The Genius Behind Squid Game

Hwang Dong-hyuk is a name you may not immediately recognise but he is the genius creator of Squid Game - a global phenomenon watched by hundreds of millions - and Netflix’s biggest show ever starring the likes of Lee Jung-jae (Seong Gi-hun), Wi Ha‑joon (Hwang Jun‑ho), Anupam Tripathi (Abdul Ali), Park Hae-soo (Cho Sang-woo) and Jung Ho-yeon (Kang Sae-byeok). The show’s incredible success came at a huge personal cost to Hwang who endured crippling stress, overcame mounting debts and sacrificed his well-being - all in the pursuit of creating one of the most iconic television shows of all time. Squid Game’s legacy is forever cemented after Hwang's versions of Red Light Green Light, Tug of War, Marbles and Hide and Seek. This video unpacks how these games were first inspired by comic books including Battle Royale and Liar Game; and why Hwang chose to confront big, societal issues throughout his career in films like My Father, Silenced, Miss Granny, The Fortress; and then Squid Game - where he critiqued capitalism and democracy - becoming the first Asian to win an Emmy award. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:40 - Comic book inspiration 2:36 - Tackling big issues 4:25 - Stars align 5:43 - Pressure 7:57 - Let the games begin 9:12 - Obsession 11:00 - Cultural phenomenon 11:31 - History maker 12:26 - Money talks 13:24 - Sacrifice 14:12 - Democracy critiqued 14:54 - Why representation matters 15:49 - Humanity 16:12 - ‘I need a break’ 16:40 - Genius #SquidGame