Squid Game's creator Hwang Dong-hyuk discusses the conclusion of his relevant dystopian hit.

      It has been three days since Hwang Dong-hyuk completely finished the post-production of the final season of Squid Game, a global sensation that has consumed the last six years of his life, and he is ready to unwind.

      “It hasn't fully dawned on me yet that I’m done,” he shares with MovieMaker during a Zoom call from his home in South Korea in early March, as he prepares for his first vacation in three years. “I haven’t had much time to think about my future. All I know is that for my next project, I prefer to work on a film rather than a series.”

      The immensely popular Netflix series, which revolves around desperate individuals engaging in deadly children's games for a substantial cash prize, has been a challenge for its creator from the start. “Every day on the set of Squid Game involved around 300 extras, plus about 15 to 20 main cast members, and a crew of 200,” the writer and director describes. “So every single day felt like I was heading off to war.”

      The stress of creating Season 1 resulted in the loss of eight teeth. The production of the subsequent episodes, split into the second and third seasons— with the latter premiering on June 27— proved equally taxing.

      “Unfortunately, I lost another two teeth,” he acknowledges.

      In our latest cover, photographed by Mok Jung-wook for Netflix © 2024, and designed by Ryan Ward, he adds, “I don’t think there is an escape from that stress, especially when working on something as demanding as Squid Game.” He says, “You can try calming exercises, meditation, or yoga, but I’ve realized, even more than before, there’s no way around it.”

      This time, however, he at least ate better. He usually loses 12 pounds during shoots: “Under severe stress, I struggle to eat. But this time, I made sure to have at least a green juice or something to eat, even if I didn’t feel hungry. … This time, I didn’t lose any weight during production.”

      The most intense days of Season 2 were the 15 it took to film the second game, known as the Six-Legged Pentathlon. Contestants face a relay race through five familiar Korean children's games while tied together at the ankles. If one falters, they all fail, and failure means death.

      “Everyone was in that sound stage with actual sand on the ground. A lot of people were sick because it was winter… and they had to be on set inhaling all that dust. It was quite chaotic,” Hwang recounts, admitting he was also sick while filming the massive sequence.

      “I felt like I was truly one of the game participants,” he reveals. “A single mistake could ruin everything. One error on my part could lead to budget overruns, so I was overwhelmed with pressure and anxiety.”

      Squid Game Season 1 became Netflix’s most-watched series ever and earned the Korean filmmaker his first Primetime Emmy, one of six awarded to the show.

      Lee Byung-hun, who plays Front Man, noted, “It must have been very demanding, both physically and mentally for him. With so many lead characters and interconnected storylines, it required significantly more effort, energy, and time on his part. Yet, he delivered flawlessly.”

      Lee Jung-jae, who portrays protagonist Seong Gi-hun, was also impressed by the director’s storytelling precision. He credits his experience with Hwang on Season 1 for helping him prepare for shooting his own debut feature film, 2022’s Hunt: “Director Hwang understands how to tell a concise and accurate story based on the points you want to communicate.”

      Hwang was “quite shocked” by the overwhelming reception Squid Game received in 2021, prompting Netflix to request additional seasons.

      “Everything felt surreal, but overall, I was grateful and focused on making the next season the best it could be,” he reflects.

      So far, so good. Season 2 achieved the largest TV debut in Netflix history with 68 million views in its first four days and is among the most-watched seasons on the platform. It also received a Golden Globe nomination for best drama series this year.

      The feedback regarding Season 1’s conclusion heightened Hwang’s awareness of the scrutiny his Season 2 finale—and the show's overall conclusion—would face.

      “I wouldn't say I immersed myself in fan reactions as much as when we launched the first season, but I was aware of the discussions around how people perceived the ending,” he states regarding Season 2’s final episode.

      “Many expressed confusion, not expecting the series to conclude in that manner. Some felt unsatisfied with the ending, while others were even more eager for the third season because of it,” he elaborates.

      While Season 1 concluded with Gi-hun as the only survivor and winner of the prize money, Season 2 ends on