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[EviLore]

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“I had no intention of doing a second season, because the overall process of writing, producing and directing the series was so challenging. I didn’t think to do another one,” says Hwang. The writer-producer famously claims to have lost eight or nine teeth during production on the first season due to stress. Hwang says he only went through with a second season (which turned into Season 3 as well) because the “immense success” of Season 1 “gave me the courage and motivation” to add more.

And once he’s done with postproduction work on Season 3, Hwang is ready for a long break from the cutthroat and compelling game that sprang from his imagination. It’s not easy to immerse yourself in a dystopian vision of modern society — which might be a handy warning for those considering a voluntary visit to “Squid Game: The Experience.”
“I’m so exhausted. I’m so tired. In a way, I have to say, I’m so sick of ‘Squid Game,’” Hwang says in a moment of candor. “I’m so sick of my life making something, promoting something. So I’m not thinking about my next project right now. I’m just thinking about going to some remote island and having my own free time without any phone calls from Netflix.” Hwang is quick to clarify: “Not the ‘Squid Game’ island.”
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Strange way to market your product!

 

[Puscifer]

I mean it makes sense when it was clearly meant to be a single season with an open-ended ambiguous ending and now you're answering questions that didn't need to be answered.

 

[Puscifer]

I mean it makes sense when it was clearly meant to be a single season with an open-ended ambiguous ending and now you're answering questions that don't need to be answered.

I'm just gonna post again just to piggy back. What's up with the lack of ambiguity in media anymore? I watched Anatomy of a Fall recently and I LOVED that it concluded in such a way that it

Spoiler: movie spoilers

could've been revenge, an accident involving the son, a suicide, or even accident from just dancing in the attic from the loud music he was blaring. But it still concluded and your mind could go crazy coming up with your own conclusion to the story even though the movie concluded in a great fashion. Gi-Hun could've gone back to play or just used his new winnings and had a change of heart and went to the USA to see his daughter. You'll never know because now you're getting an answer for a question that didn't necessarily needed to be answered.

 

[EviLore]

I'm just gonna post again just to piggy back. What's up with the lack of ambiguity in media anymore? I watched Anatomy of a Fall recently and I LOVED that it concluded in such a way that it

Spoiler: movie spoilers

could've been revenge, an accident involving the son, a suicide, or even accident from just dancing in the attic from the loud music he was blaring. But it still concluded and your mind could go crazy coming up with your own conclusion to the story even though the movie concluded in a great fashion. Gi-Hun could've gone back to play or just used his new winnings and had a change of heart and went to the USA to see his daughter. You'll never know because now you're getting an answer for a question that didn't necessarily had to be answered.

Yeah, it can work as a change of pace for something like AoaF, but a resolution is generally important for audience catharsis.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Korean shows rarely do more than one season which is what I like about them. Only great stuff like Taxi Driver can get multiple seasons, but each season always ends as if its the last. I think the way Squid Game ended was far more than just open to interpretation to me. There were a ton of things left unanswered which annoyed me so hopefully S2 fixes that though I expect it to be a massive disappointment as most stuff on Netflix is and his words are really lowering my expectations even more.

 

[DAHGAMING]

Tv shows are best to end with a conclusion but leaving the viewer wanting more, but never getting it.

Thats the sweet spot for me, to many times we have been in that position, we get 1 more season/film and it tarnishes the whole thing.

 

[Trilobit]

Tv shows are best to end with a conclusion but leaving the viewer wanting more, but never getting it.

Thats the sweet spot for me, to many times we have been in that position, we get 1 more season/film and it tarnishes the whole thing.

I actually think that might have worked to Firefly's cult status. It got a terrific movie as a closure and didn't overstay its welcome. Some shows trudge onward year after year and dilute their original concept, but with Firefly I can rewatch it time after time and be very satisfied.

 

[Richard Packer]

You can lose teeth from being stressed. I don't understand that.

 

[Northeastmonk]

It shows he didn’t just out S2. He must have put some thought into it. I’m excited to watch S2.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

From passion project to money making mega hit. Can't blame him.

