‘Squid Game’ Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Teases Season 2 — and Talks Losing Six Teeth From Stress

variety.com:

Kate Aurthur editorUpon its release on Sept. 17, 2021, “Squid Game” quickly became an international phenomenon. But before it became Netflix’s most popular series of all-time, Hwang Dong-hyuk, its creator, had paid a physical price to make it happen: Six (six!) of his teeth had fallen out during the show’s production.

Hwang, who’d famously had dreamed up “Squid Game” years before as a movie, with the story born out of his own financial struggles during the Great Recession, had written and directed every episode of the show — and that stressful immersion had taken a toll.“I was so scared of going to the dentist,” Hwang said. “I hate those things.”He feels confident, though, that he can avoid future dental crises as he embarks on writing the show’s second season. “This time, I hire some more people to help me,” Hwang said with a laugh, during a video interview for Variety’s Showrunners Sitdown With Kate Aurthur presented by FX. “Squid Game” is the story of the woeful Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae).

After losing his job and his family, Gi-hun has become a deadbeat dad to his daughter, and an irresponsible son to his mother.

He’s invited to participate in a deadly game — one that exploits people with his sorts of problems — with 456 contestants and a huge cash prize at the end: if, that is, he survives to win it.Hwang’s “Squid Game” is a deeply political critique of global capitalism, with the children’s games that serve as the series’ engine bringing out the best in some of its contestants, and the worst in others.