The Squid Game series was inspired by some real-life experiences of director Hwang Dong Hyuk. In the show, we mostly follow the players, poor and desperate, ready to kill each other for money. And while we kept slamming some players for behaving selfishly, the show makes it clear that the real villains are not the players, but the ultra-rich watching from the top. These are the VIPs, treating the lives of people they consider beneath them as nothing more than a circus for their amusement.
In a recent interview with Time magazine, director Hwang opened up about how some of the biggest tech billionaires and those in power inspired the role, and whether some of the characters have real-life resemblance.
The real inspiration behind the VIP’s in Squid Game
The VIP’s first appeared in season 1, episode 7 and were shown as filthy rich people gulping alcohol, speaking English, wearing gold animal masks, and betting on the players’ lives. They treat it like gambling on horses. In Season 1, they stayed in their luxury rooms and watched everything from behind the scenes, pampered and protected by the Front Man, played by Lee Byung Hun. Later, it was revealed that Oh Il Nam was the head of VIP’s who played as player 001. He was dying, so he created the game for fun, a jab at how the rich are disconnected from human life and suffering. In season 3, however, these VIP’s get down into the game themselves, take off their masks and kill people with their bare hands.
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk said this was intentional. He wanted to show how the rich no longer even bother to hide their power. “In the past, those that really controlled the system and maintained power were hidden behind the curtain, almost like this big unseen conspiracy. However, it’s no longer the case, especially in America,” Hwang told Time. “We talk a lot about oligarchy these days, but these so-called big tech owners, they step up, telling everyone who they’re backing with their money. They willingly take their masks off, almost as if to declare, ‘We’re the ones running everything. We’re the ones in control,” he added.
Is this based on real life?
Director Hwang said that while the concept of the VIPs is not based on one person, while writing the final script, he started seeing some familiarity with the current scenario in the world. Like Elon Musk, for example. “Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right?” Hwang said, adding, “Everybody talks about him. Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also a showman. After writing [Season 3], of course I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk.’” The director even revealed that, although it was very unintentional and he didn’t plan it that way, one of the VIPs also resembles US President Donald Trump.
Story continues below this ad
Events that inspired Squid Game
Hwang, during the interview, also revealed how his own struggle with money and the 2008 financial crisis shaped this story. He spoke about the recent political fights in South Korea, referring to the president’s impeachment, and even the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, when some Trump supporters stormed into the building. All these events made him realise the extent people go when driven by hate and greed. He feels that people have forgotten how to disagree and now outright disregard others as evil. And with the rise of AI, algorithms, and fake news, Hwang began to ask: “Are elections even working anymore?” In the second-last episode, players are even told to vote on who to kill next, and one option is to eliminate the baby in Gi Hun’s hands. That’s when one Player says, “Let’s vote on who should get eliminated, and keep it democratic, like they’re not talking about murder.”