 

[Hookshot]

Always a bit annoying when someone gets a mega hit and then acts ungrateful.

 

[The Cockatrice]

You can lose teeth from being stressed. I don't understand that.

Well if I punch you in the teeth, I reckon its stressful hence stress can make you lose teeth. On a serious note, yes, constant stress can have some major consequences on health since your brain is pretty much connected to everything in your body.

 

[EviLore]

Making a good TV show is hard, but not strung out on meth hard.

 

[Big Baller]

Dont kill yourself cuh

 

[SJRB]

It's a hard-knock life.

 

[DaciaJC]

You can lose teeth from being stressed. I don't understand that.

Bruxism can be caused by stress and in serious cases may lead to dental erosion or loss.

 

[GymWolf]

I have really bad feeling about season 2...

 

[tamago84]

S2 was fine. I dont really make high expectations anymore for film anymore..no one comes up with novelty in this day and age

 

[EverydayBeast]

Not going to lie hearing directors today sucks, social media gives them platforms to talk and it’s sad growing up everything was quite.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Not going to lie hearing directors today sucks, social media gives them platforms to talk and it’s sad growing up everything was quite.

 

[Yoboman]

Poor baby so sick of the multi million dollar award winning property he has had to work on twice

 

[AJUMP23]

Many times you hate what brought you success. Too much of something always breeds contempt.

 

[daffyduck]

Given the subject matter, I don’t blame the guy.

 

[FullMetalx117]

Playing the world’s smallest violin - same lame excuse GoT showrunners/actors started to complain about in the end which I think led to worse quality as well. Daniel Craig too? Reality is, this may very well be the highest heights this director will reach in his life, the most his name will ever be known…and he’s complaining about it. And for most, these heights are extremely short lived, should make the most of it while you can

 

[Blade2.0]

Playing the world’s smallest violin - same lame excuse GoT showrunners/actors started to complain about in the end which I think led to worse quality as well. Daniel Craig too? Reality is, this may very well be the highest heights this director will reach in his life, the most his name will ever be known…and he’s complaining about it. And for most, these heights are extremely short lived, should make the most of it while you can

Some people don't want to be known. They just want to get their work out there and go to the next project.

 

[Hugare]

My man suffering like hell from making a sequel to freaking Squid Game

While chad Ridley Scott at 87 years old says: "There's certainly going to be a Gladiator III"

 

[Fbh]

Eh, just sounds like he is tired, stressed and lacking some more media training.

 

[Mistake]

I'll be skipping this one. I was fine with the first

 

[FUBARx89]

Didn't he originally say season 2 was it? No more.

Cause that ain't happening anymore. Netflix have split S2 into 2 seasons. Watching season 2 atm and it's just S1 again. Really don't understand what the point of a 2nd season is. Let alone a "third".

It even has the same type of characters that pull the same shit as the characters of season 1.

Spoiler: S2 spoilers

The voting bullshit after every game is so drawn out. It makes 0 sense when they threaten to kill Gi-Hun and anyone else for trying to persuade people to vote to leave or stay. Then the next vote plenty of people do the same and nothing happens.

The only semi new thing is following a guard from the start. But its all about organ harvesting again thus far for the guard. Then a mother and son combo and it's blatantly obvious one of them is gonna get killed.

Returning characters are a little gangsta wannabe clearly gonna start a riot like the gangsta from the first season (who isn't intimidating at all. He's a little youtube pill popping rapper with dyed purple hair who calls himself Thanos lol) The weird bat shit lady in it like season 1. Only difference is she thinks she's a shaman or some shit. The kindly old person who is nice to everyone (the mother), one of Gi-Huns friends. The incredibly greedy character. These are all main characters. Again.

The above mentioned gangsta sneaks drugs in, hidden in a necklace. Some old granny has snuck a knife in in a hairpin. But they take everything from everyone else, including a tracker Gi-Hun had hidden in his teeth.

