Squid Game creator reveals why he changed his mind about making season 2: "Money"

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Hwang Dong-hyuk lost "eight or nine" teeth from stress making season 1

Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game season 2
(Image credit: Netflix)

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk says the stress of making season 1 caused him to lose "eight or nine" teeth – but he has a pretty straightforward answer as to why he came back for another installment of the hit Netflix show.

After initially saying he wouldn't make another season, the BBC asked why he changed his mind, and Hwang's reply was simple: "Money."

Squid Game is the platform's most-watched show ever – season 1 was streamed for more than 1.6 billion hours in its 28 days of release after it arrived on Netflix in September 2021, which bypasses all previous records held by Netflix movies and shows.

The first season follows a group of people with financial struggles who are invited to take part in a mysterious survival competition with a hefty cash prize. They must compete in a series of traditional games, but with deadly twists, risking their lives for ₩45.6 billion (that's the equivalent of around $38 million). In season 2, winner Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is back for more – and he wants revenge on the Front Man and to end the games once and for all.

Emily Garbutt
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.