The highly anticipated second season of Squid Game has unveiled the characters, including the newly joined former BIGBANG member, T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun), whose role comes with some surprising twists.

On December 5, Netflix released new character introduction videos and nine posters for Squid Game 2, which features major characters and their participant numbers. The upcoming season centers around the intense clash between Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung Jae), who returns for revenge, and the Frontman (played by Lee Byung Hun), setting the stage for a new deadly game.

The character posters, showing the game participants just before entering the competition, highlight Gi-hun’s serious expression, signaling a more intense version of his character compared to season 1. While the other participants are all smiling, filled with hope for winning big money, their bright faces contrast sharply with the ominous tension looming ahead.

New participants include Lim Si-wan as Myung-ki, a cryptocurrency YouTuber (participant 333), Kang Ha-neul as Dae-ho (participant 388), and Lee Jin-wook as Gyeong-seok (participant 246), a father who needs money for his sick daughter. These characters, along with others like Park Seong-hoon’s Hyun-joo, a transgender participant needing surgery money, add layers of complexity and emotional depth to the game’s high-stakes narrative.

While the character reveals have fans eagerly awaiting the season’s release, T.O.P’s involvement in the drama has raised eyebrows. Known for his past legal controversies related to marijuana use, T.O.P plays a character named Tanos, a rapper and runner-up from a hip-hop survival show.

However, his scenes were reportedly left incomplete due to ongoing fallout from his past issues. This has led to speculation about how his character will be portrayed, given the sensitive nature of his real-life controversies.

The character introduction video also features insights from the cast, including Lee Jung Jae, who shared, “Gi-hun’s biggest motivation for change was realizing he had to change himself. That was the driving force for his transformation in season 2.” Lee Byung Hun, who plays the Frontman, mentioned, “The Frontman’s goal is to break Gi-hun’s beliefs,” setting up an epic conflict between the two.

Other new characters include Jeong-bae (played by Lee Seo Hwan), who reconnects with Gi-hun after a long time, and Jun-hee (played by Jo Yu Ri), who loses everything due to poor investment advice. These characters are expected to contribute to the drama’s unpredictable twists.

As director Hwang Dong-hyuk notes, "The backstories of these characters will add a lot of drama and excitement to the series."

With the addition of new faces like Cha Gook-hee as a shaman and new participant Tanos, Squid Game 2 promises a thrilling season filled with complex personalities and shocking turns. Fans can look forward to the release of the show on December 26, exclusively on Netflix.

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Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

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