001 is yet again someone involved in the games, so you just don't care about what happens when Gi-Hun and co play. Cause you know they won't fail, despite them trying really hard to make it look like they could fail.

Edit - It's even reiterated again in ep 6 anyone trying to persuade people to vote eitherway will be killed and people do it again but they don't do anything when it happens lol

No way as good as the first season and none of the games have felt like they have any tension in them. I've got 2 episodes left now and just don't see the point of a rehash.

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

I think he means growing up was quiet not quite because you never heard what the directors or whoever say because they and we didn't have access to social media.

Remember he's running on a pre-alpha version of chat-gpt. It hasn't been trained on spelling and grammar yet .

 

[poppabk]

Poor baby so sick of the multi million dollar award winning property he has had to work on twice

He made jack shit for the first one that he actually wanted to make if I remember correctly. I'm sure he got bank for season 2, but it was also something he probably never really wanted to make.

 

[nkarafo]

Eh, S2 is going to suck, won't it?

 

[SidViscous]

Upto episode 4 of Season 2 and it really feels like they are just running down the clock every episode, It's only 7 episodes long, first two episodes are super dull setup that frankly nobody asked for, then when you finally get to an actual game by episode 3, it's a repeat of one we've already seen. Shocked this is getting positive reviews unless it really picks up in the later episodes.

Biggest gripe is how the main character seems to have been lobotomised since season one, just makes so many stupid decisions, I just can't.

Spoiler: Spoilers for EP1-4

they are all voting on if they want to end the game, and he just does fuck all other than standing there looking mopey, which is about 60% of what he does this season, then when it's down to the last 10 votes, gives a big dramatic speech about how everyone is going to die, how he played the game before etc, like dude, maybe tell them that before the other 400 voted? what the fuck is wrong with him.

Then guess what? Player number 1 is actually the guy running the games! what an incredible twist, oh no wait they did this exact thing in season 1, but the main guy and him just team up, despite him being such an obvious mustache twirling villain, they even do the "wait how do you know my name, I've never told you my name" cliche, and he still hasn't figured it out. This has to be some sort of double bluff right, if they don't reveal that he figured it out immediately and played along, then this writing is trash tier.

I'm just going to say it, I found the Mr Beast version of the show more entertaining than season 2.

 

[FeralEcho]

Most Korean shows are single season. The ones that are extended past that first season have trouble keeping the story as entertaining.

Playing the world’s smallest violin - same lame excuse GoT showrunners/actors started to complain about in the end which I think led to worse quality as well. Daniel Craig too? Reality is, this may very well be the highest heights this director will reach in his life, the most his name will ever be known…and he’s complaining about it. And for most, these heights are extremely short lived, should make the most of it while you can

Not everyone wants to be well known,some artists just want their work out there,they don't want to be world known. In this ego filled world where everyone on twitter is posting how often they snort their farts must come off as a shocking revelation but alot of people don't care about fame.Especially when peace and vision comes as the price of it.

 

[March Climber]

Eh, S2 is going to suck, won't it?

Depends on your state of mind, mood, and how much more critical you are compared to the when you watched the first season.

Personally I felt this season was really good and better in some ways to season 1. The only weak points for me, to be as non-spoilery as possible, were the parts outside of the location of the game(after episode 3), and the sudden ending of this season, to the point where a part of me recommends watching both this season and the next back to back, because this felt like a Netflix-style mid-season cut that they sometimes do for popular shows.

Otherwise it was really well executed. I really liked:

Spoiler

The constant battle of ideals and morality between Gi-hun(456) and the Front Man as it felt like they were playing a verbal chess game with human lives, where Gi-hun is attempting to save all of the pieces to escape the game itself and Front Man is mentally in the chess game as if he is a VIP piece on the board.

There are conversations and moments between the two that felt like a fleshed out argument between Joker and Batman in The Dark Knight, when Joker used his bombs in two separate places to prove a point in how people will always choose themselves first regardless of the situation, except this show arguably tackles it in a more grounded way instead of that feelgood comic-book style.

