Squid Game 2: Cast Controversies Leaving A Shadow On The Show’s New Season

On June 29th, streaming giant Netflix announced the cast of the long-awaited and anticipated second season of its most popular series to date, Squid Game. 

In addition to many of the actors from season one returning, like Lee Jung Jae and Gong Yoo, it was revealed that many new faces would join the cast, including Jo Yu Ri and former BIGBANG member T.O.P (Cho Seung Hyun).

Squid Game rounds out the cast for Season 2:

Please welcome Park Gyu-young, Jo Yu-ri, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an to the game! pic.twitter.com/wV7WErYKpM

— Netflix (@netflix) June 29, 2023

Not everyone has been a fan of the casting choices, citing various controversies involving some of the actors.

1. Lee Byung Hun

Actor Lee Byung Hun has been involved in numerous controversies throughout the years.

In 2009, an ex-girlfriend accused him of tricking her into a sexual relationship based on the promise of marriage. She also alleged he was a chronic gambler, though he was cleared on those charges in court.

While his wife was pregnant, Lee Byung Hun was involved in a blackmailing scandal involving GLAM‘s Dahee and model Lee Ji Yeon. The two women allegedly extorted the actor over an alleged video of him making lewd comments to them they secretly recorded.

Lee Ji Yeon claimed that the two were dating, and both women were sentenced to prison for their crimes.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Lee Byung Hun owed hundreds of millions of won in back taxes.

2. T.O.P

While investigating notorious ex-trainee Han Seo Hee in 2017, investigators learned that T.O.P had smoked marijuana with her. This information led them to drug testing T.O.P, who tested positive despite initially denying it.

T.O.P

During the incident, T.O.P was under mental distress and psychologically stressed out. He met with Han Seo Hee when he was drunk and spontaneously decided to smoke with her.

T.O.P is deeply sorry for what he did and regrets it a lot. He did drink heavily and took Han Seo Hee up on her suggestion [to smoke] but he ended his relationship with Han Seo Hee and stopped smoking marijuana.

— Statement from T.O.P’s lawyer

As a result, T.O.P received a suspended sentence of ten months in prison and two years probation.

3. Lee Jung Jae

Following the success of the series, Lee Jung Jae‘s past resurfaced, even surprising K-netizens. Included were multiple DUIs and two different assault cases. The first happened after he assaulted a 30-year-old following an argument at a party, and the second occurred when he dragged and kicked a woman, resulting in injuries.

Reporting on one of Lee Jung Jae’s DUIs. 

Lee Jung Jae was also accused of being homophobic after an excerpt from an interview resurfaced about a friend of his that had passed away.

A while ago, Y left for heaven…[Before he died,] I said to Y, ‘You should stop being gay. Haven’t you been that way enough?’ But it was not easy.

—Lee Jung Jae, Vogue Kore

Netizens are displeased with T.O.P’s casting, and it was revealed that Lee Jung Jae played a part in his addition to the cast, which you can read about below.

Dispatch Reveals Lee Jung Jae Is The Reason T.O.P Was Cast For Squid Game 2