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Drumroll, please... The day before the final Emmy voting begins, we are proud to present the winners for the 22nd Gold Derby TV Awards. A record-setting 7,286 registered Gold Derby users cast their votes in 30 categories covering dramas, comedies, movies, limited series, and variety for the 2024-25 season.

Netflix dominated, winning in 11 categories. Squid Game took home Drama Series, Drama Actor (Lee Jung-jae), Drama Supporting Actress (Kang Ae-sim), Drama Supporting Actor (Choi Seung-hyun), Drama Guest Actor (Gong Yoo), and Ensemble of the Year. Adolescence was victorious for Limited Series, Limited/Movie Supporting Actress (Erin Doherty), Limited/Movie Supporting Actor (Owen Cooper). Cooper also won for Breakthrough Performer of the Year. Arcane scored for Animated Program.

Disney also had a strong showing across its platforms. Agatha All Along triumphed for Comedy Series, Comedy Actress (Kathryn Hahn), Comedy Supporting Actress (Aubrey Plaza), Comedy Supporting Actor (Joe Locke), and Comedy Episode for "Death's Hand in Mine.

Hell hath no fury like a TV fan scorned.

Following the announcement of the 2025 Emmy nominations, Gold Derby users were outraged that several top contenders failed to hear their names called. Nearly half of the people we polled said that Squid Game was the biggest snub, having received zero bids for Season 2 after winning six trophies for Season 1 in 2022.

Among the list of snubbed Squid Game actors: Lee Jung-jae, who won the last time he was eligible for playing Seong Gi-hun (Player 456); Choi Seung-hyun as the villainous Thanos (Player 230); Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man; Park Sung-hoon as trans contestant Cho Hyun-ju (Player 120); Kang Ae-shim as protective mother Jang Geum-ja (Player 149); Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul, the North Korean defector who's now a pink-clad soldier; and Gong Yoo as the Recruiter on the outside.

Showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk was overlooked for producing, writing, and directing Season 2 — he received all three noms...

Even as a show known for its twists, Paradise still managed to pull off a few surprises on Emmy nominations morning. The Hulu series secured four nominations total, all in major categories.

The first season of the show from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman was nominated for Best Drama Series, Drama Actor for its lead Sterling K. Brown, Drama Supporting Actor for James Marsden, and Drama Supporting Actress for Julianne Nicholson (a double nominee today).

And while Brown's nomination was predicted by Gold Derby users, the other three were far from sure things.

This morning, Paradise was sitting at No. 9 in the Best Drama Series predictions, just outside the range of nominations. It ultimately snuck into the category when the sixth-ranked show, Squid Game, failed to make the cut.

The upsets were even more extreme in Marsden's and Nicholson's categories. Both the supporting actor and supporting actress were sitting at No.

Sorry, Squid Game fans — it's game over at the Emmys.

According to Gold Derby’s odds, Netflix's most popular show was never expected to match the 14 Emmy nominations it earned in 2022, but nobody predicted Season 2 would get completely shut out. Just three years ago, Squid Game was nominated for Best Drama Series and brought home six awards: Best Actor for Lee Jung-jae, Best Directing, Best Drama Guest Actress for Lee Yoo-mi, Best Production Design (“Kkanbu”), Best Stunt Performance (“Stick to the Team”), and Best Visual Effects (“VIPs”). Three years later, Squid Game's second season continued to captivate audiences, logging over 192 million views on Netflix — but totally flopped with Emmy voters.

Here are the categories the second missed.

Best Drama Series

With eight slots available for Best Drama, Squid Game was barely holding onto the eighth position. While the second season wasn’t as critically acclaimed as the first...

The 22nd Gold Derby TV Awards nominations were announced on Monday, July 14, on the eve of Emmy nominations for the 2024-25 television season. Almost 4,500 registered Gold Derby users cast their votes in 30 categories covering dramas, comedies, movies, limited series, and variety. Scroll down for our complete list of nominees in all categories, and vote right now for the winners here in our predictions center. Winner voting will go through Aug. 3. Winners will be announced on Aug. 18.

Apple TV+ leads all studios with the most nominations for both drama and comedy series. Severance and The Studio are out front with 11 bids each, followed by nine for Abbott Elementary and nine for Hacks, both contending in many comedy categories. Up next with eight each are drama contenders The Pitt, Squid Game, and The White Lotus.

Gold Derby offers three categories not provided by the Television Academy and the Emmy Awards. The nominees...

With only one day left until Emmy nominations are announced, the bubble is about to burst for some of the shows and performers jockeying for contention. While our Gold Derby odds have held steady for the expected nominees — from Hacks and Severance to Adolescence and The Traitors — there are some close-to-call races that could flip on a dime.

As we wait for Harvey Guillén and Brenda Song to announce the nominations on Tuesday morning, we took a snapshot of our day-before leaderboards and picked 10 on the bubble nominees that could surprise — or get snubbed.

