Since the Korean drama "Squid Game" was broadcast on September 17 this year, it has become the most watched TV series in the history of Netflix, and the derivative development of its games, secret rooms, theme parks, related peripherals and other IP has emerged in an endless stream. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk's social media followers grew from 400,000 to 14 million in less than a month. Even under the expectations of all, Huang Donghe, who originally insisted that he would not shoot the second season for the time being, also changed his mouth to say that he would prepare for the second season.
South Korean director Hwang Dong Hyuk's works are not many, but the works he directed can be described as fine, especially his director's "Melting Pot", which prompted South Korea to pass the well-known "Melting Pot Law", that is, the "Partial Amendment To the Law on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes", which changed Korean law, and the significance of "The Melting Pot" is not only a classic movie.
Hwang Dong Hyuk once said: "The reason why I started making movies is because the unresolved social problems I saw made me very frustrated. Similarly, for the globally popular Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk hopes it will have "both entertaining and human meaning", and the story of this group of losers is a "fable about contemporary capitalist society".
Obsessed with survival game comics due to bankruptcy
In 2009, he has already written a script
Born on May 26, 1971 in Seoul, South Korea, Hwang Dong-hyuk graduated from seoul national university with a degree in journalism and the University of Southern California with a degree in film. In 2000, he directed his first short film "Desperation". In 2007, Hwang Dong-hyuk directed his first film "My Father", for which he was nominated for the Best Newcomer Director Award at the 28th Korea Blue Dragon Film Awards. In 2011, he was nominated for the Best Director Award at the 32nd Korea Blue Dragon Film Awards for "The Melting Pot". In 2014, she was nominated for the Best Director Award at the 35th Korea Blue Dragon Film Awards for "Strange Her". In 2017, he directed the war film "Namhansanseong", with which he was nominated for the Best Director Award at the 38th Korea Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Best Director Award at the 55th Korean Film Grand Bell Awards.
Hwang Dong-hyuk's latest work "Squid Game", co-authored by the Korean creative team and Netflix, has won the ratings championship in 76 countries and regions since it was broadcast in 83 countries and regions around the world on September 17 this year, and is a veritable "global phenomenon-level blockbuster drama".
"Squid Game" is about 456 "social waste wood" who are saddled with huge debts, and participate in a survival game with their lives as a bet for 45.6 billion won. Among the characters who participated in the game were Cheng Qixun, a substitute driver who was dependent on his wife and his old mother and owed usury loans, Jiang Xiao, a "defector", Huang Junhao, an undercover criminal policeman, Shang You, who was "degenerate" from the elite class, Ali Abdul, an illegal foreign laborer, "Zhang Dexiu", a gangster who gambled and lost money from the organization, "Wu Yinan", an elderly tramp, and so on. The childlike game and the cruel ending show the cruelty, helplessness and the ugliness and unbearability of human nature in life.
"Squid Game" became the biggest hit in the world in 2021, and in fact, Hwang Dong-hyuk wrote the script in 2009, predates the "Melting Pot", "Strange Her" and "Namhansanseong" that made him famous later. The creation of the script of "Squid Game" was also the trough of Huang Donghe.
Mr. Wong recalls that he wrote a script in 2008 and went around selling it with him but didn't meet Bó Lè — no one was willing to invest in his script, "which put me in a very difficult financial situation — I went bankrupt." ”
After bankruptcy and no drama to shoot, Hwang Dong-hyuk began to spend time in comic bookstores, reading a lot of comic books about survival games, such as "Deception Game", "Gambling Apocalypse" and "Battle Royale". "Because I also face money problems myself, these comic books immerse me in it, and I even think that if there is such a game, I would be happy to join in and make a lot of money and get out of this bad situation," Huang said. Soon, Hwang Dong-hyuk felt that as a director, he could make a film like this, "so I decided to create a Korean survival game in my own way, which was the original idea of Squid Games in 2008." ”
Hwang Dong-hyuk projected a lot of his own shadow in "The Squid Game", such as the days when he had no drama to shoot and went bankrupt, and like the protagonist of the play, QiXun, he relied on his mother for his livelihood. For a while, like Qixun, he vainly tried to get rich by gambling on horses: "Although I have never stolen my mother's money like he did. ”
And Ki-hoon's personality also has the shadow of Hwang Dong-hyuk's uncle, "Like Ki-hoon and Sang-woo, I also grew up in Seomun-dong (a low-income area in Seoul's Dopong-gu), born in a single-parent family, when I was a child, my family was also very poor, and my grandmother often went to the street to set up stalls, just like Sang-woo's mother." ”
In addition, Hwang Dong-hyuk, like Sang-woo in the play, was admitted to Seoul National University and was placed high hopes by his family, and he was also under pressure. Hwang Dong-hyuk said that "Squid Games" has stories of himself, his grandmother, his mother, friends and neighbors. Even those characters are the names of "little friends" in Huang Donghe's life: "Cheng Qixun, Cao Shangyou, and Wu Yinan are all the names of my friends, and Cao Shangyou has been playing with me in the alley since he was a child; Huang Junhao is also my friend's name, and his brother is called Huang Renhao." ”
After the broadcast of "Squid Game", many friends called Huang Donghe, "Huang Junhao said to me: 'You even used my brother's name!'" His brother now lives in the United States, and after watching the play, he suddenly called him. Just like the two characters in the play, they don't communicate with each other very often, and Huang Renhao doesn't go home to see their mother. So, a little joke between me and my friend that only we know was put in the plot— Ren Hao called his brother and apologized for not having contact. Miraculously, it also succeeded in reality, and Ren-ho apologized to his brother for not contacting his family for a long time. ”
In addition to the story and the names of the characters, even the game has Huang Donghe's own "experience". Like the second game in the play, "Poke Lime Candy", which is a common street stall snack in South Korea, the pattern of the complete stamp can be replaced by another one. Sung Ki-hoon, played by Lee Jeong-jae, drew a complex umbrella pattern and came up with the idea of "licking" from Hwang Dong-hyuk, who laughed and said that he had relied on this "legendary method" since he was a child to pass the level. Before shooting, he took a few pieces of lime candy back to the restaurant to "try to lick", and the test was successful.
