“Squid Game” Actor Lee Byung Hun Addresses Rumors About His Involvement In A Controversial Casting
Even before Squid Game Season 2 premiered, there was some talk about the casting of former BIGBANG member T.O.P and how one of the more influential cast members, like actor Lee Jung Jae, might have had something to do with the idol making a return to the acting scene.
After the second season was unveiled, and T.O.P’s acting was deemed subpar to some viewers, speculations about who pulled which strings to land the controversial idol his druggie-rapper role kept growing and growing.
Given his friendship with T.O.P found while working on the 2009 K-Drama Iris together, actor Lee Byung Hun was also alleged to have been the idol’s connection—and suspicion grew uncontrollably when the actor did not comment on the matter.
As of January 8, 2025 (KST), though, Lee Byung Hun officially dismissed the allegations in a press interview. While there might have been a subtle hint that he might have been asked about working with T.O.P in terms of his personal relationship with the idol, Lee made it clear that he had no involvement with the casting—and that any involvement would have been “overstepping boundaries.”
I have done no such thing as recommending (someone) or anything like that. But it’s also up to me whether or not I want to make a statement on the matter. In general, I’ve never really been the type to voice my opinions just because I have them. Regarding casting, I believe that as an actor who has worked in the industry for over 30 years, it is overstepping boundaries for an actor to speak on casting decisions.
Of course, there are times when a director asks, ‘I’m considering so-and-so for this role as your co-star, what do you think?’ But that’s not really asking for an evaluation of that person’s acting skills. It’s more so about checking if there might be underlying personal issues between the cast members since they have to work closely together throughout the show. That’s the extent of it. For an actor to suggest to a director something like, ‘I think this person is good for this role,’ would be overstepping boundaries.
— Lee Byung Hun
Meanwhile, director Hwang Dong Hyuk has also chosen to address the complaints about T.O.P as Thanos. Read more about it here:
“Squid Game” Director Addresses Complaints About T.O.P’s Casting
