Squid Game is an exciting series about 456 cash-strapped individuals who participate in mysterious games in order to win a prize of 45.6 billion won. The players begin to play children’s games only to realize that the cost of losing is death. A thrilling adventure is played out as the players try to survive every game and win the large cash prize. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, and actors Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-jun, Jung Ho-yeon, and Heo Sung-tae gathered at today’s press conference to discuss the upcoming series. Find out some interesting facts below!

1. Where the Title Comes From
Creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk explained where the titles of the series comes from saying, “Squid Game is a game I used to play as a child in the schoolyard or the streets of the neighborhood. This is a story about people who used to play this game as children and return to play it as adults. It was one of the most physical and it was also one of my favorite games. I felt that this game could be the most symbolic children’s game that could represent the kind of society we live in today.”

2. It All Started in 2008
Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk actually started writing the first draft of Squid Game in 2008, long before some of his hit films like Silenced and The Fortress. He said, “I was reading a lot of comic books, and I finished the script in 2009. At the time, it seemed very unfamiliar and violent. There were people who thought it was a little too complex and not commercial. I wasn’t able to get enough investment and casting was difficult. I dabbled in it for about a year, but I had to put it to sleep then.” The director also shared about how he was given creative freedom to work as he wanted to thanks to Netflix, about 10 years later.

3. Squid Game Is Not Like Other Survival Shows
Despite some perceived similarities with other survival genre shows, Squid Game has unique traits that sets it apart. Hwang Dong-hyuk shared, “The essence of survival games is the level of entertainment that is seen through and seeing how the participants struggle to win these games. Looking at differentiating factors, I would say the simplicity of the rules. There’s not a lot of time or energy spent understanding the rules; it’s very simple. Rather than the game itself, Squid Game focuses on how they act and how they respond. Usually, we look at the winners in survival games but in Squid Game, we look at the losers. Without losers, there are no winners.”

4. There Are a Lot of Memorable Characters
With 456 participants, it’s no surprise that there are people from different walks of life. Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is a divorcee struggling with business failure and debt. His neighborhood friend Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo) went to a prestigious university and works at an investment firm, but ends up in a difficult situation. There’s also Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) who is a North Korean defector striving to reunite her family. Other interesting characters include Deok-su (Heo Sung-tae) who is a gangster and Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), a police officer who discovers the games while searching for his missing brother. You’ll find yourself invested and interested in each of the characters.

5. Great Symbolism, Great Sets, and Great Music
In addition to the entertainment factor, there’s a lot of symbolism to appreciate. The whole series is an allegory meant to symbolize the competitive contemporary society we live in. How humans change as adults through society is reflected in how innocent children’s games transform into something terrifying and deadly. The actors also complimented the detailed sets and how the director didn’t rely heavily on computer graphics, opting for realistic and large-scale sets. Lastly, the music reflects what children listened to in the 70s and 80s resulting in a nostalgic and relatable feel. All of these attributes come together for an immersive and captivating experience.

These are just some interesting facts about Squid Game. To discover more about the fascinating series, watch Squid Game now, only on Netflix!

Image courtesy of Netflix