given his past controversy, as it’s not uncommon for large production companies to exclude key cast members from promotional materials due to their personal issues. For example, in November 2023, many Aquaman fans noticed that Amber Heard was absent from a poster released weeks before the movie was set to premiere in theaters. Heard, who played Mera in the film, had her own legal troubles years ago and lost a defamation lawsuit against her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. In court, she testified that her role in the film was minimized and the production even considered firing her. However, Heard fought to stay involved in the Aquaman sequel.

Even though Heard’s situation doesn’t exactly mirror T.O.P’s, both productions chose to exclude a contentious cast member from promotional materials, similar to Warner Bros.’ handling of Heard in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, this decision was met with enthusiasm by T.O.P’s fans as he returns to TV screens. It’s worth noting that T.O.P isn’t a newcomer to acting, having previously starred in films like I Am Sam (2007), Iris (2009), Haru (2010) and Secret Messages (2015).

Squid Game Season 2 premieres on Netflix on December 24, 2024.

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2024-12-07 20:24