Actor Lee Jung Jae’s Agency Responds To Allegations That He “Helped” T.O.P Get Cast For “Squid Game 2”
With T.O.P (also known as Choi Seung Hyun) being confirmed as one of the actors in season two of Netflix‘s most-watched series Squid Game, unconfirmed rumors circulated that actor Lee Jung Jae helped T.O.P get cast for the role. Lee Jung Jae’s agency claimed otherwise.
Dispatch recently revealed that Lee Jung Jae and T.O.P have a history of friendship, and therefore, there was a possibility that the actor heavily campaigned for T.O.P to be in Squid Game season two.
In an official press release on June 29, Lee Jung Jae’s agency Artist Company said the reports were untrue. In fact, according to an exclusive report from OSEN, the two have not spoken in several years.
Lee Jung Jae and T.O.P have had no interaction or contact with each other for several years… Their last communication took place several years ago. The rumor that he was involved in the casting for Squid Game season two when the two haven’t had any contact in several years is completely absurd. It’s absolutely not true.
— Artist Company
According to Artist Company, Lee Jung Jae saw T.O.P’s face for the first time in a long time at the table read for Squid Game season two, which took place on June 23. It was at this gathering that the Squid Game star found out about T.O.P’s casting news. They further emphasized that the casting for the show is not in their authority.
The casting of the project is under the authority of the director and production company. Lee Jung Jae knows more than anyone the amount of interest surrounding Squid Game season two, and understands that many actors put in effort and were determined in their auditions to get the roles. We once again emphasizee that it is not true that Lee Jung Jae was involved in the casting for Squid Game season two.
— Artist Company
These allegations came to be because Korean netizens had negative responses to T.O.P being cast in season two of the biggest Netflix series. T.O.P was caught in controversy for marijuana use in 2016 and was sentenced to ten months in prison with a two-year probation. He had hinted that he would quit the entertainment industry and acted in his last production in 2016. He left YG Entertainment when his contract expired, and although he does not have an official agency, he has a company that helps him with his domestic work, Hiin Entertainment.
In response to the rumors, the CEO of Hiin Entertainment stated they had nothing to do with T.O.P’s casting in Squid Game season two.
We don’t handle all of his work but help him little by little whenever there is something related through our personal connections. We did not do anything for him and Squid Game season two.
— CEO of Hiin Entertainment