What We Do in the Shadows (Best Comedy Series) The cast of What We Do in the ShadowsFX

FX's much-adored vampire comedy finally broke into the Best Comedy Series race last year. While the odds are currently predicting a repeat performance for its sixth and final season, confidence seems to be shrinking — and not just...

Cue the Severance marching band — the final countdown has begun.

Before the 2025 Emmy predictions are announced on July 15, let's check in one last time with Gold Derby's picks in 25 top categories covering drama, comedy, limited series/TV movie, reality, variety, and animated.

As has been the case for several months, buzzy dramas are expected to spread the wealth in the main categories, with Severance Season 2 forecasted to win Best Drama Series, The Pitt's Noah Wyle out front in Best Drama Actor, and Matlock's Kathy Bates poised to make history as the oldest winner of Best Drama Actress.

But there's a last-minute shake-up in the predicted nominations, as Squid Game has ascended into the top seven for Best Drama Series, while scene-stealer Choi Seung-hyun (Thanos/Player 230) has cracked the list of likely Best Drama Supporting Actor nominees. Season 2 of the Netflix survival drama is eligible at the 2025 Emmys,...

This article contains spoilers for "Squid Game" season 3. 

"Squid Game" is Netflix's most popular show of all time and a huge pop culture phenomenon. A lot of it has to do with a deceptively simple premise: Bring together a group of colorful contestants with tragic enough backstories to warrant participating in a game that will kill almost all of them. Allow the audience time to get to know a core group of players from all walks of life. Then, kill them off via a series of visually arresting scaled-up playground games. 

As eye-popping as the show's aesthetics might be, and as fiendishly clever the games are, none of this would work if the players themselves were dull and faceless. Fortunately, the show has routinely gone all-in with fleshing out its poor lost souls, and the best characters on "Squid Game" are so deeply likeable or loathsome that viewers are...

Looks like Dance Mom will boogie all the way to the Emmy podium.

Julianne Nicholson, who played the joyous (and drug-addicted) character on Hacks Season 4, now leads the Best Comedy Guest Actress race, taking down longtime frontrunner Jamie Lee Curtis for The Bear, who won last year. Nicholson's Dance Mom, aka Mary Alice, was recruited by Paul W. Downs' Jimmy and Megan Stalter's Kayla to appear on Late Night With Deborah Vance as a way for the talk show-within-a-show to gain a younger audience. At first, Jean Smart's Deborah was hesitant to let the untested woman take the stage, until she realized it would annoy Hannah Einbinder's Ava, and then all bets were off.

There's a new Hacks tonight, but I have not yet recovered from Julianne Nicholson dancing to Katy Perry's "Lifetimes" as Dance Mom in last week's episode. pic.twitter.com/SH3OPittFI

— Luca...

[Warning: The following post contains Major spoilers for Squid Game Season 3.] The games began anew on Squid Game Season 3 — with some familiar faces returning from the grave … well, sort of. One of those just so happened to be fan-favorite Thanos, a.k.a. Player 230. Fans will undoubtedly recall that Thanos, formerly a rapper, became an antagonist in Season 2 and was murdered in the bathroom by Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan), a.k.a. Player 333. Some fans may have been hoping to see him return somehow in the final stretch of the show, and indeed, he did so — just not how you might think. Thanos returned to the screen, briefly, in a surprising moment in Season 3’s penultimate episode. Here’s how. Thanos’ death had major ripple effects Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won), a.k.a. Player 124, was essentially Thanos’ sidekick in the games and, after Thanos’ death, Nam-gyu took possession of his cross necklace that contained psychedelic drugs ...

As the first round of Emmy voting comes to a close on June 23, anticipation in Hollywood reaches a boiling point ahead of the 2025 Emmy nominations announcement on July 15. The past year of television has delivered groundbreaking dramas, razor-sharp comedies, and unforgettable performances, leaving one question at the forefront: which of these standout contenders will make the cut? And who might face the dreaded snub?

Gold Derby’s final predictions for the 2025 Emmy nominees showcase a mix of overwhelming favorites and potential long shots ready to shake up the competition. Will Severance hold onto its front-runner status for Best Drama Series, or could The Pitt surge with a surprise wave of nominations? Can Hacks take home Best Comedy Series for the second consecutive year, or will The Studio emerge as a fresh favorite? Check out Gold Derby’s latest predictions across the major categories below, and stay tuned as the Emmy...

When it comes to the 2025 Emmys, it's not yet game over.

The Netflix thriller Squid Game made a major splash at the 2022 ceremony, earning 14 nominations for its first season, including Best Drama Series. The show brought home six awards that year: Best Actor for Lee Jung-jae, Best Directing, Best Drama Guest Actress for Lee Yoo-mi, Best Production Design (“Kkanbu”), Best Stunt Performance (“Stick to the Team”), and Best Visual Effects (“VIPs”). Three years later, Squid Game's second season continued to captivate audiences, logging over 192 million views on Netflix — behind only the show’s record-breaking first season in 2021 (265 million) and the first season of Wednesday in 2022 (252 million).

