"Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has revealed that money was the main reason behind taking on Season 2 of the blockbuster Netflix series, despite the stress of Season 1 causing him to lose "eight or nine" teeth.
Speaking with the BBC, Hwang said at one point he vowed not to make another season of the series after it took such a toll on his health and stress levels. However, the financial benefits of continuing the survival thriller ultimately led him to reconsider.
"Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly I didn't make much. So doing the second series will help compensate me for the success of the first one too," he told the BBC, adding he also "didn't fully finish the story."
Before that, Hwang revealed, he was paid upfront and not offered a "bonus" for the show's success. Netflix responded to his claims in a statement, saying it offers "competitive" compensation and guarantees creators "solid compensation, regardless of the success or failure of their shows."
In Season 2, Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456 (played by Lee Jung-jae), makes a return to the Squid Game despite having emerged as the winner in Season 1. Now aware of the dark truth behind the deadly competition, he aims to protect the other contestants, urging them to leave and bring the brutal game to a final halt.
"People will see more of the Front Man's past, his story, and his emotions," said the actor Lee Byung-hun, who plays the character in the show.
"I don't think this will make viewers warm to him, but it may help them better understand his choices," he added.
There is more weight hanging on Season 2 to succeed.
After "Squid Game" became Netflix's most-watched series, Hwang admitted to the BBC that the pressure now is "much greater." While he has not experienced additional tooth loss yet, he joked he will "probably have to pull out a few more very soon."