EXCLUSIVE: Lee Jung Jae, Wi Ha Joon & Hwang Dong Hyuk on making Squid Sport 2, underdogs & extra


Korean leisure has been having a second for some time now. Between gritty crime thriller movies and cutesy romantic Okay-dramas, audiences have been hooked. Nonetheless, Squid Sport, the present that was a world phenomenon within the pandemic, wasn’t a formulaic revenge drama or a fluffy rom-com. The binge-worthy survival thriller makes use of a sequence of lethal video games to touch upon the rot in at the moment’s capitalistic, corrupt and cut-throat society. From breaking data on the Emmys to the star solid profitable accolades, the present did the whole lot one would count on a present in a distinct segment like this to not do. Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon admit they didn’t count on the present to return for a second season. However right here we’re, again for an additional spherical.

THE MAKINGS OF A UNIVERSAL DISRUPTOR

Lee Jung Jae has had a protracted profession. However in 2022, he made historical past by profitable the Emmy Award for Excellent Lead Actor in a Drama Sequence for Squid Sport. “After we have been getting awards within the final awards season, we didn’t know Season 2 was popping out. I believed that was the ultimate step of my Squid Sport journey. However after the awards season, we knew that the following instalment was coming. I realised that this present was going to be a giant chunk of my life. So I loved my time on the set with the brand new solid as nicely.” Reflecting on the popularity, he shares, “Receiving awards can imply so much to actors. However I believe it additionally implies that individuals cherished and rooted for my character. That immediately interprets into my introspection about what I can do to make individuals love and help my characters in different tasks going ahead.” Director Hwang Dong Hyuk echoed the sentiment of uncertainty. He says, “I didn’t go into Season 1 considering I must make one other season. Nonetheless, I believed if the present carried out rather well and we needed to return, what sort of story would I inform? did take into consideration that. In direction of the tip of the primary season, I left the story at a degree the place Gi-hun turns again.” The filmmaker misplaced enamel throughout the making of the primary season. When requested what made him do it over again, he laughs and says it’s all about closure for the viewers. “When Season 1 achieved an enormous quantity of success that exceeded everybody’s expectations, I felt it was inevitable that we come out with one other instalment as a result of there was a lot anticipation and curiosity about what would occur subsequent. I nearly felt a way of duty that I needed to convey Gi-hun’s journey to a detailed. It wouldn’t be proper to cease right here. That’s why I believed I needed to work on seasons 2 and three.” Doing something nicely sometimes means having to do it once more.

THE NEXT LEVEL

“What I needed to do was run away from all of the strain I used to be feeling
as a result of Season 1 was such a giant hit,” says Lee Jung Jae. “There have been so many expectations round Season 2. So I felt like I wanted to get away from that strain. When an actor feels a lot anticipation, they change into a bit grasping in portraying that character, and that isn’t good,” he laughs. Whereas it sounds absurd within the context of the present, his focus was on bringing a smile to viewers’ faces. “I believed what was most essential was to convey pleasure to viewers with the character of Gi-hun. So I centered on the modifications he has gone by way of and the way I can channel an developed Gi-hun this time. I had a number of enjoyable with the crew and co-stars this time round,” he provides.

Seated subsequent to Jung Jae in a gray swimsuit to match the muted tones of his co-star’s beige swimsuit, Wi Ha Joon nods alongside. Flashing a smile that’s sufficient to soften your coronary heart, the actor who performs detective Hwang Jun Ho within the present reveals he needed to painting complicated feelings. Musing on the journey, he shares, “In Season 2, my character Jun Ho was confronted with the grand reveal that the Entrance Man was certainly his large brother. He survived all these totally different odds, so he had all this worry and rage inside him.” The actor has an affinity for enjoying the anti-hero (though we want he did extra romantic dramas). “I attempted my greatest to offer an in depth and nuanced portrayal of him with all these totally different feelings swirling inside,” he says. Each Jung Jae and Ha Joon perceive the strain of reprising a job on in style demand.

Squid Game Lee Jung Jae

THE UNDERDOG

Squid Sport could be one of the crucial ugly exhibits on the market, however there are moments of lightness to be discovered; that’s the place a lot of Dong Hyuk’s philosophy could be discovered. He shares, “Gi-hun had already gone by way of an awakening and we knew he was a modified man after the video games. For Season 2, he needed to begin from the identical place. However somewhat than present how modified he was as a personality, it was in regards to the clumsiness, friendliness and childishness that followers discovered endearing. This time round, we needed to convey these parts again to his character.” He provides, “You get to see when Gi-hun is together with his childhood good friend, the place we get glimpses of the outdated Gi-hun that we all know and love.”

Dong Hyuk caught to the fundamentals when it got here to creating Gi-hun lovable. “It’s no enjoyable to look at the highest canine win as a result of everybody expects the highest canine to win. We see ourselves because the underdog and we at all times wish to shine brighter, be higher and are available out because the winner. We predict we’re at the moment the underdogs, which is why we root for them. That makes a narrative value watching, which is why so many entertaining tales have underdogs because the protagonists. Individuals like to comply with their journeys.” And as any viewer who watched the present from begin to end will inform you, it labored.

Opening up in regards to the Hallyu wave or Korean leisure wave that’s sweeping the world, the director shares, “Till now, so many creators and other people from the Korean leisure business have put a lot of their ardour and energy into making what they love, whether or not in music, sequence or movies. Previously, it wasn’t at all times simple for native content material to be launched to the worldwide viewers. For movies, you needed to attend movie festivals and meet the fitting distributors in your work to achieve the fitting viewers. It was very complicated and tough.” He concludes with a smile, “Now, it has change into really easy as there are a number of platforms by way of which creators can immediately join with viewers.”

Squid Sport 2 releases on December 26, on Netflix. 



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