Squid Game creator Hwang Dong Hyuk says it occurred to him while writing the show that its villains resembled tech billionaire Elon Musk.
In a new interview, Hwang discussed the masked VIPs in his hit Netflix show, which follows a group of cash-strapped individuals as they fight for an eye-watering money prize and their own survival, while a group of billionaires watch the games in comfort and bet on them.
“Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right? Everybody talks about him,” Hwang said. “Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also this showman. After writing [Season 3], of course I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk,’” Hwang told Time magazine.
Warning – spoilers for Squid Game season 3 below
In the third and final season, the VIPs take on a more active role as they venture into the games as guards to shoot the “eliminated” instead of just watching.
“They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” said Hwang, which he explained was more symbolic than a mere technicality.
“In the past, those that really controlled the system and maintained power, they were hidden behind the curtain, almost like this big unseen conspiracy. However, it’s no longer the case, especially in America,” he said.
“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. The people who really control the power and the system, they no longer hide behind a curtain. They willingly take their masks off, almost as if to declare, ‘We’re the ones running everything. We’re the ones in control.’”
The final season dropped on 27 June amid reports of technical issues for some viewers, who complained of problems with the show loading.
“Squid Game broke Netflix just one minute later,” wrote one person as they shared a screenshot that read: “Something went wrong. Sorry we’re having trouble with your request. You’ll find lots to explore on the home page.”
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The new season has seen fans divided, as some were upset at the lack of justice for the players while others said it was the point of the show.
“I didn’t like that the bad guys just blew up the island and got away,” said one viewer. “The VIPs got away. No one got justice. All those souls died for nothing.”
Another person defended the series, saying: “Am I the only one that’s happy with the ending? For me, the whole series is used to portray that no matter how much justice there is in the world, greed will always take over or something like that.”
Speaking to Tudum, the show’s creator, Hwang Dong Hyuk, explained that a baby winning the game was a necessary creative choice.
“I believe we also have the responsibility and duty to try everything that we can in our power to leave a better world for the future generation,” he said. “The baby coming out the winner was in line with the meaning of Squid Game.”
