Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: squid game, squid game 2

Squid Game Creator: Season 3 Ending Changed While Working on Season 2

Hwang Dong-Hyuk on expanding Lee Jung-Jae-starring Squid Game into three seasons and how writing Season 2 changed the ending to Season 3.

With less than a month to go until the second season of Hwang Dong-Hyuk's Lee Jung-Jae (Gi-Hun)-starring Squid Game hits Netflix screens – and with the third and final season set for 2025 – we're getting some insights from the series creator, director, writer, and EP about the creative journey he took while expanding what was originally expected to be a single-season series into an overarching, three-season intense epic.

"Because I created Season 1 without much thought about doing the second season, when it was decided that we would do Season 2, the pressure was indeed immense. I was thinking to myself: 'Will I really be able to pull this off? Will I be able to create or write something that would exceed Season 1?' But once I got to writing, and once I got into the story of Gi-hun returning to the games with his own motives, it actually went a lot better than I thought it would," Hwang shared during an interview with IndieWire in support of the second season.

The series creator continued, "I was able to create a story that I felt was more intriguing, come up with more interesting characters, and come up with more original and intriguing games as well. Along the way, I think that sense of burden or pressure actually changed into a source of joy, and I gradually gained the confidence that we were creating something that the fans of the first season would not be disappointed with. Having said that, it was obviously no easy feat. However, I think with that confidence, I was able to go into it with a better approach."

In terms of how the overall storyline progressed, Hwang shared how the ending to the second season was mapped out "quite early on" – but it was the third and final season that appears to have undergone a major change after Hwang "saw this new path that I wanted to go down" while crafting the second season. "I wrote Seasons 2 and 3 at the same time… and along the storyline, there is a turning point that takes place, and that leads to a series of different events, and also leads to a significant change in the character. Relatively speaking, the ending for Season 2 came to me quite early on. However, the ending to Season 3 actually ended up [in] a different direction than what I had initially conceived of," Hwang revealed. "While I was working on the story and working on the script, I saw this new path that I wanted to go down, and so the ending of Season 3 actually changed in the process of creating Season 2."

Squid Game Season 2: What Else We Know So Far…

During Netflix's FYSEE: The Fall Edit, Hwang shared some insights into how "crazy" Season 2 came to life (especially when he wasn't initially thinking beyond the first season) and the difference in Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) between the two seasons. "Of course, I felt a certain amount of pressure because I knew that there was a huge amount of anticipation out there, and honestly, when I was creating season one, I didn't plan in any detail that there would be a second season," Hwang shared during an FYSEE event over this past weekend. But he did have an idea…

"I did have something in mind that if there were to ever be a second season, I had this idea of what story I would tell; I thought it would be the story of Gi-hun turning away from where he was at the end of season one and going back into the games in order to put a stop to the game," Hwang added. In fact, the series creator noted that viewers will be following Gi-hun on his physical and emotional journey over the course of the final two seasons. "Gi-hun has experienced too many things, witnessed too many deaths, for him to return to the way it was before no matter how hard he tries," Lee revealed about the series' "broken" lead. "The way you see Gi-hun in season one and the state that you see him in in season two are very different."

As for the plans for the series to wrap up its run next year with a third and final season, Hwang revealed that the decision came "naturally" as he was laying out the broader plan of where he wanted the overall story arc to go. "When I was thinking about the idea for the ending of season three, I think it sort of naturally came to me that this was the finale," the series creator shared. "I believed that with that story, I was able to tell everything that I wanted to tell through the story of 'Squid Game' and also in the perspective of Gi-hun as a character, and I thought that we don't need any further stories from here."

When the series returns, it will have been three years since "Player 456" won the game – yet he remains determined to find those behind it and put an end to their vicious sport once and for all. Using his fortune to fund his search, Gi-hun (Jung-jae) starts with the most obvious of places: looking for the man in a sharp suit playing ddakji in the subway. But when his efforts finally yield results, the path toward taking down the organization proves to be deadlier than he imagined. To end the game… he's going to need to re-enter the game. Here's a look back at what has previously been released for Squid Game 2, starting off with the date announcement and followed by a teaser that welcomes the players to the next game – especially Player 456:

Previously announced cast members include Lee Jung Jae, Lee Byung Hun, Hwang In-ho, Wi Ha-jun, Gong Yoo, Yim Si-Wan, Kang Ha-Nuel, Park Sung-Hoon, Yang Dong-Geun, Park Gyu-Young, Jo Yu-Ri, Kang Ae-Sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-Uk, Choi Seung-Hyun, Roh Jae-Won, and Won Ji-An. Now, here's a look at who's set to join them:

Park Gyu-young: Well known for her role in the Netflix series Sweet Home Seasons 1 and 2, she is also starring in the upcoming Netflix series Celebrity.

Jo Yu-ri: The singer and actress is known as a former member of the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One.

Kang Ae-sim: A highly respected theater and musical actress in Korea, her performance in the TV series Be Melodramatic and the Netflix series Move to Heaven left a deep impression on the audience.

Lee David: Best known for his supporting roles in director Hwang's film The Fortress, he met Lee Jung-jae through the film, Svaha: The Sixth Finger.

Lee Jin-uk: Starred in the Netflix series Sweet Home Seasons 1 and 2, he is also known for his roles in various Korean dramas and films, including in one of director Hwang's biggest films, Miss Granny.

Choi Seung-hyun: The singer & actor has starred in various Korean films and TV series such as Tazza: The Hidden Card and Commitment.

Roh Jae-won: Making his acting debut in 2021, he is fast gaining recognition through films like Missing Yoon and Ditto.

Won Ji-an: Made an impressive debut on the first season of the Netflix series D.P.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!