Squid Game Male Actors Swept Up in Controversy

Photo credits: BBC

Author’s note:

Can one ever truly separate the character from the actor? The 2024 release of “Squid Game” season two pushed this question to its limits. Its initial release in 2021 took the world by storm, and season two was no different, with each starring actor being placed under the spotlight in front of a global audience. While most actors benefitted, some actors faced relentless criticism for their past actions, whether it be drug abuse, DUIs, sexual misconduct, or rape. This has left many to question to what extent these past actions can be excused, and in which cases certain actors should be excluded from the field of entertainment. While this is a thin line to balance on, the severity of past actions and the efforts made by the actor to make up for such misdemeanors must be taken into account.

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His comments were painted with a plethora of hateful comments. Having appeared after his drug scandal first drew attention from the public, the comments never seemed to cease. It seemed as though the public knew and critiqued everything. It was, simply put, suffocating.

Across the city, another man similarly suffered. After facing rape accusations which, although disproved, were incessantly hurting his career, negative comments had begun appearing on every post he uploaded. The word “rapist” ran rampant through his social media pages and his mind. It felt unavoidable.

Were their careers over? How would their reputations ever truly recover? Was such a recovery even a possibility?

This continuous stream of hate comments faced numerous “Squid Game” season two actors, including T.O.P, Lee Jin-wook, Song Young-chang, and many more. The release of the show thrust them back into the limelight. The question of whether or not their past actions can be overlooked or forgiven varies based on the severity of said actions.

Perhaps the most criticized was former BIGBANG member T.O.P, who played the fan-favorite Thanos in season two. He was “prosecuted without detention” in 2017 due to his use of marijuana, leading to intense hate from his former fans and the Korean media. Many television channels even began blurring his face as a result of his actions. He apologized, received two years of probation, and was hospitalized as a result of overdosing on anti-anxiety medication.

In an interview, he explained, “The offer to play Thanos was a daunting proposition. The character mirrored my past, reflecting aspects I'd rather keep hidden. The fear of being pigeonholed into one role made me hesitate. But destiny seemed to be pulling me in this direction.”

His fellow actor Lee Jin-wook also faced legal trouble, not due to drug use but due to sexual assault allegations from a 33-year-old friend after they had drunk together at her apartment. Though it was later revealed that “she confessed to false allegations,” according to the police, this incident continued to plague the actor, who many continued calling a rapist.

A more serious incident faced actor Song Young-chang in 2000, when he became the first celebrity convicted of underage prostitution. He reportedly paid $150 to have sexual intercourse with an underage girl when he was 42 years old. This led to him being sentenced to 10 months of a suspended prison term and two years of probation. As a result of this incident, he was banned by popular Korean broadcast channels including KBS and MBC and even migrated to the US. After returning to Korea, however, he jumped back into acting, angering many.

Even the lead actor of the show, Lee Jung-jae, was found guilty of multiple DUIs and assault cases during his youth. In 1999, he was detained for driving under the influence and was found guilty a few years later for assaulting a man and a woman in separate instances. He even faced a legal dispute with the CEO of Raemongraein, a drama production company.

Ultimately, there is no foolproof way to assess whether or not these actors should be allowed to reenter the field of acting after facing such legal disputes. There are too many factors to be considered and too many differing opinions for a consensus to be formed. In other words, it is truly up to the individual viewer to decide whether or not they will continue to support these actors and why. Some factors that must be considered include whether or not the actor was convicted, whether or not they apologized, and how many people were directly negatively impacted by their actions.

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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues.

Works Cited

Galpin, Kieran. “The biggest controversies of the Squid Game 2 cast, revealed.” The Tab, 10 January 2025, https://thetab.com/2025/01/10/child-prostitution-to-chronic-gambling-controversies-that-plagued-the-squid-game-2-cast. Accessed 9 March 2025.

Park, Jin-hai. “[INTERVIEW] T.O.P breaks silence on controversial return to acting in 'Squid Game' Season 2.” The Korea Times, 16 January 2025, https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2025/02/398_390498.html. Accessed 9 March 2025.

Shekhar, Mimansa. “Squid Game: 7 Actors With Legal Cases, Controversies - Lee Jung-Jae To O Yeong-Su.” Times Now, 11 January 2025, https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/korean/squid-game-season-2-actors-with-legal-cases-controversies-lee-jung-jae-o-yeong-su-lee-byung-hun-top-park-sung-hoon-article-116826188. Accessed 9 March 2025.