[Interview] Everything about "Omg 2" that director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed...From the controversy over his acting skills to Sung Ki-hoon's contradiction,

The "Squid Game," which caused syndromes around the world, is finally back for a second season.

'Squid Game' is the most popular film of all time on Netflix, depicting the process of people who participate in a mysterious survival game with a prize money of 45.6 billion won risking their lives to enter the game to become the winner.

Season 2, which came off the veil on the 26th of last month, tells the story of Sung Ki-hoon (Lee Jung-jae), the winner of the last game, vowing revenge on the game's architect and jumping into survival once again. The work is once again heating up the world, ranking No. 1 in the top 10 global Netflix series in 93 countries within two days of its release.

On the 2nd, YTN had a time to answer all questions related to the series through an interview with director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who launched his first new "Squid Game" in three years and three months.

The following is a Q&A with director Hwang Dong-hyuk.

Q. It's been a week since the second season was released. I'm doing well, and I'm curious about how you feel.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk: I think this is the weight of the crown. I watched it with a trembling heart as expectations and concerns intersect even before the release of the work because it is to present such a highly anticipated work to the world. As much as it was burdensome, I am unconditionally grateful for my good performance. In the opinion of regret, we are looking at what was lacking again.

Q. As much as the favorable reviews of the work, many criticisms and criticisms are continuing.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk: Season 1 was a work that came out without any expectations, so the freshness and surprise were strong, and the reaction seemed to be hot. However, in season 2, the freshness of season 1 has disappeared, so I thought it would be difficult to expect a similar reaction.

Someone will want sharper criticism of capitalism, and someone else will want a new game with more dopamine. I don't think it's easy to satisfy everyone when both expectations are so big. In the end, "How will people see it?I thought it would be more right to say what I wanted to say.

In particular, I expected that there would be a feeling of discontent, or some kind of betrayal, about moving on to Season 3 without the story being completed, but I thought I had to endure it and move on. I think the best way is to release season 3 as soon as possible for such an evaluation.

Q. In particular, there is an opinion that it is a contradiction in the character setting, regarding the part where Sung Ki-hoon says that he can sacrifice a few for the sake of the majority.Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

: Sung Ki-hoon is a blue-collar worker who has been laid off. In season 1, I wanted to portray the good will of humans more than anyone else, even though it was a little insufficient, and an ordinary person with less railroads was in a corner. In season 2, I thought Sung Ki-hoon, who had gone through so many incidents, was a Don Quixote-like figure who took on a reckless challenge to change the system, realizing that "it was not because of individual deficiencies that made us like this, but because of the system."

However, as many revolutionaries focus only on their goals and the process changes or becomes frustrated, Sung Ki-hoon also wanted to show such a change, just as the good will he had at first collapsed. I thought that was the heart of the story. Therefore, In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) noticed Ki-hoon's change and put in a scene where he asked, "Can you sacrifice?"

In season three, he will be depicted as a completely different figure, with betrayal, resentment and guilt tingling over those who did not participate in his rebellion after failing in the rebellion and all his efforts came to nothing.

Q. There are many opinions that the scene where Top (Choi Seung-hyun), who has a drug history, is doing drugs in the play is also quite inconvenient. What do you think about this?Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

: For the participants of the MZ group to which Thanos belongs, I wanted to deal with the problems seen in the recent younger generation. I wanted to dream of making a fortune in virtual currency or draw a picture of the situation where the drug problem is actually growing. In the process, Seung-hyun auditioned. I actually thought he wouldn't participate because there's an image of a rapper ruined by cannabis, and it was a role, a caricature role that was surprisingly similar to himself.

However, during the audition process, I discovered his potential and got to cast him. I personally am not an acquaintance of Choi Seung-hyun or a fan of Big Bang, and I have no reason to try to help him return. Season 3 will portray the story of many people collapsing with the medicine he brings.

Q. Apart from his drug convictions, there are also a series of comments about his exaggerated performance?Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

: As Sung Ki-hoon became heavy and serious in season 2, I wanted to draw a cartoonish and light character opposite him. That's why he named it 'Tanos'. The character Thanos was a character with such tension and swag from the beginning of the screenplay.

In fact, I think there are many people who will hate it in Korea, and it is a character that I made half-heartedly. In Korea, there are many viewers who like real acting, and they tend to see exaggerated and over-the-top acting as awkward and uncomfortable. After the work was released, I saw a lot of complaints about the character, so I thought, "I see."

In the United States, there are people who like exaggerated comedies, so I felt once again that the way I see acting is different by culture. It is right to see that Choi Seung-hyun's exaggerated acting was my intention because he did it under my direction rather than acting strangely. By my standards, he didn't ruin his performance.

Q. Season 2 has two new games, how did you select them?Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

: I thought the first game should be "The Mugunghwa Flowers Bloom" that Sung Ki-hoon can lead as an experienced player. This is because it is the same game as the signature of the 'Squid Game' and Younghee also appears. From the second point on, I thought it had to change against his expectations.

In season 1, there were six games made and a list was drawn, and the games there were grouped together to create a five-person six-angle modern five. Just as ddakji and dalgona were loved, I wanted to introduce Korean traditional games to the world, and I thought it would be a great game if I gathered them like this.

In particular, in the sixth angle of five, everyone is a competitor, but they are cheering, and I really wanted to include a story of everyone coming together and cheering for hope. This is because such memories have become too distant in reality.

The last game of season 2, "Matching," was put in as a strange game. It is a cruel game that embraces each other and forms a bond, but also feels like someone is excluded and abandoned. There is a sense of belonging and solidarity, but the cruelty of excluding the weak was also featured in the work because it was a game with two aspects.

Q. Season 3 is about to be released in the summer. Can you give us a hint?Director Hwang Dong-hyuk

: In season 3, new games also appear, but there are many scenes that show how far the bottom of a human being is. It would be shocking. I think the emotional shock is also stronger than the previous season. I want you to prepare your mind and watch it.

[Photo provided = Netflix]