'It will be more violent': 'Squid Game' creator Hwang Dong-hyuk reveals next project

Dong-hyuk's upcoming film is inspired by a novel by Italian writer and intellectual Umberto Eco
Hwang Dong-hyuk attends the Los Angeles screening of Netflix's 'Squid Game' at NeueHouse Los Angeles (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Hwang Dong-hyuk attends the Los Angeles screening of Netflix's 'Squid Game' at NeueHouse Los Angeles (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

'Squid Game' rocked the boat for many Netflix users. The series, created and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, follows a contest where 456 players, all of whom are in severe financial distress, risk their lives by playing children's games to win a prize of $38 million. They don't have to pay anything to enter but should they lose at any point, they pay with their lives. 

With a cast led by Lee Jung-jae, 'Squid Game' opened to critical acclaim and international attention and went on to become the most-watched series on Netflix, surpassing 'Bridgerton.' It was also the first Korean drama to top Netflix's top 10 weekly most-watched show charts globally. So, it goes without saying that 'Squid Game' won a place in the hearts and homes of millions around the world despite its brutality and gore. A second season was confirmed around November 2021 and while fans are waiting for it with bated breath, there's something else coming from the mind of Hwang Dong-hyuk. 

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As reported by Variety, Dong-hyuk announced during a session at MIPTV that he is developing a new feature called 'Killing Old People Club' aka 'K.O. Club.' The film is inspired by a novel by Italian writer and intellectual Umberto Eco. He revealed that he has already jotted down a 25-page treatment about 'K.O. Club' and that it will definitely be "another controversial film." Dong-hyuk added that he might have to "hide from old people" once the film comes out and that "it will be more violent than 'Squid Game.'" 

The 50-year-old director and screenwriter also mentioned that he will start writing Season 2 of 'Squid Game' once he returns to South Korea. He hopes to have it streaming by 2024. Speaking about 'Squid Game' and the kind of response it received, Dong-hyuk said that Steven Spielberg wanted to "steal his brain" after watching it. He met Spielberg at the AFI Awards and that was when the latter told him "I watched your show in 3 days and now I want to steal your brain." "It was like the biggest compliment I ever got in my life because he’s my film hero. I grew up watching his movies," Dong-hyuk said. 

You can watch 'Silenced,' 'Miss Granny,' and 'The Fortress' on Netflix if you're interested in other work by Hwang Dong-hyuk. 

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