According to Gold Derby’s latest odds, Squid Game is unlikely to match its impressive 14 nominations from Season 1. But are we underestimating this beloved series as it gears up to premiere its third and final season on June 27?

Best Drama Series

With eight slots available for Best Drama,...

Going into Season 2 of “Squid Game,” stunt coordinator Park Young-sick was less concerned with upping the ante of Season 1’s action work (which won an Emmy for Outstanding Stunt Performance) than with aligning the fight sequences with the characters’ more desperate emotional states. The first time around, all the players went into the competition as blank slates, unaware of just how brutal a fight to the death they were entering. And most of them, including the winner, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), were inexperienced brawlers. Not so for round two.

“I think everyone came into the games already knowing what’s going to happen — people are going to be dying. This is a cruel game that they’re playing,” Park said through a translator. “Gi-hun comes in in a very solemn and determined manner, where he vows to save other people. He’s had those years of training. So we wanted to...

It’s a good time to be alive for Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and stars Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-shim, and Choi Seung-hyun (aka T.O.P.) — even if not all of their characters are still alive at the end of the smash Netflix hit’s second season.

Beyond the modest feats of becoming a worldwide phenomenon and Netflix’s most-watched series ever, the South Korean import about a secret, deadly competition that lures 456 desperate people to risk their lives to entertain the uber-wealthy has also become a major awards threat.

Following its premiere in September 2021, Season 1 nabbed 14 Primetime Emmy nominations (including Best Drama Series), with Lee Jung-jae winning Best Actor, Drama and Hwang winning Best Director. Squid Game also made SAG Awards history, becoming the first non-English nominated for Best Ensemble, Drama.

Season 2 bowed to much fanfare in December, and, based on the latest Gold Derby odds,...

While many had reservations heading into Squid Game season 2, this very easily could’ve become an unwarranted sequel given how the first season wrapped up on a very high note. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case. Considering one of the major highlights of Season 1 was its memorable cast of characters and their dynamics, on that front, Season 2 didn’t disappoint.

But among its new strong cast of characters, it was Thanos, aka Su-bong, who was undoubtedly the most enigmatic new addition, both off-screen and onscreen.

Who Is Thanos in Squid Game? T.O.P’s Role in the Netflix Series Explained Squid Game Season 2 | Credit: Netflix

Even though not inevitable, Thanos’ stay in season 2 was undoubtedly one of its strongest aspects, and was another case of a villain that we loved to root against. Played by Choi Seung-hyun, interestingly, his on-screen counterpart mirrored his real-life struggles to an extent.

Related:...

The second season of Squid Game aired last year, introducing us to a whole new crop of cash-strapped wretches willing to put their lives on the line for a chance at a big pay-day. The show puts these people in a situation where they either die playing a series of deadly children's games or make it to the end and walk away with the grand prize. What will people do under those circustances? Some rise to the occasion and try to hold onto their humanity, and others...do not.

Thanos, a rapper who had fallen on hard times, very much fell into the latter category. From the start, he showed himself willing to do whatever it took to get ahead, even if that included screwing over his fellow players. Actually, he seemed to enjoy the opportunity to be as depraved as possible.

Naturally, Thanos became an instant fan favorite. It...

“Squid Game” creator, director and writer Hwang Dong-hyuk joined production designer Chae Kyoung-sun, editor Nam Na-yeong and director of photography Kim Ji-yong and members of the “Squid Game 2” cast for a panel and screening on Friday night that was part of Netflix’s Fysee LA series.

When it came to choosing which seemingly-innocent schoolyard games would become death traps in the second installment of his dystopian black comedy, Hwang says he looked for challenges that would force players to vote en masse.

“An important theme I wanted to explore in the second season was the notion of elections,” said Hwang. “So many free democratic countries around the world are choosing their leaders, and therefore their futures, through the act of casting a vote.”

“Elections exist to provide the right direction for society to head in, but as we all see, it’s actually leading people to even further division and...

There were no games afoot on May 30 when Netflix took over the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles to celebrate Season 2 of Squid Game with the show's creative team and cast. Though Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and his crew saved Season 3 teasers for the Netflix's big Tudum presentation on Saturday, Hwang hinted to Gold Derby that fans need to buckle up for the upcoming spectacle: “There are great games," he teased. "They are going to be beyond your expectations.” Meanwhile the FYC event was about celebrating the second chapter of the worldwide phenomenon with Kim Ji-yong, editor Man Na-young, and production designer Chae Kyoung-sun, along with cast members Lee Jung-jae (Gi-hun), Lee Byung-hun (In-ho/Front Man), Choi Seung hyun, aka Top (Thanos), Park Syung-hoon (Hyun-ju), and Kang Ae-sim (Geum-ja).

While some fan-favorite games from the first season like Red Light, Green Light made it into the sophomore season, the Squid...

