Squid Game's Creator Has A Perfect Idea For A Spin-Off Series

Hwang Dong-hyuk's "Squid Game" will soon come to an end with its third and final season, which promises to up the gruesomeness like never before. As you might already know, season 2 puts Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) through the ringer again, pitting him against even more messed-up game rounds and a particularly conniving wolf in sheep's clothing. This season notoriously ended on a nail-biting cliffhanger, paving the path for season 3's climactic end to the mega-popular saga on Netflix. However, it seems like Hwang already has plans to turn "Squid Game" into a potentially sprawling franchise.

Before we talk about these ideas for a spin-off, let's dive into the far-reaching global influence that this Netflix smash hit holds. It's not difficult to gauge why such a well-written show critiquing capitalism (that expertly balances thrills with emotional depth) made such a tangible impact across the world. After all, a character-driven battle royale that gradually peels back the layers surrounding the complex evil funding these games makes for good television.

Regrettably, Netflix (unsurprisingly) ended up glamorizing the very ideas that the show vehemently critiques, leading to the existence of the baffling reality competition series, "Squid Game: The Challenge." Now, this is really bleak stuff, made doubly worse by the fact that the contestations had to contend with inhumane conditions on set, with some requiring serious medical attention. To think that a series that firmly challenges our eroding sense of empathy (created by a cruel capitalist economy) was unironically recreated for unchecked profit is ghoulish beyond measure. This is reason enough to give us pause and ponder whether the true intent of "Squid Game" has been drowned out by the loud cacophony of the numbers game and a constant need to shock audiences.

Nevertheless, Hwang's ideas for a spin-off are worth exploring, so let's take a look at these potential future storylines.

When Hwang and co. were filming season 1, they had no idea whether there would be another season (or beyond). No one could have anticipated the staggering impact of the Netflix series at the time — but post season 2, Hwang told The Hollywood Reporter about his interest in filling in the gaps with a spin-off:

"...I'm thinking more along the lines of a spinoff. One of the ideas I'm tossing around is what happened between season 1 and 2. There's a three-year gap. So, for example, what was the Front Man doing during those three years? What was the Recruiter doing? When I have some downtime, I like to just toss some ideas around and go wild with my imagination. So I guess we can be open to anything."

While aspects of these ideas might end up being addressed in the upcoming final season, Hwang seems interested in diving deeper into the motivations of characters who have remained somewhat in the dark so far. That said, we have already witnessed the intriguing motives that drive the mysterious Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and/or Recruiter (Gong Yoo) in the season installment, in which the essence of these characters is distinct enough to make a strong impression. Sure, a thorough dramatic exploration might work in a story divorced from the immediacy of the games, but it has to be fresh and dynamic enough to justify its existence.

Circling back to the existing story, Hwang's intention has always been to explore "Gi-hun's desperation to stop the games," which spirals into an obsession that comes at the cost of self-preservation/personal happiness. The moment Gi-hun turned away from his flight to Los Angeles, the emotional tone and heft for the rest of the tale had already been set in motion. The end of season 2 brutally underlines the consequences of this decisive moment, with the final season etching his fate in stone (no matter what it turns out to be).

Everything considered, Hwang reiterates that a "Squid Game" spin-off would revolve around characters and arcs that haven't been explored in depth, such as the masked guards who enforce the will of the games without question. While it remains to be seen whether we get more "Squid Game" in the future, I hope it will feature a story worth telling.