Korean entertainment has been having a moment for a while now. Between gritty crime thriller films and cutesy romantic K-dramas, audiences have been hooked. However, Squid Game, the show that was a global phenomenon in the pandemic, wasn’t a formulaic revenge drama or a fluffy rom-com. The binge-worthy survival thriller uses a series of deadly games to comment on the rot in today’s capitalistic, corrupt and cut-throat society. From breaking records at the Emmys to the star cast winning accolades, the show did everything one would expect a show in a niche like this not to do. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon admit they did not expect the show to return for a second season. But here we are, back for another round.

THE MAKINGS OF A UNIVERSAL DISRUPTOR

Lee Jung Jae has had a long career. But in 2022, he made history by winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Squid Game. “When we were getting awards in the last awards season, we didn’t know Season 2 was coming out. I thought that was the final step of my Squid Game journey. But after the awards season, we knew that the next instalment was coming. I realised that this show was going to be a big chunk of my life. So I enjoyed my time on the set with the new cast as well.” Reflecting on the recognition, he shares, “Receiving awards can mean a lot to actors. But I think it also means that people loved and rooted for my character. That directly translates into my introspection about what I can do to make people love and support my characters in other projects going forward.” Director Hwang Dong Hyuk echoed the sentiment of uncertainty. He says, “I didn’t go into Season 1 thinking I would have to make another season. However, I thought if the show performed really well and we had to return, what kind of story would I tell? did think about that. Towards the end of the first season, I left the story at a point where Gi-hun turns back.” The filmmaker lost teeth during the making of the first season. When asked what made him do it all over again, he laughs and says it’s all about closure for the audience. “When Season 1 achieved a huge amount of success that exceeded everyone’s expectations, I felt it was inevitable that we come out with another instalment because there was so much anticipation and curiosity about what would happen next. I almost felt a sense of responsibility that I had to bring Gi-hun’s journey to a close. It wouldn’t be right to stop here. That’s why I thought I had to work on seasons 2 and 3.” Doing anything well typically means having to do it again.

THE NEXT LEVEL

“What I wanted to do was run away from all the pressure I was feeling
because Season 1 was such a big hit,” says Lee Jung Jae. “There were so many expectations around Season 2. So I felt like I needed to get away from that pressure. When an actor feels so much anticipation, they become a bit greedy in portraying that character, and that is not good,” he laughs. While it sounds absurd in the context of the show, his focus was on bringing a smile to viewers’ faces. “I thought what was most important was to bring joy to viewers with the character of Gi-hun. So I focused on the changes he has gone through and how I can channel an evolved Gi-hun this time. I had a lot of fun with the crew and co-stars this time around,” he adds.

Seated next to Jung Jae in a grey suit to match the muted tones of his co-star’s beige suit, Wi Ha Joon nods along. Flashing a smile that’s enough to melt your heart, the actor who plays detective Hwang Jun Ho in the show reveals he wanted to portray complex emotions. Musing on the journey, he shares, “In Season 2, my character Jun Ho was faced with the grand reveal that the Front Man was indeed his big brother. He survived all these different odds, so he had all this fear and rage inside him.” The actor has an affinity for playing the anti-hero (although we wish he did more romantic dramas). “I tried my best to give a detailed and nuanced portrayal of him with all these different emotions swirling inside,” he says. Both Jung Jae and Ha Joon understand the pressure of reprising a role on popular demand.

THE UNDERDOG

Squid Game might be one of the most gruesome shows out there, but there are moments of lightness to be found; that’s where much of Dong Hyuk’s philosophy can be found. He shares, “Gi-hun had already gone through an awakening and we knew he was a changed man after the games. For Season 2, he had to start from the same place. But rather than show how changed he was as a character, it was about the clumsiness, friendliness and childishness that fans found endearing. This time around, we wanted to bring those elements back to his character.” He adds, “You get to see when Gi-hun is with his childhood friend, where we get glimpses of the old Gi-hun that we know and love.”

Dong Hyuk stuck to the basics when it came to making Gi-hun lovable. “It’s no fun to watch the top dog win because everyone expects the top dog to win. We see ourselves as the underdog and we always want to shine brighter, be better and come out as the winner. We think we are currently the underdogs, which is why we root for them. That makes a story worth watching, which is why so many entertaining stories have underdogs as the protagonists. People love to follow their journeys.” And as any viewer who watched the show from start to finish will tell you, it worked.

Opening up about the Hallyu wave or Korean entertainment wave that’s sweeping the world, the director shares, “Until now, so many creators and people from the Korean entertainment industry have put so much of their passion and effort into making what they love, whether in music, series or films. In the past, it wasn’t always easy for local content to be introduced to the global audience. For films, you had to attend film festivals and meet the right distributors for your work to reach the right audience. It was very complex and difficult.” He concludes with a smile, “Now, it has become so easy as there are multiple platforms through which creators can directly connect with viewers.”

Squid Game 2 releases on December 26, on Netflix.