[Interview] 'Drug scandal' Top opens his mouth for the first time in 11 years...From the reversal of retirement to the 'Omg' controversy.

CHOI SEUNG HYUN ⓒTHE SEED.

"It's been 11 years since I was interviewed, so I had a lot of worries and came here with a heavy heart. I wanted to find the right time to visit the reporters and meet them, but I'm sorry for the delay and I'll tell you everything truthfully."Actor Choi Seung-hyun (top) from Big Bang, who was punished for smoking

cannabis and hinted at retirement from the entertainment industry, has finally opened his mouth as he has begun to return to season 2 of 'Squid Game'. It has been eight years since he was sentenced to October in prison and suspended for February for a cannabis smoking consultation in 2017, and 11 years since his last interview.

On the 15th, Choi Seung-hyun stood in front of reporters through an interview related to Season 2 of the 'Squid Game' held somewhere in Seoul. On this day, he answered various questions related to him, from the alleged casting of "Squid Game" Season 2, to the controversy over his acting skills, the reason he reversed his announcement of retirement from the entertainment industry, and his life after the drug scandal.

Throughout the interview, Choi Seung-hyun's lips did not stop shaking, and small tremors were also heard in both hands.

The following is a question and answer with Choi Seung-hyun.

Q. Is there any particular reason or reason for being interviewed after 11 years? I think you must have had a lot of worries, but I wonder what made you come here for the interview.

Choi Seung-hyun: I was afraid because it's been such a long time since I came forward with an honest heart. I had a lot of worries, and while thinking about the right time with a careful mind, I thought it was right for me to visit and talk in person, so I did an interview. Yesterday is like a dream and today is like a dream. I just want to convey my sincere heart to reporters well. I hope that my sincerity will be conveyed without decorating anything.

Q. Does director Hwang Dong-hyuk's advice have an impact on the reason you decided to interview?

Choi Seung-hyun: I think a lot of things worked. Above all, I thought it was my duty to come forward and meet and talk to reporters by now.

Q. You indicated your retirement on social media in 2019 and 2020 before returning to "Squid Game", are you reversing your retirement? Aren't you reversing your retirement because you couldn't give up big content called "Squid Game"?

Choi Seung-hyun: To be honest, what happened with my past mistakes hurt and disappointed many people, loved ones, and family, and caused too much damage to past members. At that time, I enjoyed too much glory and too much love, but the process of my fall and fall was also a path I had never been to. Therefore, it is also true that we had a pitch-dark time.

At that time, there was a time when I thought I wanted to quit everything because it was crumbling and I didn't have the power to stand up. I was heartbroken to see some fans' posts waiting for the comeback, and the only communication channel was SNS, but I was too dark at the time, so I said it too stupidly because I was rash and inconsiderate. I still reflect on myself and feel ashamed
Rather than reversing the retirement from
, I regret why I said that and I think it's something I should take for the rest of my life because I was out of my mind at the time. It is true that it was more burdensome, cautious, and worried because it was a 'Squid Game'. I hesitated more because the burden has doubled.

There was a time when no one had looked at me for almost 10 years, and director Hwang Dong-hyuk first reached out and I also felt like I was able to take courage from the courage he gave me and the faith he trusted me. I think I thought it was another homework of my life to repay that belief and do well.

CHOI SEUNG HYUN ⓒTHE SEED.

Q. Since Thanos' role in "Squid Game" is a weak rapper, Choi Seung-hyun's acting itself is also controversial.

Choi Seung-hyun: Regarding the casting controversy, I felt too heavy and had time for self-reflection, so I became responsible. When I first received an audition offer through the production company and first received a scenario in which the character was explained, I was so worried.

Since it is a character facing a shameful past and, to be honest, it can be an image stuffed, so I personally thought and hesitated a lot. However, I thought it was a character that came to me fatefully, so I took an audition tape and sent it, and the production company asked me to meet with the director and have a meeting with him and take a tape again, so I sent the character I designed again and participated in the work.

Q. Since the news of the casting of "Squid Game" was announced, suspicions have been raised that Lee Byung-hun and Lee Jung-jae, who are close to each other, had recommended it. It was revealed by the explanation of them and director Hwang Dong-hyuk that it was not, but I don't think they would have felt comfortable?

Choi Seung-hyun: The fact that the names of unrelated seniors who were not involved in the casting were mentioned is very regrettable to me. Even I felt like I was really going to collapse at the time. So I thought, 'Shall I get off?' and I was very nervous.

However, while designing a character called Thanos with me, I thought it would be a good idea to repay the trust that the director believes in me, and I thought it would be a good idea to work hard with the production team, so I made a difficult decision.

"Squid Game" Season 2 ⓒ Netflix.

"Squid Game" Season 2 ⓒ Netflix.

Q. Apart from the casting controversy, the controversy over acting skills and the likes and dislikes of acting tones are constantly continuing, and I am curious about your thoughts on such reactions.