10 years later, I was seen because "the world has changed"
I lost six teeth when I was physically and mentally exhausted during the shooting
In 2009, Hwang Dong-hyuk completed the script for "Squid Game", and as a result, the script hit a wall again, "Some people think that the content is cruel and dark and violent, and some people think that it is too complicated and not commercial enough." At that time, not enough investment was found, and casting was difficult. After a year of grinding, I also had to put it on hold for the time being. For 10 years, it was impossible to find investors until Netflix came to the door. ”
Huang Donghe believes that "Squid Game" can be seen by Netflix in ten years because "the world has changed", "Netflix chose to invest in filming because of the reality of the difference between rich and poor in "Squid Game", and the new crown epidemic has also exacerbated the gap between rich and poor in the world, and these changes have made people feel the authenticity of the story of "Squid Game" more than 10 years ago." ”
The script that has been shelved for 10 years can have the opportunity to see the light of day again, and Huang Donghe also cherishes this opportunity, on the one hand, Huang Donghe is worried that this setting of playing games with his life may not be acceptable to the audience; on the other hand, the shooting cycle of "Squid Game" is long, and from time to time, he will find that the plot has loopholes, and he has to change the script again. The exhausted Hwang Dong-hyuk lost six teeth while filming "The Squid Game" and it took him six months to complete the first two episodes. Halfway through, Huang Dong hyuk even wanted to give up at one point, because he felt that "Squid Game" was a very risky work, and the result was either good or bad.
The producers initially worried that the term "Squid Game" would be incomprehensible to audiences outside Of South Korea, because the characters in the film would participate in the test of the six games of "One Two Three, Wooden Man", "Sugar Candy", "Tug of War", "Marble Game", "Glass Bridge" and "Squid Game", so it was suggested that the film be renamed "Six Rounds", but Hwang Dong Hyuk insisted on restoring the title of "Squid Game" because he believed that this game was the essence of the series.
Squid games are games that Hwang Dong Hyuk often played in the school playground or on the street when he was a child: "Squid games are a very exciting game and one of my favorite games. I think this is probably the most symbolic children's game that can represent society today. People will divide classes and circles, and then compete wildly, pushing others out of the circle, and the weak will eat the strong. One person grabs someone else's position, and others are eliminated. ”
Mr. Wong said he wanted to write a fable about contemporary capitalist society, a story about a race in an extreme form, a contest to survive, and the characters who participate in this contest are you, me, and him, "Today we live in a world that is extremely unfair and economically challenging." As social inequality and competition rise, more and more people are pushed to the brink of their livelihoods. At the moment, more than 90% of the world's people resonate with the plight of the characters in some way, which is probably the reason for the huge success of Squid Games around the world. ”
Didn't expect it to be so hot
Too much pain is embedded in Squid Games
The popularity of "Squid Games" made Huang Donghe a bit "sad and happy", "As I said earlier, I first created this work at a time when my life was extremely struggling - it can even be said that it was the lowest period of my life. ”
After "Squid Games" was given the opportunity to shoot, Hwang Dong Hyuk opened the material about "Squid Games" that he had been sealing for 10 years, and he said that he had a moment of internal breakdown, sitting in front of the computer and crying bitterly: ""Squid Games" is full of many difficult memories for me, I read all the scripts and emails of "Squid Games" written at that time, including I begged people to read the script, constantly asked about emails trying to get investment, and so on. Nowadays it is so successful around the globe that I have mixed feelings. A little frightened, magical, I was happy with such a success and surprised that this kind of thing could happen to me. ”
Huang Donghe also revealed that when he created the script of "Squid Game", he once had a girlfriend, but at that time, he was at the low point of his life, deeply immersed in his own low mood and the creation of the script, and paid less attention to and communication with his girlfriend. After the script of "Squid Game" was completed, the two also broke up, and it can be said that "too much pain is deeply embedded in this work".
