South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk has revealed that the concept of his hit show Squid Game could expand to other countries, in line with his original intentions for the story.
The record-breaking Netflix show revolves around a survival game called the ‘Squid Game’, in which participants take on a series life-or-death challenges based on children’s playground games for prize money. It is later revealed in the series that the games are held yearly for the entertainment of wealthy VIPs, and it is implied that other editions of the games exist.
In a recent interview with Deadline, its creator Hwang Dong-hyuk shared that he had written the series, which is set in Korea, keeping possible international editions of the titular ‘Squid Game’ in mind. “That was actually part of my intentions from the outset. I wrote the script in a way to hint that the Squid Game was happening in other parts of the world,” confirmed Hwang.
“As you can see from the conversations that the VIPs are having, they say the Korean game this year is spectacular, which means that there are other games as well,” added the director. “I thought that if the show did well, I wanted to expand the universe further, so that other countries could have their own version of the Squid Game.”
“Talks regarding this are ongoing,” Hwang continued, though he did not indicate whether this referred to a possible plot direction for a new season, a Squid Game spin-off set in another country, or something else.
He did however acknowledge the upcoming reality show based on Squid Game that will offer competitors a cash prize of £3.65million: “I heard that they were doing a reality show, even receiving applications right now.”
Hwang added, “As a creator who makes original series, the fact that my story is going global and that people are making different interpretations of it, it’s very exciting and I’m honoured to see this happening.”
Earlier this month, Interactive games company Immersive Gamebox and Netflix announced that they have created a real-life multiplayer game based on Squid Game. Set to launch in the US and UK in September, the game will use motion-sensing and touchscreen technology in digital smart rooms.
The experience will include several games featured in the series, including ‘Red Light, Green Light’, ‘Glass Bridge’, and the titular ‘Squid Game’. (NME)