Choi Seung-hyun, known professionally as T.O.P, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He performed as an underground rapper before joining the record label YG Entertainment and debuted as the lead rapper of the boy band BigBang in 2006. The group became one of the best-selling groups of all time in Asia and one of the best-selling boy bands in the world. In 2010, while the group was on hiatus, T.O.P and G-Dragon collaborated to release the album, GD & TOP. As a solo rapper, he has released two digital singles, "Turn It Up" and "Doom Dada", that have peaked at number two and four, respectively, on the Gaon Digital Chart. He was convicted of marijuana use in 2017, which led to a surge of anti-fans among South Koreans.
T.O.P made his acting debut in 2007 through the TV series I Am Sam, followed by Iris and the TV movie Nineteen. He made his film debut with 71: Into the Fire, for which he received praise and won multiple accolades including Best New Actor at the 2010 Blue Dragon Film Awards and the 2011 Baeksang Arts Awards.