Choi Seung-hyun: I think all the reviews should be accepted with patience and humility as an actor. There is no objective number of days on my own, so I am trying to grow further by monitoring domestic and overseas harsh criticisms and favorable reviews and using them as a stepping stone.

The character Thanos was a character who discussed a lot with the director and carefully designed it. Even in the scenario, it was a character that evoked a slightly dark and heavy atmosphere, and it was an unrealistic and cartoonish character.

There was a setting that the character Thanos was never a fancy or cool rapper, but a hip-hop loser of a failed life. It's true that it's especially drug dependent, and it's set up to look a little more ridiculous and less distant.

In the case of rap, there were more letters in the original scenario. Even in the scenario, it was a bizarre scene where he rapped ridiculously at a very unexpected moment. It is true that the mental age of the character Thanos is at the level of Shin-chan. Therefore, when it comes to rapping, I wanted to emphasize a little bit of the loser and cringe.

Q. There has also been a controversy over the scenes of taking drugs. How did you feel when you filmed that scene?

Choi Seung-hyun: It is also true that filming the scene itself was difficult because it was a moment to face a very shameful past. But I studied the character deeply. The drug taken by the character Thanos itself is so powerful that I looked for a lot of data when studying the character.

Characters who rely on such drugs are characterized by a lot of tooth damage and extreme anxiety, lethargy, and ADHD-like phenomena in the absence of drugs. Therefore, Thanos tried to postpone before and after taking the drug differently. In terms of extreme anxiety and anxiety, the rhythm is different from that of ordinary people, and the pronunciation is also referred to the style of rap after administering a powerful stimulant during hip-hop rap in the southern United States.

CHOI SEUNG HYUN ⓒTHE SEED.

Q. There are many fans who are looking forward to being the top member of Big Bang. However, he once showed SNS activities that seemed to deny Big Bang, which led to a war of words with fans on social media.

Choi Seung-hyun: I don't think it was a war of words. At that time, there were people who re-wrote malicious comments too maliciously. To be honest with you without any excuse, I was out of my mind when I faced the dark at the time because it was a path I'd never been on. It was so careless, and even thinking about it now, I think it's so heartbreaking. I regret it too much.

I am a person who caused so much damage to the team Big Bang and the entire company because of my mistakes. So I've been saying for years that I'll leave the team with the mindset that I can't hurt the agency and the members anymore. It's been a long time since I said I'd leave because I'm ashamed of being labeled like a tag on the members and I'm in pain myself.

Even I was heartbroken when I saw the posts of fans who wanted to reunite. When I look at the pictures of the members, I feel indescribable pain and pain as if I were looking at a separated family. I'm not denying the Big Bang. I think it was careless to choose such a method at the time, but that's not what I meant.

Q. You said sorry to your fans, but there are not a few people who are thinking, "Are you angry?" There are a lot of hurt fans. Is there anything you want to say to the fans?

Choi Seung-hyun: I did my best to work on 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter' released in 2022, thinking it was the last Big Bang project. It was so heartbreaking to see people who still want to reunite and have hope for it. Since there are many photos that are always attached to me and the members through SNS, I still feel guilty and sorry for the members for the rest of my life, but looking at the photos feels like looking at a separated family photo.

I don't think you'll feel all the pain unless you're in the party. I think I reacted in the wrong way. I want to bow down and say I'm deeply sorry about that.

Q. Do you have no contact or interaction with other members of Big Bang at the moment?

Choi Seung-hyun: Honestly, I'm not doing it at the moment. I don't know exactly how long it's been. Even I'm actually very sorry, so I haven't been able to contact them yet.

Q. I even announced a solo album, what's going on?

Choi Seung-hyun: For the past seven years, I have lived almost exclusively at home and in music studios, cutting off my social life. I only worked on music in the dark. I worked on it for no other reason, but because it was the only place where I could breathe when I was making music and in front of the microphone.

I think I made music to live. I spent the dark mind and the psychology of bitter pain making music that I wanted to hear. I think it's my responsibility to play that song to the fans.

CHOI SEUNG HYUN ⓒTHE SEED.

Q. As you said, you've had a lost decade since your brilliant 20s. What kind of life would you like to have in your 40s?

Choi Seung-hyun: For me, my 30s were a really lost time and I had a time of sincere self-reflection with such a great sense of shame and self-disgrace for myself. I was healed while making music and I want to play it to my fans.

My 40s is an ordinary young man in Korea who lives healthier than anyone else. My biggest goal is to live a more stable life. For 10 years, every day was so noisy that I was anxious. I hope there wasn't a bad article about me when I woke up in the morning.

Q. Can I accept that I won't do anything that will disappoint actor Choi Seung-hyun in the future?

Choi Seung-hyun: Of course, I can promise you and I can promise you. It's rash to say that in my own words, but the fans didn't realize that I left because I felt so sorry for the team, so I think there was a misunderstanding and hurt. I told you my story candidly through this opportunity, and I can confidently tell you that I don't think there will be such a misunderstanding in the future.

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