(Following interview②) Director Hwang Dong-hyuk of 'Squid Game Season 3' directly addressed the details that have drawn criticism within the work.
Director Hwang conducted an interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 30th. He met with domestic reporters to discuss the Netflix original series 'Squid Game Season 3.'
The 'Squid Game' series has not lost its title as the most popular series on Netflix since its first introduction in 2021. The work tells the story of people who participate in a mysterious survival game with a prize of 456 billion won, risking their lives to become the last winner. From Season 1, it swept the global TV show rankings and became a global phenomenon across Korea, North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Buoyed by this success, the total viewership for Season 2 reached 600 million views, maintaining its position as the most popular original series on Netflix. In this Season 3, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who lost his best friend while re-entering the game with his own purpose after winning Season 1, encounters the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun), who had been hiding his identity, as well as the final fates of the participants who survived in that brutal game.
In particular, 'Squid Game Season 3' has attracted global viewers' attention as the final chapter of the series. Since its first release on the 27th, it has consistently ranked first on FlixPatrol, continuing its box office success. However, despite the show's soaring popularity, there are critical points that have sparked mixed reviews. Director Hwang did not shy away from these points and responded directly.
First, regarding the criticism that Joon-hee (Jo Yuri) was somewhat functional in her portrayal as a mother, he said, "I did think about whether Joon-hee should constantly carry around a bottle. However, I considered it a 'symbol.' Rather than depicting realistic nurturing, I viewed it as a symbolic existence that needed to be preserved. Therefore, I thought it would be better not to include specific processes. I also wondered how much I should feed the child. But there is a moment where a bottle feeding scene appears, and I thought it was better to include just that one symbolic moment and avoid detailed descriptions," he laughed.
Additionally, regarding the scene where mother Geum-ja (Kang Ae-sim) stabs her son Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) with a knife, he explained, "Many people might have thought that the mother sacrifices for her son, but if I were in Geum-ja's position, I couldn't just stand by seeing my son trying to kill Joon-ho and the baby. I wished for it to be interpreted not as trying to kill the son, but as stopping his horrific actions. The feeling was that I would stop the hand holding the knife by stabbing his right shoulder. It was not to kill him, but to prevent those actions. Killing the son is the rule of the world, and the soldiers shot him," he explained.
He also responded to the public's frustration with the protagonist Song Gi-hun by saying, "It seems true that the world has become harder to live in. There is less room for generosity. The willingness to embrace others or different things is gradually decreasing. The amount of donations is also said to be decreasing. We can feel that things are getting harder bit by bit. Just looking at the passing streets, there are many vacant stores, and wealth is concentrated in those who have it. Meanwhile, I hear that Jeff Bezos spent 700 million won to get married in Venice, and seeing things like that, people feel more deprived, leading them to expect a hero to break through the frustration," he interpreted.
Regarding the criticism that the ending felt somewhat predictable since only villain-like figures remained except for Song Gi-hun in the final round, Director Hwang emphasized, "As the story progresses towards the end, it becomes a bit darker, and as the saying goes, a small spark shines brighter when the night is deeper. I wanted to give a feeling of a real hell with no hope, as dark as possible. All the characters are dark and devoid of humanity. I wanted to portray the feeling of Gi-hun bringing forth a small light amidst that darkness."
So how was the composition of Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) and his group, who are searching for the island where the game is taking place, created? Although Jun-ho eventually found the island, many expressed disappointment that he discovered it too late to take any action.
In response, Director Hwang said, "I considered having Jun-ho arrive at the last moment to end the game, but he arrived too late, and I wanted him to reach the island somehow. I wanted him to face his brother In-ho (the Frontman) at least once. I wanted him to confirm the existence of Joon-hee's (Jo Yuri) child. He had to see his brother; otherwise, I thought the Frontman would want to entrust the child to someone he could trust, and Jun-ho could come to mind as that last existence. As that last figure, Jun-ho is someone In-ho can trust in this world. He is someone who witnessed every scene, understands the meaning, and wouldn't waste 456 billion won," he emphasized.
Regarding the presence of the VIPs watching the game, Director Hwang noted, "There are mixed reviews, but the VIPs are elements that appeared in Season 1, and that is the rule of this game. I didn't particularly want to change that. I tried to cast actors with more experience than in Season 1. It wasn't easy. It is difficult to cast well-known actors for roles where their faces are mostly obscured. I did my best within the limits of what I could do. I faced some challenges writing English lines as I'm not a native speaker, and there were some regrets with the English direction. However, the role was essential. The discussion between the Frontman and VIPs about how to utilize this child as a player was crucial. I believe I did my best to create it. I understand there are points of contention."
Lastly, Director Hwang acknowledged the functional aspects of Joon-hee as a 'pregnant woman' and 'mother,' saying, "I must accept such criticisms," and continued, "The child as a symbol was necessary for the future world and human conscience, which is why I originally included the pregnant woman setting. I hope people do not view Joon-hee's sacrifice strictly as 'maternal love' or see Kyung-seok's (Lee Jin-wook) paternal love as merely biological parental sacrifice and love. I am not married and do not have children, but I believe that the previous generation is the parent of all the subsequent generations."
He said, "Children are not just the generation we gave birth to, but the generation that has inherited the world. Today's teenagers and those in their twenties say they don't feel hope. They don't think they can live better than their parents. I hope you think from the perspective of the 'parent generation.' If we try to grasp everything we have enjoyed and hold on to it, the next generation will inevitably fall deeper into despair. In that sense, I hope you understand that the sacrifices and efforts of the previous generation are needed."
(To be continued in interview④.)
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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