Hwang Dong-hyuk tackles brutal themes and bold games in new seasons of Squid Game, drawing eerie parallels to real-world desperation and dreams.
Fans of Squid Game are bracing themselves for an even more intense return to the chilling, high-stakes competition as creator Hwang Dong-hyuk opens up about the upcoming second and third seasons. Though originally reluctant to continue the hit series, global demand pushed Hwang to take on the challenge—not just returning, but writing and directing every episode himself.
“After season one, I thought, ‘I will never do a series like this again. It’s not humanly possible,’” Hwang confessed. “But the love from around the world convinced me. I didn’t see any other option.”
Season 2 brings back familiar faces, especially Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun, now on a mission to unravel the organization behind the deadly games. He’s spent years—and part of his winnings—tracking down the elusive Recruiter, played by Gong Yoo. With help from his former loan shark Mr. Kim (Kim Pub-lae) and his men, Gi-hun sets his sights on justice. Meanwhile, the Recruiter continues luring new players, feeding off their desperation and shattered dreams.
The premiere episode, “Bread and Lottery,” immediately sets the brutal tone. In a manipulative experiment, homeless people are offered either a loaf of bread or a lottery ticket. Nearly all choose the gamble—and leave with nothing. For Hwang, this disturbing scene mirrors a global shift in values.
“Less and less people believe that hard work will lead to a better life,” he explained. “People want to become rich overnight—through lottery tickets, crypto, or stocks. That kind of mindset is ruining the younger generation. That episode is meant as a wake-up call.”
As always, the series uses its whimsical, childlike sets to heighten the horror. Players are lulled into a false sense of innocence, only for the violence to shatter the illusion. New games like “Pentathlon” and “Mingle” follow this formula, set in dreamlike schoolyards and playgrounds while players plot each other’s demise.
“By setting violence in these beautiful, childlike spaces, the contrast makes it even more shocking,” Hwang said.
In Pentathlon, players are grouped in teams of five, their legs bound together as they race around a track, completing challenges before time runs out. The sheer scale of filming—two active tracks and crowds of spectators—presented Hwang with his toughest directorial challenge yet.
“Each track had players and watchers interacting in real-time. I had to orchestrate all of it—two games, two groups of spectators. It was extremely challenging,” he shared. Adding to the complexity: 365 players, matching the number of days in a year—a coincidence, Hwang insists.
“There were more than 300 actors on set. While it’s one game in round two, there are five stages. It was the most difficult sequence of all.”
The show’s themes remain just as biting. Season 2 continues exploring how society discards those in crisis—whether crushed by debt, failed investments, or inaccessible healthcare. The games are only a metaphor for the ruthless real-world competition that leads to countless “losers” we pretend not to see.
“It’s brutal for those who’ve lost,” Hwang said. “That contrast reflects how life works—people being eliminated while the world moves on.”
Filming Seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back took an exhausting 200 days across 11 months. Hwang calls the experience “boot camp in hell” but doesn’t regret the journey.
“I just went into it thinking, ‘Let’s just go through it,’” he laughed. “Looking back, I don’t know how we did it.”
Season 3 of Squid Game premieres June 27 on Netflix, following the explosive second season and continuing the story of survival, sacrifice, and the haunting cost of human desperation.