The final games are almost upon us. Squid Game Season 3, the third and final act of the hit Netflix series, kicked off Tudum 2025. After a bit of a weird introduction with dancing Pink Guards (aren't they supposed to be serious murderers?) and a performance of "The Game Don't Stop" by Hanumankind, the main cast of the series took to the stage.

Lee Jung-jae, who plays Seong Gi-Hun/Player 456, and Lee Byung-hun, who portrays the mysterious Front Man, did most of the talking, but they were soon joined by Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-sim, and Choi Seung-hyun to help drop the official Squid Game Season 3 trailer.

Didn't know Squid Game guards could do all That #Tudum pic.twitter.com/A96sYjhG4P

— Netflix (@netflix) June 1, 2025

Season 3 of the dystopian survival thriller picks up after the failed rebellion led by Gi-hun in an attempt to overthrow the games. Gi-hun was betrayed by the Front Man,...

All Major Announcements Made At Netflix Tudum 2025! ( Photo Credit – Netflix )

Tudum 2025, Netflix’s biggest global live event covering all its original shows and films, took place in the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on May 31, 2025. Like every year, the platform made major announcements about its upcoming content with exclusive sneak peeks and teasers alongside presenting an epic lineup of talent and unforgettable performances from Lady Gaga and Hanumankind. The event was hosted by Sofia Carson and united fans and celebrities for a spectacular showcase of entertainment and an epic celebration of fandom.

All Major Shows & Films Announced At Netflix Tudum 2025 Squid Game Season 3

In the show’s opening, the iconic pink guards from Squid Game took over Los Angeles with a thrilling dance performance before cast members Lee Jung-jae (Gi-Hun), Lee Byung-hun (Front Man), Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-sim, and Choi Seung-hyun treated fans to the exclusive debut of the Squid Game Season 3 trailer.

Netflix held it’s annual global fan event, Tudum Live on Saturday evening (May 31) and it was quite the star-studded affair.

The big event was held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., with tons of Netflix stars from both scripted and unscripted programming, including Jenna Ortega, Kerry Washington and Sofia Carson, who served as the host of the evening!

Keep reading to find out more…

During the event, Netflix revealed several trailers and teaser trailers, announced premiere dates and there was even a live performance from Lady Gaga, who sang “Zombieboy” and “Abracadabra,” with an on-stage appearance from Jenna Ortega, her Wednesday season two co-star.

Check out all of the big announcements Here!

We have rounded all of the Netflix stars who were in attendance at Tudum Live, including those from One Piece, Stranger Things, Wednesday, Selling Sunset, Love Is Blind, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,...

Tonight, Netflix opened its Tudum celebration by hyping up Squid Game, its Korean-language drama where desperate people are manipulated into playing children's games to death in hopes of winning a life changing amount of money. Squid Game is one of Netflix's most-watched shows of all time, and next month it will drop its third and final season. It's a big deal for the streamer, and so this was a perfect way to kick off the event.

At least, the trailer was a perfect way. Before we got there, Netflix opened the show with a bunch of Squid Game guards doing a dance number on stage before rapper Hanumankind came out to spice things up. It was...well, it was something. Then stars Lee Jung-jae (Seong Gi-hun), Lee Byung-hun (the Front Man), Yim Si-wan (Myung-gi Lee), Kang Ae-sim (Jang Geum-ja), and Choi Seung-Hyun (Thanos) came out to introduce the trailer.

The...

Netflix has released a trailer for the third and final season of “Squid Game.”

Season 3 will see Gi-hun aka Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae) continue fighting to end the game after the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) killed his best friend, Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), at the end of Season 2.

In the trailer, Gi-hun is seen finally learning the devastating truth behind the Front Man’s identity, which the audience already knows: It’s In-ho, who pretended to be a Squid Game competitor and Gi-hun’s friend in Season 2. Gi-hun begins the trailer frantically demanding a group of guards, “Why didn’t you kill me? Why did you keep me alive? Why did you let me live?” The guards wrestle him to the ground and In-ho watches.

“Squid Game” debuted on Netflix in September 2021 and quickly became a smash hit. Season 1 is currently the streamer’s No. 1 most-watched TV season of all time,...

This Saturday, May 31st, at 8pm Eastern (5pm Pacific), the Netflix streaming service will begin streaming Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, allowing subscribers to tune in for “a celebration of fandom and culture-defining storytelling, spotlighting Netflix’s biggest films, shows, stars and creators. The event will also feature Live Audio Descriptions and Captioning so everyone can fully experience the fun.” The event will include live performances from Lady Gaga and Hanumankind, along with exclusive sneak previews of some highly anticipated titles, including Frankenstein, Happy Gilmore 2, One Piece, Stranger Things, Squid Game, Wednesday, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and The Rip, along with epic crossover moments with talent from some of our biggest films and series, including Outer Banks, The Life List, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Forever, My Oxford Year, Ginny & Georgia, My Life with the Walter Boys,...

