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 (also known by his rap stage name, “T.O.P”) 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 back up and get back in society’s good graces, even if he wouldn’t necessarily go the same extremes as Thanos. The fictional rapper is not particularly bright and extremely impressed with himself, which has led to some fans embracing him as one of the best new characters of the second season while others gave him a big Thano. Whether you love him or hate him, Thanos has a unique sense of style that pays homage to his comic book namesake, making him the most colorful character to compete for his life at the very least.
Thanos gets his purple hair and candy-colored nails from his Marvel namesake
In an interview with Tudum, Choi explained that he and the show’s director, Hwang Dong-hyuk (along with the show’s hair and makeup team) went back and forth on what Thanos would look like, noting that it was important for him to really stand out. They liked the idea of the purple hair because Thanos is “someone so simple, so intuitive” that he would of course mimic Thanos’s purple skin tone in his hair color. And as for his colorful nails? Those were another nod to the Marvel character, as Choi explained:
“As for the nail colors, they’re the colors of Thanos [the comic book character’s] infinity stones. I asked the director what he thought about that. And he loved it, saying that he really loves Skittles as well — and the nails look like Skittles too.”
Though it’s unlikely that Thanos is going to be tasting the rainbow anytime soon, given his untimely demise before season 2 even finished, he’s extremely memorable and made his mark on “Squid Game” in his short time. He clearly doesn’t understand much about the villainous character he’s taken his rap name from and probably just thought he looked cool, but that honestly just makes it even funnier. Whether you love Thanos or love to hate him, his unusual style helped make him one of the show’s most unforgettable characters.
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