Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk likens show's violent game to US election, S2 will ask 'is majority always right?'

Ahead of the release of season 2, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explains which element of the show is like the US presidential election.

Updated on: Nov 13, 2024, 11:01:27 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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The teaser for Squid Game season 2 was released recently, and the anticipation is high. As Netflix's most popular show ever, the Korean thriller enjoys worldwide popularity, and sparked a global cultural phenomenon. The second season shows some new rules in the titular bloodthirsty reality game, including giving more choice to the contestants. And Squid Game's creator Hwang Dong-hyuk compares this to a democratic election. (Also read: Squid Game director admits he lost his teeth while making the sequel)

Squid Game season 2 is set to premiere on Netflix in December (HT_PRINT)

Hwang Dong-hyuk on Squid Game S2

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hwang Dong-hyuk addressed how the second season of Squid Game is releasing right on the heels of the US presidential election, where Donald Trump emerged victorious. The show re-introduces the concept of the contestants in the fictitious game show having the choice to leave the show by choosing either X or O, with the teaser hinting that it will cause divide between them. Calling the US election “the ultimate O-X event,” Hwang said, “I was inspired by the sheer fact that everywhere you turn, people are drawing lines, whether it’s by generation, class, religion, ethnicity or race.”

The show is set to explore what happens when a silent majority forces the sizable minority to do what they want and the creator compares this to modern-day democracy. Hwang said, “We live in a democratic society, and everyone has their own right to vote, but the dominant side rules. So I also wanted to pose the question: Is the majority always right?”

All about Squid Game

Squid Game's first season was released on Netflix in September 2021. The show, set in Korea, shows 456 ordinary people facing money troubles agreeing to take part in a series of children's games for a chance to win ₩45.6 billion. The catch is that the losers in each game die, and the games are watched by the ultra-rich elites for enjoyment. The show explored themes of class divide, consumerism, and the rise of torture porn entertainment. The second season is set to premiere on Netflix on December 26.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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