“Carry-On” and “The Life List” star Sofia Carson is set to host Netflix’s Tudum 2025 event, which will feature the casts of “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Frankenstein,” “Happy Gilmore 2” and more of the streamer’s popular TV shows and movies.

While Netflix’s Tudum has been an annual event since 2020, this Tudum marks the first time the live event — which this year will take place at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles — will also air live on Netflix as a special. Previous iterations of Tudum have live-streamed on YouTube.

The format for the show is described by Netflix’s vice president of series marketing for the US and Canada, Shelly Gillyard, as a combination of “fanfare, variety show, comedic, music, live performances, talent, appearances.” “We’re really trying to expand this to feel more like big performance and segments that are going to be entertaining for members around the world,...

Would you like to play again? Netflix has now unleashed the first trailer for the third and final season of the hit series, which will pick up following the events of Season 2, which debuted at the end of last year. Squid Game Season 3 sees Lee Jung-jae return as the heroic player Seong Gi-hun, who will surely face worse odds than ever before. You can check out the newly released trailer for Squid Game Season 3 below.

The first season of Squid Game centers on a contest in which 456 players, drawn from different walks of life but each deeply in debt, play a set of children’s games with deadly consequences in the hopes of winning a 45.6 billion Won prize. Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show was met with praise from both critics and audiences alike and went on to receive several award nominations, including 14 nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, with...

The latest batch of Squid Game contestants is ready to try their luck at the Emmys. Seven actors from the second season of the hit Netflix series are being submitted across four categories, Gold Derby has learned.

Leading the way is star Lee Jung-jae, looking to repeat his Best Drama Actor win from Season 1. Lee, who plays returning champion Seong Gi-hun, aka Player 456, is on the bubble for the 2025 best actor race, sitting at No. 9 in the current Gold Derby odds — the highest position of any of the Squid Game gang.

Lee Byung-hun, another who survived the first season, will be submitted for supporting actor for his role as the Front Man, the show’s big bad. Joining him are the two biggest breakouts of Season 2, Choi Seung-hyun, who plays disgraced rapper Thanos (aka Player 230), and Park Sung-hoon, who plays heroic trans ex-soldier Hyun-ju (Player 120).

For supporting actress, Netflix is...

Squid Game season 2 stormed back onto Netflix in 2024 with thrilling new games, a deeper dive into key characters, and some interesting new players. It shattered viewership records, ranking #1 in 92 countries, and while reactions to the story were mixed, especially with the season ending on a major cliffhanger, there is no denying it gave fans plenty to talk about.

One of the most talked about new players was Thanos, a washed-up rapper portrayed by real-life rapper and actor Choi Seung Hyun, better known as T.O.P (formerly of iconic K-pop group Bigbang). Once a popular rapper with stacks of cash, Thanos lost his fortune on risky crypto investments. Now broke and desperate, he keeps voting for the games to continue, hoping the prize money will grow big enough to save him from financial ruin.

Greedy and cruel, Thanos' chaotic nature added to the madness of the games. He used substances...

In the turbulent world of entertainment, two striking stories have captured the harsh realities of what it’s like to live in a judgemental society, while also being under the limelight. One tragic narrative centers on Kim Sae-ron, an actress who could have flourished and lived more.

Kim Sae-ron | @ron_sae / Instagram

Another high-profile figure is T.O.P, who made an unexpected return as Thanos in Netflix’s Squid Game. Together, these stories offer a glimpse into a world where people aren’t allowed to make mistakes and are criticized for years.

Kim Sae-ron’s tragic demise and the toll of a toxic culture

Kim Sae-ron was a South Korean actress, whose promising career and life have now been cut short, at the tender age of 24. She was celebrated for performances in projects like Bloodhounds, but her work was overshadowed due to a drunk-driving car accident that led to public humiliation and isolation.

T.O.P Denies Bigbang Reunion ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

After people slammed singer-cum-actor T.O.P for rejoining his group Bigbang, he addressed the speculations and denied all the rumors. Read ahead.

Recently, many news reports claimed that Squid Game 2 actor T.O.P. (Choi Seung-Hyun) might rejoin his band Bigbang. The reports further stated that Bigbang has added T.O.P. ’s name and photo to their official YouTube channel. When people noticed that on his Instagram account, he put his stage name (T.O.P.) in front of his name, it fueled the speculations even more.

Netizens started to lash out at the actor for doing such a thing, while some claimed these were false rumors and that his name has always been on Bigbang’s official channel. A few even mentioned that he had no intention to rejoin the group. In his interview for Netflix’s Squid Game, the...

Perhaps the most colorful addition to the cast of "Squid Game" season 2 is Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun), a good-for-nothing young man who always seems to be starting a fight with someone. He loves investing in cryptocurrency, taking drugs, bullying his potential allies, and making major life decisions based on the assumption that he will never die. It might seem strange that such a sleazeball has become a fan favorite, but hey, viewers love a wildcard. 

