Hwang Dong Hyuk Says That He’s Not That Rich in Spite of the Huge ‘Squid Game’ Fame

The popularity of the survival drama ‘Squid Game’ is only gaining momentum by the day.  

South Korean television series ‘Squid Game’ revolves around a contest that consists of 456 players who are financially struggling. 

They risk their lives to play a series of children’s games to win ₩45.6 billion. 

The winner wins the tempting cash prize. The catch however is that if you lose the game, you’ll die. If you fail to follow the rules, you’ll die. 

The game was conceived by South Korean Film Director Hwang Dong Hyuk. He wrote and directed all nine episodes.  The idea was conceived based on his own economic struggles as well as the class disparity within the South Korean community. 

The name of the title has also been drawn from a Korean children’s game. 

Netflix announced ‘Squid Game’ as the biggest series launch’ ever. And while the survival drama is generating millions and garnering a lot of hype, Hwang’s recent comment on his earnings has startled fans worldwide.

Hwang Dong Hyuk said that he is not as rich as the winning contestant. “I'm not that rich. But I do have enough. I have enough to put food on the table. And it’s not like Netflix is paying me a bonus. Netflix paid me according to the original contract,” he said.

Hwang was at least honest and forthright in his statement. 

This statement seems unbelievable and has left fans in a state of shock. After all, the prominent face behind the unique ‘Squid Game’ idea and the hype is Hwang Dong Hyuk. 

It only seems fair that he enjoys a fair percentage of the profit as well. The stress of creating the series caused him to lose 6 teeth. 

“It was physically, mentally and emotionally draining. I kept having new ideas and revising the episodes as we were filming so the amount of work multiplied”, he revealed. 

Despite the startling statement, Hwang is having talks with Netflix about season 2 of the survival drama. “Of course, there is talk. That's inevitable because it's been such a success. I am considering it. I have a very high-level picture in my mind, but I'm not going to work on it straight away.”

Initially, Hwang didn’t find anyone to fund ‘Squid Game’ although it was written in 2009. It was in 2019 that Netflix desired to take up the project and it was released on September 17, 2021. It was not long before it received immense adulation from masses the world over. 

The acting of the contestants in particular has been praise-worthy. Some fans have admitted that the acting skills of the characters evoked different emotions and left an impact on them. One follower claimed that he finished the 9 episodes in one sitting. The reviews and rating are proof enough that the gripping ‘Squid Game’ is definitely something to watch out for.