Kwon Dae-hyun, the producer-director in charge of Netflix variety show "Death Game," shared behind-the-scenes stories about the program.
Recently at TEO's headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Netflix variety show "Death Game" producer-director Kwon Dae-hyun sat down for an interview with OSEN.
Released on the 28th of last month, Netflix daily variety show "Death Game" (directed by Kwon Dae-hyun, produced by TEO) is a 1-on-1 brainy final match decided by a single round each week. It is a new-concept survival show that excludes politics and alliances and relies solely on intellect, featuring contestants representing various fields such as Lee Sedol, Hong Jin-ho, Panibottle, Yuri-sa, Sevenhi, Park Sung-woong, Napoli Mafia (chef Kwon Sung-joon), Pengsoo, and lawyer Yang Na-rae.
When asked about the program's planning intent, PD Kwon said, "Basically, I developed the concept while thinking within Netflix's daily format," and added, "Netflix's daily variety provides viewers with one episode each week, and we aimed for a short-format, like a 'meal buddy' type of show. Within that format, we wondered how to attract viewers, and that idea came from that thinking. We wanted something comfortable for viewers to visit every week while also drawing them in, so we looked for topics with core fan bases. I thought, why not try a survival format in a daily variety show? But you can't produce content that involves the kind of intensive training camps core fans expect. So we had to approach it lightly."
He continued, "Not exactly to the level of hardcore fans of brain-survival variety shows, but people who enjoy consuming content in a casual way," saying, "Hardcore fans usually analyze the games shown in variety shows. I'm not at that level. From a general viewer's perspective, if a game is too difficult or complex, first-time viewers may not fully understand it and instead consume it based on politics or psychological aspects. So to enjoy the variety show lightly, even if viewers watch the game once, we thought we should make it as understandable as possible, letting them feel like they can participate and enjoy it."
Regarding game selection and production, he said, "We had to choose and focus. Because the play time is short, we gave up some visible elements and instead tried to cast more unusually. Two players appear, and we thought about designs where the two fit perfectly. Once the players are decided, we planned games according to the expected matchups," adding, "When designing games, we researched games available commercially or those from broadcasts, generated ideas, and made original plans targeted to the two players. For initial episodes, we also consulted with Korea Boardgames. We also refined things through simulations with TEO staff."
He also described the casting process. PD Kwon said, "Because of the nature of a daily variety show, you can't create a huge storyline, so you have to borrow narratives from outside. We drew a lineup from people who showed outstanding influence in basic survival shows and from people who haven't appeared in survival shows but whose performances we were curious about."
He added, "We set the lineup considering half from those who had appeared in survival shows and half who hadn't but were anticipated. In Pengsoo's case, isn't it a character who has been steadily loved for seven to eight years? Surviving means being strong. Considering signature traits like a poker face and witty speaking skills, we thought it would be interesting to pair Pengsoo with someone who plays psychological betting games, so we cast Pengsoo. We hoped Pengsoo would perform like that, but the extent of the contribution exceeded expectations," he laughed, adding, "Park Sung-woong once appeared on 'Crime Scene.' In an interview there, he said he had a gambler's tendency. That matched his acting image very well, and we were curious how someone like him would play these games. He had previously appeared as a guest on 'Try? Choo-ry!' so we contacted him, and he liked the idea. He seemed satisfied with the filming regardless of match results."
Asked about Park Sung-woong's performance, he joked, "I think we captured enough footage. He contributed a lot," and added, "Some lineup members were not revealed in the trailer. Because daily variety shows aren't preproduced in the same way, we only released those who were ready in the trailer. There are people who appear beyond what's in the trailer. So there are additional points to look forward to."
He also addressed some mixed reactions to the program. While some responded positively to the speedy pacing, others expressed disappointment over the scale often touted in the 'survival' genre. PD Kwon said, "We had two goals in production. One was to lower the entry barrier for this type of survival game program for those unfamiliar with it. At the same time, we hoped that fans who already love survival shows would look upon it favorably. We're still in the process of balancing those two aims," and added, "During production, efficiency was unavoidable. So rather than focusing on external showiness, we concentrated on the essence and process of the game, which may have caused some viewers' dissatisfaction. We're thinking about ways to improve that. But the core principle remains unchanged: two players meet on the spot to play the game, with Jang Dong-min providing commentary to make viewers feel involved, though we're discussing various matters in meetings."
Having previously worked on 'Try? Choo-ry!' and now taking on a second challenge with a Netflix daily variety show, PD Kwon said, "Personally as a PD, since my debut I've always had a mindset to try something new. I had been challenging different genres. In the daily variety format, if at first we'd spotlighted guests whose public recognition surged, like Choo Sung Hoon, and focused on their chemistry with other guests, 'Death Game' may be less trendy but has core fans who watch to analyze. When we did 'Try? Choo-ry!,' viewer inflow tended to vary with guest fandoms; for this program, fandoms like Pengsoo's matter, but fans who like this genre tend to comment differently."
He added, "With 'Try? Choo-ry!,' I wanted to make it penetrate like content consumed on YouTube. But I noticed subtle differences by platform. YouTube often brings viewers unintentionally, whereas Netflix requires typing and clicking to watch. Within that system, we wondered how to signal to viewers to watch."
Kwon, who recently moved from Kakao Entertainment to TEO and is in charge of the first variety show TEO will debut in 2026, said, "I've been at the new job for about four months. It's not been long. Being the first launch after I arrived was a burden. Regardless of the outcome, we focused on attempting things we hadn't tried before. Coincidentally, the launch timing meant this program became the first to launch in '26, and I'm glad we could open the year with a new attempt. I view it positively," adding, "TEO brings together many PDs from various companies. It feels like a melting pot. We could receive diverse feedback, and there seems to be relatively high freedom. In decision-making as a director, there's also high freedom. Leaving aside immediate success or failure, I think it's a culture that is positive for content production."
When asked about the possibility of a "Death Game" season 2, PD Kwon said, "We're focusing entirely on completing the 12 episodes now. However, if we tweak the format a bit, since we still can't do training camps or preproduction, even without political alliances, there could be collaboration between two players, or we might strengthen the tournament feel. We're considering how to make the Death Game format more appealing to a wider audience," adding, "Trying a genre we hadn't attempted before made the preparation process enjoyable regardless of the results, so it was a meaningful time. If given the chance, I'd like to prepare a survival show through larger-scale variety formats, not just daily shows. For now, we aim to satisfy viewers as much as possible with 'Death Game.'"
Finally, he said, "There will be notable performances from established survival show veterans, but I personally think the plays by those who have never been on a survival show will be especially appealing. Also, there are many points prepared where an unannounced player appears and you think, 'They play like that?' so I hope viewers look forward to it. I hope viewers watch this program comfortably as if they are playing the game themselves on an app, asking themselves, 'What would I do?' and enjoying the game along with it."
Meanwhile, "Death Game" releases a new episode on Netflix every Wednesday at 5 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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