Due to the high demand for the second season of "Squid Game", Huang Donghe, who originally did not want to shoot the second season of "Squid Game" due to physical and mental exhaustion, is also relaxed in an interview. Huang Donghe said that he did not have a clear plan for "Squid Game 2", "because the process is too tired, I have said before that I will not shoot the second season in a short period of time." However, many people like it, and if you don't shoot it, it seems that you will feel that you have failed many people. I still have a movie on hand, and I should make it first. When I was filming Squid Games, I lost six teeth and had to have artificial dental implants, and if I wanted to shoot the second season, I was worried about whether I would have to do a full set of dentures. If I had to do the second season, I would definitely not do it alone, I would consider using the screenwriting studio, and hope to find multiple experienced directors to work with. ”
Hwang Dong-hyuk said that if he wants to start filming the second season, he hopes to focus more on the "police problem", and the background of Hwang Joon-ho (a police officer at The Daofeng Police Station, played by Wei Huajun) and the clues to The past experience of Hwang In-ho (Wong Joon-ho's brother, played by Lee Byung-hyun) will be the focus of the second season of "Squid Game".
In addition, the characters who were not clearly explained in the first season, such as why the mysterious man played by Kong Liu chose to play a picture in the subway with the male protagonist Cheng Qixun, will also be revealed in the second season. As for which childhood games were introduced in the second season, Huang Donghe revealed that there may be "why come to my house", "playing gyro", "hopscotch", etc., Huang Donghe admitted that he is now trembling, "because the expectations for the second season are too high, so there will be many disappointments, so it is very stressful to shoot the second season." ”
Not an optimist
But choose to believe in the goodness of human nature
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the release of the film "The Melting Pot", which was released in South Korea on September 22, 2011, and was adapted from the novel of the same name by South Korean writer Kong Zhiyong, which is based on the 2005 sexual violence incident at the Gwangju School for the Deaf and Dumb in South Korea. The film depicts art teacher Kang In-ho and human rights group member Joo-jin uncovering the fact that Kiritsu Loves Deaf-Mute School abuses deaf-mute children step by step, and strives to help these children get rid of school abuses.
After the release of "The Melting Pot", it was watched by 5.7 million people, including then-South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. On the 37th day of the film's release, the South Korean National Assembly passed the "Partial Amendment Bill to the Special Law on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes" by 207 votes in favor and 1 abstention. The bill provides for "the maximum sentence of life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a disabled person or a child under the age of 13 and abolishing the period of public prosecution;
"We're fighting all the way, not to change the world, but to keep the world from changing us." This is the most widely circulated line in the movie "The Melting Pot".
"The Melting Pot" allows the audience to see the ugly side of human nature, and the same is true of "Squid Game", to which Hwang Dong Hyuk said that he is not an optimist, "Friends around me often tell me that I am more of a cynical person." The world of Squid Games is portrayed in a very dark, cynical way, where human nature is cold and selfish. ”
However, Huang Donghe said that he still chose to believe in the good side of human nature, just like in the play, Qixun took a knife to the sleeping Shangyou and prepared to assassinate him, "This is the moment when Qixun is about to lose his last human bottom line, but Jiang Xiao stops him, Jiang Xiao says to him' 'You are not that kind of person', this is Jiang Xiao's last gift to Qixun, reminding him of the only remaining humanity." So, as harsh as the world is, as many as some people may betray you, and as hard as your situation is to trust anyone, fundamentally, you have to try to believe in the last hope in Pandora's box. That's what I think. ”
"Squid Game" is the story of the loser, the protagonist QiXun is not a genius, nor is he a hero, he can persist in the game to the end, in addition to the protagonist's "luck aura", there is also the kindness and trust he inadvertently gives to others, and because of trust in others, Qixun gets the help of others, and even someone sacrifices himself to complete him. In Huang Dong hyuk's view, Qi Xun chose to trust others, that is, he believed in the goodness of human nature," Qi Xun's line said: 'You don't trust others because you can; you trust others because you have to do it.'" This means that we have nothing to rely on but trust each other. Qi Xun's lines were completely in line with my mood. Many of us can't really trust others, and I often get into this situation. But even so, if you don't believe in others, if you don't believe in your own inner humanity, then you really can't answer the question of how you should live. ”
Text/Reporter Zhang Jia Courtesy photo/Netflix
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