Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

The Making of a Global Sensation: The Journey to Creating 'Squid Game'

30/09/2021

Back to All News

The Making of a Global Sensation: The Journey to Creating Squid Game

Entertainment

29 September 2021

GlobalSouth Korea (Republic of Korea)

A closer look at the production of the viral hit series

Squid Game is taking the world by storm with its thrilling story of desperate people who sign up to play mysterious children's games in the hopes of winning a large cash prize. While the series appears to be enjoying instant success, the road to creating it has been long and difficult for series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how Squid Game came to life.

The Beginning

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk first conceived the idea and began writing in 2008. He said, The year 2008 was actually right after my debut. That was a time when I frequented comic book stores. As I was reading a lot of comic books, I thought about creating something like a comic book story in Korea, and I finished the script in 2009. As a film director, Hwang Dong-hyuk originally planned for Squid Game to be a film.

A Challenging Journey

Despite finishing the initial screenplay for Squid Game in 2009, Hwang Dong-hyuk had to shelve the idea and work on his hit films Silenced (2011), Miss Granny (2014), and The Fortress (2017) before being able to create the series. The director revealed, 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 not easy. I dabbled in it for about a year, but I had to put it to sleep then.

About 10 Years Later

About 10 years or so after conceiving the idea for Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk was finally able to actualize it and start working on it. He shared, Thanks to Netflix, there was no limit and I was given creative freedom to work as I wanted to. Through this opportunity, the director expanded his story into a series that is capturing a global audience now.

The Intention Behind the Art

One of the most visually noticeable aspects about the series is the unique, colorful aesthetic which sets it apart from other survival stories. Art director Chae Kyoung-sun said, We created the places and displays trying to make the viewers think about the hidden intentions of Squid Game with us. The large-scale sets and vibrant colors transport viewers into a realistic yet fantasy-like world.

Simple Childhood Games

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk deliberately selected childhood games that are relatable and easy to understand. However, the details behind the games shows how much planning went into each round. For example, the first game is Red Light, Green Light which is a game that most should be familiar with. The robot is modeled after a girl from children's textbooks making the scene all the more shocking as childhood fun transforms into a harrowing fight for survival.

Portraying Realistic Emotions

The enormous sets helped lend to realistic emotions portrayed by the actors. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said, I tried to stimulate the atmosphere of real playgrounds, so that the actors can feel like they're really doing something in there. I thought those kinds of sets can give more of a sense of reality to the actors' performance. The juxtaposition of an urgent need for survival set in an innocent, childlike playground is quite striking and emotional.

Creating Nostalgia

One of the sets that took the longest to create is a replication of typical Korean neighborhood alleyways in the 70s and 80s. Actor Park Hae-soo commented, The playground felt so real, like the actual back alleys of the past. It was like being in front of real homes of the past. It created a strange nostalgia and an odd tension. Actor Heo Sung-tae also praised the art team for their attention to detail with sprinkling soil in various spots in the alleys.

Making It Universal and Korean

All of these aspects combine to create a story that is both universal and Korean. Most of the childhood games are ubiquitous and some of them are uniquely Korean. The human emotions and struggles the characters go through will strike a chord within many people irrespective of where they are from. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk commented, As a survival game it is entertainment and human drama.

Delivering a Poignant Message

The series examines human nature and how we change from childhood to adulthood through showing adults revisit and play children's games. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk shared, I wanted to write a story that was an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society, something that depicts an extreme competition, somewhat like the extreme competition of life. It's not all depressing though, as we see the characters hold onto their humanity and hope. The commentary on human nature and society is definitely thought-provoking.

For more behind-the-scenes details, view the featurette here and watch Squid Game, only on Netflix!
LINK: https://about.netflix.com/en/news/the-making-of-a-global-sensation-the...
See more stories from netflix

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

05/08/2026

Gravity Media, Live Media Group Form Strategic Partnership

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/08/2026

Samsung Launches World's First HDR10+ Streaming on Prime Video

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/08/2026

Profuz Digital unveils new advanced search capabilities a...