That's why it's so tragic that he died somewhat randomly in season 2's penultimate episode, "O X," when another player stabs him in the neck with a fork. Sure, it made for a good upping-the-ante moment, setting the stage for a truly game-changing finale, but it also feels like a waste for the show to dispose of Thanos so soon. As far as the actor's concerned, however, it all made a lot of sense. As Choi...

"Squid Game" season 2 followed up the global phenomenon with a darker, bloodier season that weaponized audiences' familiarity with the story and nearly made me regret I ever wanted more of the show. Even if we had some characters that were easier to root for and follow than back in season one, we somehow also had some even more despicably evil players in the games.

Among them is Thanos, one of the best new characters of "Squid Game" season 2 and a hilarious chaos gremlin. Thanos is a former rapper who lost all his money investing in crypto and now desperately wants the games to continue until the cash prize is big enough that he actually can pay off his bills. He is a big part of the biggest change this season, the new dynamic wherein the players get to vote at the end of every round on whether they want to...

We're now more than a month removed from the premiere of Squid Game Season 2, and while the show has mostly lost its place in the conversation due to all episodes dropping at once, it's still hanging on to the #9 spot on Netflix's top 10 charts. This is largely due to the show's cast and creatives, who have been steadfastly giving updates on Season 3, which is confirmed to be coming in June later this year, but also providing additional insight into their characters. One of the most vocal has been Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P., who plays Thanos in the show. During a recent interview with Netflix's Tudum, Choi spoke about his character's death, and how reading it in the script wasn't shocking for him at all:...

The hit Netflix series "Squid Game" can be pretty controversial, as it skewers capitalism while also making millions for the streaming service, and one of the more controversial aspects of season 2 was a new character: Thanos, played by actor Choi Seung-hyun. First, there was the backlash to Choi's casting, as the actor was once a part of the K-pop band Bigbang but left in 2023 after the public found out about his past marijuana use and possession charges from 2017. K-Pop stars who are convicted of drug charges, even marijuana charges, frequently have a difficult time ever regaining stardom, and there were some very upset South Korean "Squid Game" fans.

Thanos' casting is a bit of art mirroring life, as the character is a disgraced rapper who has lost status due to drug abuse and getting involved in bad cryptocurrency, so Choi can really relate to someone trying to pick themselves...

Squid Game boasts an ensemble of villains but Thanos is easily the standout of Season 2. No one wanted him to win but fans wouldn't mind if he lasted longer; he made the games more unpredictable and interesting.

Actor Choi Seung-hyun (a.k.a. Kpop superstar T.O.P.) said Thanos would have relished the mayhem of Squid Game's Season 2 finale. "Based on my interpretation of him, Thanos would probably be dancing with the pink soldiers," he told Tudum. That image is befitting of a character who played so recklessly in such a deadly game. Thanos didn't survive long enough to witness Gi-hun's revolt, however; his surprise death was Episode 6's cliffhanger, and audiences knew he had it coming. Choi agreed that death couldn't have come sooner despite his character's cult following.

RelatedSquid Game Creator Explains Why New Season 2 Character Is Named Thanos

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explains why Choi Seung-hyun's...

Thanos is one of Squid Game's loose cannons; his recklessness raised the stakes and made the games more interesting. New footage reveals he was also a maverick player and cheerleader to his team.

Netflix Korea released behind-the-scenes footage from Squid Game Season 2, and it's packed with deleted scenes. These leave fans wondering how much material was scrapped from the final cut, and if an extended version will ever be released. Out of the season's new players, Choi Su-bong a.k.a. Thanos (played by T.O.P.) quickly became a fan favorite. His screen time was limited, however, and he didn't even make it to the season finale. The new footage fleshes out his character further and paints him as more of a team player. That's hard to believe considering he was cutthroat during the Red Light, Green Light and Mingle games, but he was almost a different person in the Six-legged Pentathlon.

From the very beginning of his Squid Gameintroduction, it’s obvious that struggling rapper Thanos — played by South Korean superstar Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P — stands out from the competition. Whether he’s grinning through Red Light, Green Light, intimidating fellow players, or dancing around the Mingle carousel, there’s no one else like Thanos on your screen. That was always Choi’s intention.

“I personally wanted to aim high and create a never-before-seen character,” Choi tells Tudum from Seoul. So he and director Hwang Dong-hyuk had countless discussions on how to build one of Squid Game Season 2’s most scene-stealing characters.

“We decided to be a little more bold with some parts of the character. We were experimenting with different elements. Through that process, there’s just so much that I learned as an actor,” Choi explains. Eventually, the duo — along with Squid Game’s hair...

Squid Game star Jo Yu-ri shared her reaction to fan theories about the highly-anticipated third and final season of the hit Netflix series. Jo was first introduced in Season 2 as Kim Jun-hee/Player 222, a young pregnant woman who joins the survival competition in hopes of winning the money to start a new life with her baby.

