'Squid Game' Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Almost Didn't Want to Make Season 2: 'Money Was the Deciding Factor'

Hwang Dong-hyuk said, "It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year," when he revealed that the worldwide hit series would return for a second season. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever." That period of time was stressful for the writer-director, but it did not result in a large enough paycheck to let him to turn down an offer for a second round in the games.

Hwang Dong-hyuk attends Netflix's Squid Game Fall Showcase at TUDUM Theater on November 03, 2024 in Hollywood, California.

Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix

"Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly, I didn't make much," Hwang told BBC. "So doing the second series will help compensate me for the success of the first one too … and I didn't fully finish the story."

He lost eight or nine teeth while creating the first season as a result of the stress he was under. Following his historic debut, Hwang stated, "The stress I feel is much greater." He elaborated: "I haven't seen my dentist yet, but I'll probably have to pull out a few more very soon." Season Two premieres on December 26.

The creator of Squid Game has previously said that his personal experience during the 2009 global financial crisis, when his family was severely impacted financially, had an effect on the game. When the play was acclaimed for its insightful reflection on capitalism, he insisted that his representation of current capitalism isn't particularly complicated for anyone paying attention.

Hwang did not receive a bonus from Netflix when Squid Game became viral in 2021. A spokeswoman for Netflix told the BBC that their competitive remuneration mechanism ensures "solid compensation, regardless of the success or failure of their shows." Still, Squid Game is expected to be worth $900 million, according to a Los Angeles Times story from June 2023, but Hwang reportedly "forfeited all intellectual property rights and received no residuals" from the series.

Because the wheel of business never stops revolving, the cruel program was converted into a franchise, complete with a reality series that brought the games to life. Unsurprisingly, participants complained that the show was "rigged" and "cruel." It's uncertain if Hwang would have wanted to be engaged, even if it meant earning more money. He does not appear to have deviated from his original idea's dominant moral message.

"While making this series, I kept asking myself, 'Do we humans have what it takes to steer the world off this downhill path?'" "Honestly, I'm not sure," he told BBC. "New lines are being drawn." We live in an era of us versus them. "Who is right and who is wrong?"