Profuz Digital is set to launch a powerful upgrade to its Profuz LAPIS digital media management platform at IBC this year at Stand 8.A88. France Galop, Canal+ F...

05/08/2026

KRK Brings Advanced Wireless Control to Professional Moni...

KRK, a Gibson brand and leader in professional studio monitoring for nearly four decades, launches its new V Series Five Studio Monitors, the latest evolution o...

04/08/2026

MLB's Jason Hedgcock on Using the Cloud To Produce World Baseball Classic Games for Netflix Japan

Live production in the cloud is a growing trend across the industry, and Major L...

04/08/2026

Major League Soccer Names Larry Berg as Next Commissioner; Will Take Helm in 2027

LAFC co-managing owner will succeed Don Garber on Jan. 1, 2027, as league prepar...

04/08/2026

Foresight: Driving Growth Through Broadcast Flexibility - A Calrec + PGA TOUR Case Study

In 2022, when the PGA TOUR was breaking ground on its new, state-of-the-art broa...

04/08/2026

Dealer Cam Debuts as Omaha Productions Takes World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Live on ESPN

Provided by POVORA, the new camera angle offers a dealer's-eye view of the c...

04/08/2026

USL To Trial FIFA's Football Video Support System During 2026 USL Cup

Spiideo will provide the camera setup, with NEP handling broadcast integration and off-site video operations...

04/08/2026

Game On Live Studio Deploys Blackmagic Design Workflow Across 15 Fields at Tropical 7s

Production team streamed more than 750 youth rugby matches using ATEM switchers,...

04/08/2026

NDI, KTC Partner To Develop Network-Native Commercial Displays

Agreement gives KTC early access to NDI's Advanced SDK for integration across commercial displays, digital signage, and interactive panels...

04/08/2026

IBC2026: IBC Innovation Awards Finalists Highlight Advances in AI, Cloud, Open Standards, and Accessibility

Twelve projects across four categories recognize collaborative work in productio...

04/08/2026

Ekstraklasa, Live Park Select Hawk-Eye for Tracking, Offside, and Broadcast Technology

Multi-year agreement will introduce SkeleTRACK, semi-automated offside, automate...

04/08/2026

Radio France Deploys Redundant Lawo AoIP Workflow for 2026 Concert de Paris

Three mc 56 consoles, dual A__UHD Core engines, RAVENNA networking, and HOME management supported live sound, monitoring, and international broadcast production...

04/08/2026

IBC2026: Haivision to Debut Makito ONE, Falkon X4 in Europe

New contribution products support ultra-low-latency video transport across fixed, remote, and mobile production environments...

04/08/2026

IBC2026: Chyron to Highlight AI, Cloud, HTML Graphics, and Sports-Analysis Tools

Company will showcase updates across PRIME, Chyron LIVE, Paint, virtual production, newsroom workflows, and venue control...

04/08/2026

TAB Show 2026: MultiDyne to Showcase Fiber-Transport and IP Infrastructure Tools

Exhibit will feature SilverBack, VersaBrix, VersaFrame, VF-9100, and FiberSaver-10G platforms...

04/08/2026

IBC2026: TAG Video Systems Adds MXL Support, Containerized Deployment, Expanded QC Tools

Platform updates target cloud-based production, high-density ST 2110 monitoring,...

04/08/2026

Gravity Media, Live Media Group Partner To Expand U.S. Mobile Production Facility Operations

LMG will take control of Gravity Media's U.S. mobile-unit fleet as the compa...

04/08/2026

HeadRush update Prime, Core & Flex Core firmware

Amp-modelling rigs get major upgrade HeadRush have recently released a major firmware update that brings some powerful new features to their Prime, Core and...

04/08/2026

Am I Audio launch I Am Choir

Generate a choir from a single voice track Following years of development, Am I Audio have just officially launched their debut plug-in. Created in collabor...