During a recent interview with Cinema Today, Jo revealed that most of the circulating fan theories about Squid Game Season 3 haven’t gotten close to what they really have in store for viewers. She teased fans to expect a much more "brutal and cruel" storyline for the remaining characters of the show. "It seems like a lot of people have been predicting the contents of Season 3, but it seems like not many of them have gotten it right as I thought," Jo said. "A truly unimaginably brutal and cruel story awaits, so please look forward to it.

Gi-hun's attempt to overturn Squid Game was foiled in the Season 2 finale. Actor Lee Seo-hwan said Gi-hun might resort to unspeakable acts now that he's more desperate than ever.

Lee Seo-hwan's dark theory for Squid Game Season 3 includes Gi-hun's villain arc. Speaking to Radio Times, Lee said his character Jung-bae's death might have pushed Gi-hun over the edge. "I know nothing about Season 3, but as a viewer and a fan myself, I think there could be three possibilities," he mused. "One would be Gi-hun losing all hope, and the second, him becoming even more vengeful. But the third possibility would be him becoming vengeful towards the players, not the people behind the game." That last possibility just stoked one fan theory that Gi-hun would become the next Front Man.

Related Squid Game Star Accidentally Spoils Season 3 With Potentially Huge Plot Leak

One of Squid Game Season 3's biggest plot twists...

After an amazing second season, Netflix's hit survival thriller series will be back with its third and final installment this year. That’s right, Squid Game will return, and fans can expect even more intense challenges, shocking twists, and edge-of-your-seat drama as the story reaches its gripping conclusion.

Squid Game season 2 ended on a shocking cliffhanger that left viewers eagerly speculating about what’s next for the remaining characters. Like the first season, there were many character deaths. While some were heartbreaking, others felt inevitable. However, there were three that stood out the most to us. With these characters truly gone and no chance of their return, it's clear we won't be seeing them in Squid Game season 3. Find out who they are below!

Spoilers from Squid Game season 2 ahead!

Lee Seo-hwan as Jung-bae in Squid Game season 2 | No Ju-han/Netflix Jung-bae

Jung-bae's death had to be one of...

Fans cannot wait for Squid Game season 3, coming to Netflix this year! However, we cannot get over the characters that either resonated so well with the viewers, or were a much-needed classic embedment within the story.

We can't help but compare Jan Deok-su from season 1 and Thanos who we met in the second season. If you think about it, they are quite similar. Yet entirely different in their own ways as well.

There certainly remains an emotional investment with a typical character, but no, I’m not talking about any investment with these two. Despite each character entering the game helplessly to win a handsome amount of money that would help solve their life problems, every character seemed weak and vulnerable. So the question raised is: Are Jang Deok-su and Thanos villainous or just eccentric?

Courtesy: Netflix Jang Deok-su: Player 101 in season 1

Deok-su in Squid Game season 1 was an interesting character.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Squid Game season 2.The second season of Netflix's hit drama Squid Game introduces a whole series of new characters, alongside some returning faces, to expand this fictional universe in fresh and interesting ways. One of the standouts of Squid Game season 2's cast is Choi Seung-hyun, who plays the character of Thanos. This amateur rapper is one of the main antagonists of the season, taking a wholly selfish approach to the games and never being afraid to throw other contestants under the bus in order to increase the prize fund.

One of Squid Game's most obvious themes, ever since the first season, has been the exploration of humanity's innate selfishness and greed. It's a story about how far people will go to become rich and avoid their problems, which is exactly what Thanos exemplifies in season two. He knows that only one...

Many successful TV shows attract loyal fan bases who are excited to tune into something similar with each new episode, expecting a comforting cast of familiar characters, locations, and plot lines to appear on the screen. While this may work for some television programs, other notable shows draw in audiences due to their unpredictable nature and fast twists.

For viewers of these shows, investment stems from the compelling nature of their storylines, which can rarely be guessed ahead of time. As a result, fans journey alongside the characters in the show, blind to what will occur confusion, so that they can experience moments of highs and lows, and at times confusion, in real time. For example, shows like Donald Glover's Atlanta seamlessly switch in genre and tone with each new episode, while series like David Lynch's Twin Peaks aren't afraid to devolve, boldly plunging the story line into chaos.

Squid Game Season 2 star Choi Seung-hyun has addressed his casting as the character Choi Su-bong/Thanos in the hit Netflix series. Also known as T.O.P, the K-Pop star and actor was involved in a marijuana-use scandal in 2017 that halted his career. His acting in the new Squid Game season has met with acclaim, even as he had to do limited promotion and press for the comeback because of the controversy surrounding his casting.

Squid Game Season 2 introduced Thanos as a cash-strapped former rapper with a drug problem. In an interview with The Korea Times, Seung-hyun finally discussed the role, which eerily mirrors his former real-life struggle. He revealed his initial hesitance, only agreeing to play the character at the insistence of the show's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, to whom he remains grateful. "The offer to play Thanos was a daunting proposition. The character mirrored my past, reflecting aspects I'd rather keep hidden,...

