We have 50 million people in a small place. Think of BTS, ‘Parasite,’ ‘Gangnam Style’ or ‘Crash Landing on You.’ But South Korean society is also very competitive and stressful. “Outwardly, Korean entertainment seems to be doing very well.
#SOURCE FILMMAKER WIKI TV#
While Korea is tasting unprecedented success in music, TV and film, next month’s Busan film festival will hold a seminar about the sector’s impending crisis. That could be a metaphor for the country’s entertainment industry, where Netflix has committed a nearly $500 million spend this year, but which is always looking over its shoulder. The generous backstory is necessary as, in typically Korean fashion, he gets put through hell.Īppropriately perhaps, Gi-hun is played by dashingly handsome star Lee Jung-jae (“Along With the Gods,” “The Face Reader”), who is made to look like trash. The result is both universal and typically Korean: well-written, well-packaged and purposeful in the time taken to create empathy for the lead character, an unemployed man, Gi-hun, who has been fired, failed with his own business and now gambles with money he steals from his mother. Then I consulted verbally with friends, and picked up clues for improvements through my own pitching and from their responses.” It took me six months to write and rewrite the first two episodes. “Writing (‘Squid Game’) was harder than normal for me as it was a series, not a film. “In my earlier days, I’d drink half a bottle of soju (Korean liquor) to get the creative juices flowing. Read More: Your Favorite ‘Squid Game’ Funko Pops Just Became Funko Pop Figures That allows viewers to focus on the characters, rather than being distracted by trying to interpret the rules.” The games portrayed are extremely simple and easy to understand.
“As a survival game it is entertainment and human drama. But I wanted it to use the kind of characters we’ve all met in real life,” Hwang said. “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. Simplicity and easily-relatable characters are two of the elements that Hwang believes have helped “Squid Game” succeed abroad. But I found the games too complex, and for my own work focused instead on using kids’ games.” “When I started, I was in financial straits myself and spent much time in cafes reading comics including ‘Battle Royale’ and ‘Liar Game.’ I came to wonder how I’d feel if I took part in the games myself. “I freely admit that I’ve had great inspiration from Japanese comics and animation over the years,” he said. So, Hwang is quietly peeved to find himself accused of borrowing too much from other survival genre films “Hunger Games,” “Battle Royale” and, in particular, 2014 Japanese film “As the Gods Will” by shock-meister Miike Takashi.īut Hwang brushes off the criticism by referring to his notes for the project, originally conceived as a feature film, in 2008. And, in between, Hwang was called in as the final screenwriter and director of nostalgic musical comedy “Miss Granny.” It is not only one of the most successful Korean films of all times, but has also been localized and remade in seven other countries, including China and Japan. He wrote and directed 2011 sexual abuse film “Silenced,” adapted and directed historical actioner “The Fortress” in 2017.
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