[Limelight] Choi Seung-hyun's Exaggerated Thanos Acting Is a 'Warning Sign'

Exceptionally Cartoonish in 'Squid Game' Season 2
"Portraying an Overblown Self-Consciousness as a Failed MZ Generation"
Depicting a Full Range of Psychoactive Drug Addictive Behaviors
"It Took Great Courage to Change My Mind and Act Again"

"Thanos is a role that requires a lot of courage," said director Hwang Dong-hyuk ahead of the release of 'Squid Game' Season 2. It's not simply because he is a clueless rapper. Unlike other characters, he is filled with cartoonish elements. The role demands unrealistic and exaggerated acting. No matter how well it is done, it can stand out like a sore thumb when combined with contrasting performances.

The setting is not unreasonable. Thanos is a young person addicted to psychoactive drugs. The number of teenage offenders related to this in Korea has increased elevenfold over the past decade. Not only has the proportion of young people exposed to these substances increased, but the methods of production, distribution, and sales have become more sophisticated, potentially making the problem more severe in the future.

Director Hwang designed every action of Thanos as a warning sign. He chose Choi Seung-hyun (Big Bang's T.O.P) as the perfect fit. The actor had his entertainment career halted in 2017 after being caught smoking marijuana. When we met on the 15th at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, he said, "After much contemplation, I decided to face my past."

"I think I was offered the audition because Thanos is a pathetic rapper. Director Hwang emphasized exaggerated swag from our very first meeting. He wanted the overblown self-consciousness to represent the portrait of a failed MZ generation. For me, who has had similar experiences, it was a huge challenge. I hesitated, worried that my past mistakes would be brought up again. Thinking of it as a price I had to pay made me afraid. When I acted out the scene where Thanos takes psychoactive drugs, I felt embarrassed performing it in front of the production team and other actors. I kept telling myself I had to overcome this moment."

Thanos never stays still. Even during serious conversations, he constantly shakes his body. Sometimes he even leaves the scene. A representative example is the scene in episode 3 where he threatens Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) to hand over money. When his subordinate Nam-gyu (No Jae-won) assists, he disappears off-screen entirely. When Myung-gi protests, saying, "So what are you going to do about it?" Thanos suddenly appears and grabs the back of his neck. With unstable breathing, he snarls, "What do you mean, you have to pay it back." Choi Seung-hyun explained, "These behaviors appear due to addiction to psychoactive drugs."

"Addicts with strong dependency become extremely anxious without the drug. I decided to portray it as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Addicts also cannot speak clearly. (Psychoactive drugs dry out the mouth,) so their teeth are not in good condition. That’s why I used Mumble rap from the American South, which is characterized by unclear pronunciation. I emphasized the first syllable and excessively slurred the following sounds. In the line 'No problem,' I even pronounced the R as L."

His attitude toward the game is somewhat different. Even when facing the first participant to be shot, he remains unshaken. No matter what difficulties arise, he smiles like a child and enjoys the tension and anxiety. This is the result of taking a mixture of ecstasy and ketamine. The former, called 'euphoria,' is closely related to serotonin, which induces happiness. It causes pleasure and excitement. The latter is one of the three major sleep anesthetics, along with midazolam and propofol. It stimulates the cardiovascular system and raises blood pressure. It was first used by U.S. soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War.

Choi Seung-hyun studied various characteristics through documentaries and books to embody Thanos. It was not just to improve his acting. As someone who has experienced failure, he wanted to reveal the dangers of psychoactive drugs in detail. He believed this was his path to atonement.

"I went through hellish times and fell into self-loathing. My life became devastated. When I barely regained my senses, guilt overwhelmed me. I collapsed completely. I wanted to quit everything. It took great courage to change my mind and act again. I will always live with this emotional debt. Please watch over me a little longer."