04/08/2026

Universal Audio's EMT 140 & 250 plug-ins go native

Official EMT-endorsed reverbs now available to all Two more of Universal Audio's renowned UAD plug-ins have just gained new native versions that can be ...

04/08/2026

SBS helps Australians understand why every Census counts

SBS helps Australians understand why every Census counts Media releases As Australia prepares for the 2026 Census on Tuesday 11 August, SBS is helping ensur...

04/08/2026

Canada invests in the future of HF communications with Rohde & Schwarz solutions

Canada invests in the future of HF communications with Rohde & Schwarz solutions After selection by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) as the p...

04/08/2026

Blendkit Expands Beyond Blender

Blendkit Expands Beyond Blender Brie Clayton August 4, 2026 0 Comments Popular 3D Asset Library Launches Alpha Plugins for Maya, Godot, and Rhino Blend...

04/08/2026

QC: Artificial Intelligence's Big Hammer Finds Another Nail

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

The AI Dilemma: Can C2PA Keep a Video's Provenance Intact?

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

BPS Gaining Traction in Broadcast and Other Sectors

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

Ikegami to Demonstrate Latest-Generation UNICAM Product R...

Ikegami has chosen the 11-14 September 2026 International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam as the European market launch venue for additions to its UNICAM p...

04/08/2026

Appear unifies hardware and software for live production...

Appear (IBC2026 booth 1.C61) will showcase new X & VX Platform capabilities that extend broadcast-grade performance from venue to cloud Appear ASA (OSE: APR), ...

04/08/2026

Broadcast Management Group Brings Amazon Prime Obsessed F...

LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video solutions, today highlighted the crucial role its EcoSystem played in Broadcast Management Group's (BMG) successfu...

04/08/2026

Scripps Completes Acquisition of WTVQ Lexington

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

U.S., U.K. Consumers Now Spend 11 Hours a Day Using Media

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

Sinclair Announces 2026 Annual Scholarship Winners

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

Tom DeLay: Only Congress Can Change Station Ownership Caps

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

IAB Tech Lab Upgrades Open Framework for Agentic Advertising

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

DirecTV For Business Inks New Agreement to Sell NFL Sunday Ticket

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

IEEE Broadcast Technology Society Honors Charles Einolf

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/08/2026

Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Dreion

Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Dreion The singer, songwriter, and producer talks about finding his village at Berklee ahead of his Homecoming performance on Sep...

04/08/2026

Sky Sports agrees deal with SANZAAR for international rugby rights 2026 2030

Tuesday 4 August 2026 Sky Sports agrees deal with SANZAAR for international rugby rights 2026 - 2030 The deal means Sky will have exclusive rights to the inau...

04/08/2026

Kill Tony Launches on Supercast, Giving Fans Premium & Ad-Free Access to Comedy's Biggest Live Podcast

Kill Tony Launches on Supercast, Giving Fans Premium & Ad-Free Access to Comedy&...

04/08/2026

BIRTV. Beijing. August 19-22, 2026

More details coming soon....

04/08/2026

AMC Week. Mexico City. September 2-5, 2026

More details coming soon....

04/08/2026

IBC. Amsterdam. September 11-14, 2026

More details coming soon....

04/08/2026

As AI Increases Demands on Memory, Storage Steps Up

Surging AI demands are driving the need for massive datasets and context windows that burst past the confines of system memory. But rising needs aren't me...

04/08/2026

NVIDIA Alpamayo 2 Super, the Frontier Open Model for Robotaxis and Autonomous Vehicles, Now Available for Commercial Use

For robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles (AVs), the hardest problems aren'...

04/08/2026

AI Leaders Propose SAFE Guidelines for Cybersecurity Transparency

Members of the Open Secure AI Alliance - now more than 120 organizations strong - are developing new guidelines to strengthen agentic AI cybersecurity as the an...