How a failed 2009 film script became Netflix's most-watched survival thriller series
In short: Hwang Dong-hyuk spent a decade struggling to fund his dark allegory of modern capitalism. Once rejected as too grotesque, his vision of children's games turned deadly finally found a home at Netflix. The resulting series, Squid Game, transformed from a niche idea into a global cultural phenomenon and flagship franchise.
Hwang Dong-hyuk conceived the story in 2009 while grappling with his own financial hardships and the intense class disparity in South Korea. Inspired by Japanese survival manga like Battle Royale and Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, he wanted to create a fable about the extreme competition of modern life. However, production companies repeatedly rejected the script, labeling it unrealistic and grotesque. Hwang spent the next ten years directing other films, including Silenced and The Fortress, before Netflix took an interest in 2019 as part of its strategy to expand its international programming.
The series was originally titled Round Six, as Netflix executives feared the name Squid Game would not resonate with global audiences. Hwang eventually convinced the service to use his original title, which refers to a physically aggressive Korean children's game from the 1970s and 1980s. The show's aesthetic was carefully crafted to juxtapose childhood nostalgia with unsettling fear. Production designer Chae Kyoung-sun drew inspiration from M. C. Escher’s staircases to represent the characters' entrapment, while the vibrant colors of the sets and costumes were designed to evoke a fantasy world, masking the brutal reality of the 456 players competing for a ₩45.6 billion prize.
The series' success led to a second season released in December 2024 and a final third season in June 2025. Hwang, who wrote the first season alone—a process so grueling he lost six teeth—expanded the narrative to explore the relationships between characters like the protagonist Seong Gi-hun and the mysterious Front Man. By the final season, the games had become increasingly deadly, reflecting Hwang's belief that the world had transformed into a place where such extreme survival stories felt increasingly realistic. The show remains a flagship for Netflix, having secured multiple accolades including six Primetime Emmy Awards.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Squid Game
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