Gi-hun trying so hard to control the situation and realizing he lacks control over human nature itself and it’s repeating cycles(especially when it comes to addicts/gamblers) is quite something to witness, as I feel like anyone else would just slowly break and descend into madness at a certain point.

Now, personally I feel like they can only pull a Season 2 like this, once. If the creator decides to reel back again, I will consider that a grave mistake in attempting to do yet another one-upping season of games. Whatever Season 3 is, it has to be slightly shorter, and it has to wrap things up well enough to feel satisfactory but leave room for mystery.

Whatever that may be, it will be extremely difficult to pull off.

 

[-Minsc-]

Tv shows are best to end with a conclusion but leaving the viewer wanting more, but never getting it.

Thats the sweet spot for me, to many times we have been in that position, we get 1 more season/film and it tarnishes the whole thing.

That's exactly how Cowboy Bebop was for me. Chronologically the story ended at "Bang.". I wanted it to continue but was never going to get it.

Also, let's all thank K-Dramas for mostly having self contained seasons that end. I feel reasonably safe walking into one and know there will be a conclusion.

 

[E-Cat]

He did it for "fuck you money"

 

[near]

Most K-Dramas don't even get a second season, they're often self-contained stories. Squid Games felt like it was written that way too, and of the few K-Dramas I've seen with a S2, they often suck ass. It doesn't surprise me that he is already fed up of filming this, and he has to already think about a S3 lol.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Anyone who calls the trans character DEI or woke is a brain dead moron.

By far the best character in the season.

 

[saintjules]

 

[EverydayBeast]

Over analyzing on the internet

A show like squid game could easily go on for 10 seasons if it wanted too…

 

[March Climber]

Over analyzing on the internet

A show like squid game could easily go on for 10 seasons if it wanted too…

If they wanted it to be an anthology series, sure.

That was thrown out of the window once this season happened, and honestly I think the show is better off for it.

 

[Valonquar]

I prefer Kaiji. That pachinko season was fucking epic.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

They need to go hard, when they end it. Or else... it will be one of those shows where it started off Extremely well and gradually turned into shit...

 

[vpance]

I prefer Kaiji. That pachinko season was fucking epic.

The original thinking man's Squid Games.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Haven't watched the show so trying to avoid spoilers... is this show after 2 seasons still good or was this a one season meme thing? And is 2 seasons it?

 

[YCoCg]

Haven't watched the show so trying to avoid spoilers... is this show after 2 seasons still good or was this a one season meme thing? And is 2 seasons it?

You can tell it was supposed to be just two seasons but Netflix have stretched it out into three, lot of padding and it ends literally as if it's a mid season break. Aside from that the first two episodes are brilliant.

 

[Lord Panda]

The finale of S2 ep 1 was incredible - a performance masterclass by the two actors.

 

[MMaRsu]

S2 was pretty fucking awesome

Some thoughts in spoilers

About the pregnant contestant girl

Spoiler

I thought the pregnant girl was related to the guard mom, who is looking for her daughter. Because at one point she says "I have no family". But it could just be a red herring and be a nothingburger.

About the masked man

Spoiler

Pretty crazy how he stayed with Gi-Hun the entire time, only to make his move in the last episode. What was his 'game'? Was it just to get better acquainted with him? Too bad he didnt show Gi-Hun his true face yet

About Thanos

Spoiler

What a clown, fuck that guy

 

[Cyberpunkd]

I'm just gonna post again just to piggy back. What's up with the lack of ambiguity in media anymore?

People having FOMO and in turn demanding from creators to who everything. Same for companies being terribly afraid about not showing everything because of 'value'. Look what we had 10-12 years ago:

Witcher 2 had Act 2 completely different depending on your choice, with no way of going back and experiencing it except reloading the previous save or starting again and going through Act I again
World of Warcraft was perfectly fine with vast majority of players never stepping a foot in a raid (the farthest I got in Vanilla was ZG), never experiencing epic fights or pushing the lore further

Now Witcher 2 will never happen again, and WoW introduced LFR precisely to show content to all.