KUALA LUMPUR: The much-anticipated second season of Netflix's Korean mega-hit Squid Game premiered recently, but not everyone is thrilled.
Former Bigbang rapper T.O.P, whose real name is Choi Seung Hyun, has found himself at the centre of a storm, with critics labelling his performance as the show's "shortcoming", according to 8days.
T.O.P plays Thanos, or Player 230, a volatile rapper desperate enough to enter the deadly games for a shot at a massive cash prize.
However, since his casting was announced last month, backlash has been brewing.
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk defended the choice, calling T.O.P "indispensable" for the role and urging fans to judge after watching.
Well, they've spoken—and the reviews are scathing.
Critics in Korean media have blasted his performance, with some calling his scenes "unbearable" and demanding he "apologise to the global audience."
Adding fuel to the fire, parallels between Thanos and T.O.P's real-life controversies—notably his 2017 conviction for marijuana use—have made watching him a hard sell for some viewers.
His character's drug use, critics say, "amplifies the unpleasantness" of his portrayal.
Netizens are equally divided.
While a few praised the 37-year-old artiste for tackling such a risky role, others questioned whether he was acting or just playing himself.
One commenter summed it up: "It felt like self-mockery."