Take on the role of Thanos in Netflix’s ‘Squid Game 2’
Interview 11 years after ‘Tazza 2’ in 2014
A candid response to all the controversies that have piled up so far.
“I’m heartbroken by the network controversy and might have to quit.”
“I humbly accept any criticism regarding my acting skills.”
“My mistake caused great damage to Big Bang… no contact.”
“I can’t think about reuniting with Big Bang yet.”
“The brilliant 20s…the 30s are lost time.”
“I cut myself off from the world for 7 years… I only worked on music.”
(Seoul = Newsis) Reporter Jeongbin Son = My lips trembled and my voice trembled. My hands were shaking too. Choi Seung-hyun (Top, 38) was clearly nervous during his first official interview 11 years after the 2014 movie ‘Tazza: Hand of God’. He was never able to laugh comfortably even at the jokes reporters made to lighten the mood. At this moment, Big Bang’s rapper T.O.P. was not there to comfortably dominate the stage in front of tens of thousands of people. In his words, there was only a man in his late 30s who had endured “a long, dark time” and was barely trying to start his life again. Maybe that’s why Choi Seung-hyun said that his future goal is “to live a healthy and stable life as an ordinary young man in Korea.”
Although this is not the case for everyone, actors who finish a project and meet with reporters usually appear for the interview in comfortable clothes. Sometimes they wear jeans, a t-shirt, and a hat. She was wearing a black suit and her hair was set perfectly as if she was standing on stage. This part showed what kind of mindset he had coming into this interview. Choi Seung-hyun carefully and cautiously responded to all the controversies surrounding him, word by word, for nearly 10 years. He said he regrets many things. He also said that he would live his life reflecting on it. When the topic of Big Bang came up, he thought for a long time and said, “When I think of the members, I feel an indescribable pain and suffering that I don’t know unless I experience it.”
When I asked Choi Seung-hyun how he felt the night before the interview, he took a deep breath and said, “Ugh.” “It was like a dream.” When asked how he felt when he came to Samcheong-dong on the morning of the 15th, the day of the interview, Choi Seung-hyun said, “It felt like a dream.” “I just wanted to convey my true feelings well. I just hope that my sincerity, without any embellishment, can be conveyed.”
-How did you decide on the interview?
“I had a lot to worry about. I was thinking about the right time to meet with reporters. I thought it would be a good idea to meet reporters in person and interview them. After discussing with Netflix officials and people who look after my work, I decided to do the interview today. .”
Netflix revealed the interviewees ahead of the release of the Netflix series ‘Squid Game 2’ on December 20th last year. Along with director Hwang Dong-hyuk, all major actors including Lee Jung-jae, Park Gyu-young, Yang Dong-geun, Lee Seo-hwan, Wi Ha-jun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Byung-hun, Park Seong-hoon, Im Si-wan, and Jo Yuri were all scheduled to be interviewed, but Choi Seung-hyun’s name was not included. Considering the controversy, it seemed like he was not giving an interview. Then, on the 10th, an interview with Choi Seung-hyun was announced.
-What did you worry about?
“My heart was so heavy. To be honest, I was afraid because it had been so long since I had come forward.”
-How were you offered the role of Thanos?
“I received an audition offer through a production company. When I heard the character description, I was really worried. It was a character whose image could be stuffed, so I was very worried on a human level. But it also seemed like the character came to me by fate. So I filmed an audition video and sent it. After that, I did it. “I received a call from Director Hwang Dong-hyuk saying he wanted to meet me, and after meeting with him, he asked me to send him another audition video, and then I was finally cast.”
-There was controversy over the casting of personal connections.
“Of course I felt sorry that the names of my seniors were mentioned. I felt like I was going to break down in that situation. I even considered leaving the show. But it was my duty to repay the director for the time and trust he spent designing the Thanos character with me. It seemed like a really difficult decision.”
Netflix introduced the cast of ‘Squid Game 2’ in June 2023 and announced that Choi Seung-hyun had joined. When Choi Seung-hyun, who was punished for drug use in 2017 and had several arguments with fans on social media and said, “I will not return to the entertainment industry,” appeared in ‘Squid Game 2,’ the so-called personal casting controversy arose. It was said that the influence of Lee Jeong-jae and Lee Byung-hun, who are known to have a close personal relationship with Choi Seung-hyun, may have played a role.
-Is there a reason why you decided to appear even when your heart was broken?
“There was a time for almost 10 years when no one looked at me as a person. It was then that Director Hwang reached out to me for the first time. I wanted to repay the director for his courage and faith in me. I hope I can play this role well. “I thought this was my life’s homework.”
-Following the casting controversy, there was controversy over your acting skills after ‘Squid Game 2’ was released.
“It is natural for an actor to be evaluated. All of that evaluation is something I have to endure. I humbly accept any evaluation.”
-Many pointed out that the tone of the acting did not match the overall atmosphere of the play.
“This is a character that was carefully designed after many discussions with the director. It was a character that evoked the dark and heavy atmosphere of the play even in the scenario. It was depicted in a cartoonish way. Thanos is by no means a flashy or cool rapper. He is a hip-hop loser with a failed life. “It’s a character, and it’s a character who is dependent on drugs.”
-There was talk that the rap was also awkward.
“I also wanted to express the rap like a hip-hop loser. In fact, Thanos raps at the wrong time and is comical and bizarre. In a way, the Thanos character can be seen as having a mental age similar to that of Jjangchan. Even when he raps, he cringes. Even I cringed, but I did my best because it was my role.”
-There was a scene where pill-type drugs were used.
