“This is the first time the interview is more interesting than the actual show.”
Amid the mixed reactions to the unexpected ending of Squid Game and its three rollercoaster seasons, the blockbuster K-Drama director has revealed in an interview that the finale was written differently.
Hwang Dong Hyuk told Joongang Ilbo that the “original” finale of the Netflix hit show had a “vague happy ending” going for it.
Joongang Ilbo: We heard the ending was changed during the writing process.
Hwang Dong Hyuk: At first, I envisioned a vague happy ending in which Seong Gi Hun meets Hwang Jun Ho (played by Wi Ha Jun), ends the game, and goes to find his daughter in the U.S.
It changed, however, after the director himself saw “everything going wrong in the world,” like Jeff Bezos‘s extra-fancy wedding, and decided that the show needed to reflect that.
But as I continued writing, I personally started to feel that surviving in this world was becoming increasingly difficult. Inequality is deepening, the threat of war is growing, the climate crisis is already here, and yet no one is taking responsibility. In this world where nationalism is intensifying, how will future generations live? I heard that Jeff Bezos spent over ₩70.0 billion KRW (about $51.7 million USD) won on his wedding, and it made me think—wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. I felt that now is the time for older generations to let go a bit of their growth, development, and desires, and start making sacrifices and taking action for future generations. That’s why I decided to include a child in the story.
— Hwang Dong Hyuk
While the interview somewhat explained the controversial ending that didn’t sit right with many viewers, it also fueled some backlash toward the director for “explaining what he intended and should’ve been shown in the work through his yappy interviews.”
- “This director always ends up explaining what he intended and should’ve been shown in the work through his yappy interviews… Like, anyone can talk.”
- I agree with this comment 100%.
- “Every time he gets criticized, he suddenly claims there was an alternative ending.”
- “This is the first time the interview is more interesting than the actual show.”
- “The current ending isn’t too bad, but as someone who loves patriotic stories, I think the original ending would’ve been more successful. Foreign viewers really hate it when the main character dies.”
- “Try doing some research before writing a script then.”
- “Maybe he should’ve just had a kid himself and ‘gifted the future.’ The message didn’t come across at all.”
- “Wasn’t the Squid Game system created by the older generation anyway? What exactly are they passing down to the next?”
- “He’s a director who lacks understanding of human nature.”
- “I mean… I actually expected the original ending, but I actually think the current one is better.”
What did you think about the grand finale of Squid Game?
Read more about it here:
“Squid Games USA?” Director Honestly Addresses The Show’s Controversial Ending
