Hwang Dong-hyuk, the mastermind behind the groundbreaking Netflix series “Squid Game,” has admitted that financial incentives were his primary reason for agreeing to a second season, despite the tremendous stress that led to the loss of “eight or nine” of his teeth during the filming of the first season.
In an interview with Variety in June 2022, following the phenomenal success of the first season of “Squid Game,” Hwang made the shocking revelation that he lost six teeth due to stress during the production. However, in a recent conversation with the BBC in anticipation of the second season’s premiere, he corrected this number to “eight or nine.”
The strain of creating the series and its detrimental impact on his health led Hwang to initially vow never to produce another season. Yet, he eventually reversed his decision, swayed by the financial reward that another installment of the survival horror series could potentially bring him.
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“Despite the first season garnering massive global acclaim, to be honest, I didn’t earn much. So, embarking on the second season will help fill the financial gap left by the first season’s success,” Hwang shared with the BBC, adding that he also felt he had not “completely wrapped up the story.”
Hwang had previously mentioned that he received a fixed payment for “Squid Game,” with no additional “bonus” tied to the show’s success. Reacting to this, a representative from Netflix informed the BBC that they provide “competitive” compensation, ensuring creators receive “secure compensation, irrespective of whether their shows succeed or fail.”
In the upcoming season, Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456 (portrayed by Lee Jung-jae), makes a re-entry into the Squid Game having emerged victorious in the first season. Now, with a deep understanding of what the game entails, he is determined to save other contestants while persuading them to withdraw and terminate the game once and for all.
With the first season of “Squid Game” establishing a record as the most successful show on Netflix at the time, Hwang confided to the BBC that “the stress I am feeling now is much more intense.” Although he hasn’t lost any additional teeth, he concluded the interview by joking that he might “need to extract a few more soon.”
The second season of “Squid Game” is scheduled to premiere on December 26 on Netflix.
Credit: variety.com