“Filming a scene where Thanos takes drugs in front of hundreds of staff and actors was a very shameful experience to face. That was why it was very difficult. Still, because this was a character, I did deep research on the character Thanos. Since the drug that Nos was using was very powerful, I looked up a lot of related data and found that people who take such drugs experience extreme anxiety, lethargy, and ADHD symptoms before and after Thanos takes the drug. “I tried to act completely differently.”
-How was my acting after seeing it for a long time?
“It is difficult for me to look at myself objectively. I am trying to grow further by looking at all the harsh and positive reviews coming from not only domestically but also overseas.”
-How did your parents and family react? I think he must have been happy to return by appearing in the ‘Squid Game’ series, which is the world’s biggest box office hit.
“Because the character is a character, my parents didn’t like it. Everything about that friend (Thanos)… they are still very reserved in expressing themselves. In fact, they probably can’t be happy. I have hurt them so much all this time. My parents and my family are also happy. “I think it’s still hard to feel.”
-The biggest controversy at the time of casting was the punishment for drug use and the retirement remarks.
“When I was in my 20s, I enjoyed such brilliant glory and received so much love. And the controversy surrounding me was something I had never experienced before in my life. I had a really dark time at that time. At that time, I was broken and had no strength to stand up again due to the hardships. “I thought I wanted to quit everything, but I still feel really ashamed of what I said in a careless and foolish way.”
In 2019, Choi Seung-hyun got into a war of words with a fan on Instagram and said, “I have no intention of returning. I will not make a comeback in Korea.”
-Can I say that I have reversed my retirement?
“It’s not a reversal, but I was completely broken at the time, and my feelings were sincere at the time. Nevertheless, there were people who supported me. It’s something I really regret. It’s a statement I will have to reflect on for the rest of my life.”
-There was controversy over leaving Big Bang, and that also led to conflict with fans on social media. And last year, Big Bang made a comeback as a three-member group.
“I caused too much damage to Big Bang and my former agency through my mistakes in the past. I said I would leave the team several years ago because I could no longer cause harm to the agency and members. I felt so guilty. If I were on the team, I would harm the team because of me. “It was very painful because I felt like I would be labeled.”
-There are many fans who want a reunion.
“It really breaks my heart when I see posts from fans wanting a reunion. There are times when fans tag me while posting old Big Bang photos. When I look at those photos, it’s like looking at a photo of a separated family. Every time that happens, it’s an indescribable pain. “I felt this pain and suffering, but I was careless in choosing that method.”
Choi Seung-hyun became controversial last year when he blocked the fan’s account when some fans tagged Big Bang’s photo with a mention of a reunion. Fans responded by saying, ‘No matter how much he left the group, it was too much to draw a line with Big Bang.’ Choi Seung-hyun was criticized once again.
-Are you in contact with Big Bang members?
“I’m not doing it. I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been without contact, but I feel like I’ve calmed down a little… I’m still feeling so sorry that I can’t contact you willingly.”
-Have you ever thought about joining Big Bang?
“It’s been a long time since I decided that way (not to join). Since then, my mind hasn’t changed yet.”
-When you said you would leave the team, were there any dissuasion from the members?
“I can’t speak for members who are not here. The moment I said I would leave the team was right after I was discharged from my social service duties.”
-I suffered from all kinds of criticism and condemnation last time. Have you ever felt unfair?
“It wasn’t at all. I and the team I was a part of received a lot of love and great honor. I thought I deserved criticism for my actions as well.”
-How have you been for nearly 10 years?
“For 7 years since 2017, I was cut off from the world and only went back and forth between home and the music studio. In that long darkness, I only worked on music. The reason I only worked on music was because when I made music and when I stood in front of the microphone, it was the only time I could breathe. I made music to survive. I spent my time making music that I wanted to listen to, and of course, I made a lot of songs during that time. It’s also a sense of responsibility.”
-Time passed and I was now in my late 30s. Now I’m looking at my 40s.
“When I was in my 20s, I enjoyed a brilliant glory and received a lot of love. My 30s were truly a lost time for me. I deeply regretted my mistakes during that time. I felt so much shame, and along with a sense of self-disgrace, I went through a time of sincere reflection.” “I was healed while making music. From now on, my biggest goal is to live a more stable life as an ordinary young man in Korea.”
-What does it mean to live a normal, healthy, and stable life?
“First of all, when I wake up in the morning, I get rid of the anxiety that there might be bad news about me. I’ve lived a very noisy life for the past 10 years.”
-What efforts are you making to live a normal, healthy, and stable life?
“I exercise consistently and maintain a healthy diet. I try to think a lot of positive thoughts.”
-The past time must have been very difficult mentally. Has your health recovered a lot?
“It’s not perfect, but it’s improved a lot. I think I’ve become a lot stronger.”
-What were you thinking about last night? What were you thinking about when you came to the interview location this morning?
“Ugh… it felt like a dream yesterday. It felt like a dream today too. I just wanted to convey my true feelings. I just wanted to be able to convey my sincerity without embellishing anything.”
-Is there a next project? Previously, we talked about the album through social media.
“Of course, we are not talking about anything yet. I think it would be difficult to talk about future plans here. I wanted to have an honest conversation with reporters today. I think we will be able to talk about future activities when the time comes.”
-How about using this opportunity to say something to your fans? Aren’t there a lot of misunderstandings on social media?
“I can promise that I will not do anything rash in the future. I know there are misunderstandings and hurts. I will not do anything like that in the future.”
◎ Sympathetic media Newsis (email protected)
Source: www.newsis.com
