'Squid Game Season 3' director Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioned the actions of former Big Bang member Choi Seung-hyun.
Hwang Dong-hyuk conducted an interview on the morning of the 30th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. There, he met with domestic reporters to discuss the Netflix original series 'Squid Game Season 3'.
'Squid Game' has been the most popular series on Netflix since its debut in 2021. The series depicts a group of people participating in a mysterious survival game for a prize of 45.6 billion won, risking their lives to become the last winner. It swept the global TV show rankings from Season 1, achieving a global phenomenon in popularity not just in Korea but across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Inspired by this success, the total view count for Season 2 reached 600 million, maintaining its status as the most popular original series on Netflix. This Season 3 deals with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who lost his best friend in a return to the game with his own purpose after winning Season 1, and Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who had infiltrated the game while hiding his identity, alongside the final fates of the participants who survived the brutal games.
In particular, 'Squid Game Season 3' is the final chapter that adorns the series finale, drawing global viewer interest. Since its premiere on the 27th, it has consistently ranked first on FlixPatrol, continuing its box office success.
Boosted by its global popularity, Netflix held a finale event for 'Squid Game Season 3' on the afternoon of the 28th in the Sejong-daero area of Jongno-gu, Seoul. Attendees included Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, who both played significant roles throughout the series, as well as main cast members from Season 1 such as Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, and Lee Yoo-mi, along with key figures from Seasons 2 and 3, including Yim Siwan and Kang Han-na.
Among them, Choi Seung-hyun's attendance drew attention. He appeared as Thanos in Seasons 2 and 3, having been eliminated by death in Season 2, yet he gained significant buzz due to his strong presence. Moreover, after being sentenced to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation for marijuana use in 2016, he withdrew from Big Bang and has since practiced self-reflection. The finale event for 'Squid Game Season 3' marked Choi Seung-hyun's first official event in eight years since the marijuana controversy in 2017.
In this regard, director Hwang Dong-hyuk remarked, "It's been so long since Choi Seung-hyun has participated in external activities that he still felt burdened and nervous. The response to the Thanos character overseas has been so hot that he seems to have gained courage from that to finish well."
He continued, "Choi Seung-hyun always thanks me," laughing. He said, "He shows gratitude to the extent that it feels burdensome for me. In fact, I didn't cast him to save him. As I mentioned before, I thought it would be okay since he had rested for that long, but then this situation happened. He expressed the parts I wanted to convey well, so it doesn't feel like something I should be thanked for to that extent."
Most importantly, he added, "Since Choi Seung-hyun has gone through so much difficulty, even though not everyone may accept it, I hope he shows a good image through hard work and resolves the resentment of the remaining participants."
(Continued in interview②.)
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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