Squid Game director expresses his gratitude for the success of the series and carefully discusses his season 2 plans.
Netflix’s original series, Squid Game, follows participants in a cryptic survival game with a prize of 45.6 billion dollars. Players are also willing to stake their lives to be the lone winner in the extreme game.
This drama became the first Korean series to reach “Today’s Top 10” on Netflix in the United States, as well as in Southeast Asian countries.
It has also risen to the top charts in 39 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Squid Game is gaining popularity among foreign fans due to the increased interest shown in Korean culture.
Moreover, Director Hwang Dong Hyuk disclosed a variety of experiences during a virtual interview with Netflix.
Following an initial interview with Netflix
Director Hwang surprisingly receives worldwide hype following the premiere of Squid Game.
“Actually, I didn’t expect that the craze around the world would blow in such a short period of time. There is a roller coaster of emotions like that. Aren’t all the games simple? Another thing is that, unlike other game genres, the narrative is more detailed. I don’t think it’s something that people around the world would like.”
Additionally, he also revealed how one of the cast members has increased followers on social media.
“In the case of Jung Ho Yeon, the number of (Instagram) followers was 400,000, but it was surprising to hear that it exceeded 5 million in ten days. Not only in Korea, but all over the world, messages are coming in, so everyone is confused. It seems to be a too good to be true situation.”
Director Hwang remarked that he approached the production with a broader perspective. He believes that the majority of Korean projects are internationally intriguing.
“This game is a simple old-fashioned game, but it may have some global appeal. I had the possibility to work with Netflix. I joked with the staff about whether Dalgona was popular in our work just like God was popular in the Kingdom series, but it is a bit startling that such a thing actually happened.”
Previously, Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, attended the Code Conference 2021 in the United States and made a reference to Squid Game.
“If you look at the current trend, it will be the largest non-English work on Netflix. There is a possibility that it will be the biggest work of all the works that Netflix has released so far.”
“It was so surprising that Netflix officially came forward and announced the figures,” Director Hwang said. “Actually, in a way, it’s a nonsensical story. It’s unrealistic, and it’s something that only a few fans can enjoy,” he added.
On the issue of personal information leak
Director Hwang immediately clarified the accusations of phone number leaks and account number theft, which were as divisive as the work’s success.
“I didn’t expect (there would be a controversy) at all. In fact, I wrote it because it was a non-existent number. I used it because it was a safe number. So this situation happened, and I’m really sorry that I didn’t check it in detail until the end.”
Likewise, he carefully handled the concerns regarding the alleged personal account displayed in the drama.
“The account number is the number of a friend of the production team. So I know that the director decided to write it down. They said that 456 won is coming into that friend’s account right now. I wrote that number after consultation. We talked about clearing up that account because we didn’t know if something could happen.”
On the question, every Squid Game fan wants an answer
Hwang PD also stated that he needed to clear his thoughts temporarily owing to excessive stress. Recognizing his own Squid Game journey, he acknowledged the adventure of conceiving an experimental concept without a middle ground.
“A lot of people asked me about season 2. The process of writing, producing, and directing by myself during season 1 was very difficult mentally and physically. I lost six teeth while working on Squid Game. I had an implant, but I was like, ‘If I do season 2, can I do it alone?’ I’m a little worried because I think about it. That’s why I always say that I can’t go straight to (season 2). But there’s also a nagging thought where if it won’t be done fast, it will be upsetting because so many people like it.”
Director Hwang concluded the meeting, apologizing to the viewers that he can’t speak concrete plans for season 2 yet.
In case you have yet to see the talk-of-the-town series, Squid Game is exclusively available on Netflix worldwide.
Source: xportsnews
Photos: Netflix
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