Squid Game’s victims never need an autopsy. We all know what killed them. However, the show itself deserves a post-modern. What happened to the once-great Korean thriller? While not terrible, the recently concluded second chapter hasn't generated as much talk as the first. Part of that concerns the widespread perception that the show didn’t need to continue. According to many fans (and a few critics), Gi-hun’s story was better suited for a miniseries.

2.5/5 Squid Game TV-MAAction & AdventureMysteryDramaThriller

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*Availability in US Release Date September 17, 2021Cast Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Park Hae-soo, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Wi Ha-jun, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-wook, Hoyeon, Oh Young-soo, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Heo Sung-tae, Kim Joo-ryoung, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Da-wit, Choi Seung-hyun, Anupam Tripathi, Lee You-mi, Jo Yu-ri, Won Ji-an, Jun Suk-ho, Park Hye-jin, Chae Gook-heeSeasons 3 Expand

Still, we can understand Netflix’s decision to...

This article contains Major Spoilers for Squid Game Season 2.

Tension peaked during the six-legged pentathlon in Squid Game's second season. One team couldn't have survived Episode 5 without fan-favorite character Cho Hyun-ju.

Park Sung-hoon said he really slapped co-star Chae Cook-hee in Squid Game Season 2. Fans know this as the moment Cho Hyun-ju [Park] hit the Shaman Seon-nyeo [Chae] during the six-legged pentathlon, which required five players to take on a gauntlet of children's games. Hyun-ju led and motivated his team during their turn, which they almost didn't finish; they were only given five minutes to complete five games of skill, luck, and patience. Seon-nyeo quickly succumbed to the pressure, forcing Hyun-ju to slap her out of her stupor. Speaking to Netflix, K-Content, Park explained why Hyun-ju's slap looked so believable.

Related 'This Will Not Happen Again': Squid Game Star Catches Controversy After Posting Nsfw Photo

The Squid Game actor...

Squid Game season 2’s breakout character, Thanos, has been hilariously reimagined in fan art that merges him with his Marvel Cinematic Universe namesake. Netflix’s hit series returned with new deadly games and even deadlier players, introducing T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) as Thanos, a flamboyant rapper whose quirky behavior and intense personality quickly made him a standout character in Squid Game season 2. With his purple hair and unpredictable strategies, Thanos brought fascinating chaos and a wicked charm to the dystopian thriller.

In a video shared on Instagram, graphic designer isaiasarts brought the Squid Game character full circle by blending T.O.P’s Thanos with the MCU’s Mad Titan. The final image features T.O.P’s face and signature purple hair imposed on the body of Josh Brolin’s Marvel villain, Thanos, complete with a fork in the grasp of the Infinity Gauntlet. Check the video out...

Former Kpop star Choi Seung-hyun (also known as T.O.P), who played fan-favorite character Thanos in Squid Game season 2, has broken his silence about joining the action drama's sophomore season. Choi has become one of the breakout stars from the new season, after his wild, unhinged character Thanos caused chaos among the new group of contestants.

Thanos caused an instant stir when he joined the mix in season 2, ardently determined to do whatever it takes to claim the enormous cash prize, even if it means all the other contestants have to die in the deadly games. A rapper, Thanos lost all his money after investing in cryptocurrency scam and became addicted to drugs. The scammer himself is also a contestant, causing tension from the outset.

Thanos' energy made fans instantly love him... or love to hate him, at least. His dancing on the carousel during the game Mingle has...

Quick Links What Has Happened in 'Squid Game' So Far? What Will Happen in 'Squid Game' Season 3? This Theory Shows That the 'Squid Game' Franchise Might Continue

Korean series are usually nothing short of extremely thrilling and highly addictive, which is exactly why the excitement about new additions to various streaming platforms is completely understandable. Netflix, for one, has brought fans one of the biggest Christmas gifts when the streaming platform finally released the second season of one of the most beloved Korean dystopian series.

It hasn’t even been that long since the second season of Squid Game was released on Netflix on December 26, but one day of binge-watching later, the investment went beyond watching and straight into coming up with possible theories. The internet is already full of various theories regarding Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the Front Man, other players, and particularly the continuation of the franchise.

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has explained why a fan-favorite Season 2 character portrayed by Choi Seung-hyun is named Thanos. Bearing the same name as the popular purple-skinned Marvel Cinematic Universe villain, one would be forgiven for believing the character inspired the purple-haired Squid Game contestant's name.

In an interview presented by Still Watching Netflix on YouTube where he and series star Lee Jung-jae reacted to TikTok clips inspired by the show, Hwang revealed why he chose the name for Seung-hyun's rapper character. Hwang intended for Thanos to transcend South Korean popularity and become an international sensation. "The reason I named the character Thanos, It doesn't really suit a rapper as a name, was to design him to be a character fans worldwide could love. But I am so grateful he is getting this much love,' he explained.

Related 'I'm Your Father': Squid Game Star Responds to Season 3 Theories with...