Note: REJECTED
WELCOME BACK MAH FRIENDS!!! Since there have been multiple debates (and deleted polls, lol) about where he should scale, I felt this was necessary to discuss and decide where he belongs, since the character is very controversial, but possibly for intended reasons.
Please read this proposal carefully before you vote. This case is very confusing.
What's the work and who is Thanos?[]
Squid Game is a South Korean Netflix series where a group of rich VIPs found a secret organization of deadly children games for money to escape their debts. Thanos is a major antagonist of its second season and a player/famous rapper who joined the games after losing all his money from a bad investment. He is a goofy character but also a serious villain who is determined to keep the games going and win back all of his money from Myung-gi. He is played by the actor T.O.P., who is also a rapper that was involved in controversy due to his drug addition.
What do people like about him?[]
Yep he's a VERY popular character and has more than enough of a fanbase.
- His character design is liked by many, due to his purple hair, standing out from the rest of the crowd.
- He is considered by many to be the funniest character in the series, due to his many over-the-top antics (even dancing during "Red Light, Green Light" and "Mingle"), goofy expressions. English Audiences also love hearing his actor speaking broken English.
- Internationally, he is considered due play the role of a drug-addicted thug very well and plays the role believably. Many Western and international audiences do not mind the controversies the actor was involved in in Korea and say they always welcome him in America (since drug usage is less controversial in America and thus people feel bad for what he went through.)
- Business Insider said "The character that critics talk about the most is Thanos, played by Top. From dancing in the middle of a blood-splattered challenge, it's unnervingly lighthearted. One of the best villains of the year."
- In a Netflix survey of 700,000 voters, asking who the fanbases favorite new character was in Season 2, an overwhelming 50% voted for Thanos.
What do people dislike about him?[]
This is the part where I'm unsure but lemme explain.
Self-insert for drug user[]
MAKE SURE TO ADDRESS THIS ARGUMENT IF YOU ARE VOTING: While international fans didn't mind, the role of Thanos being a self-insert for a drug-addicted Rapper was extremely controversial in South Korea (since cocaine usage is extremely frowned upon in South Korea.) Netflix and the director of the show recieved criticism for setting a bad example with the casting choice. The actor was even removed from promotional events to avoid controversy, though the director responded that the plan was to not have him featured from the beginning, instead wanting the to be able to talk about his involvement with drugs at his own pace. I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia page on him because it explains much better than I can and also gives links.
Possible Counter: However, this was meant to be a tough decision by the director and they wanted to give TOP a second chance and considered him brave for taking on such a controversial role, so this was likely something that was intended at least to some degree. It can also be argued this is more hate about the situation than the character himself.
Feeling out of place[]
Not as controversial as the drug thing, but some dislike Thanos for feeling out of place in the show dude to his goofy and over-the-top personality not fitting in with the shows serious tone. However, that seems to be purposefully how he was intended to be, so idk, might not be a concern. Plus I couldn't really find many people who purely hated him because of it, and they might be a minority. Most people genuinely find him funny.
Links[]
- His Wikipedia page (go to Reception section)
- Squid Game Actor Controversy Explained: Thanos & T.O.P. Star Choi Seung-hyun Drama (The Direct)
- The Mirror
Verdict[]
Unsure. It was defintely a controversial choice choosing a drug user to play a self-insert role but perhaps that was too intentional. I just really want to bury the hatchet and come to a conclusion on him once and for all.
Edit: Little disclaimer: any yes or no vote that doesn’t address the “Self-insert for drug user” section will be invalidated on sight. It is the main concern of whether or not he counts, while the annoying issue is only a secondary concern of why he might count.