Hwang Dong-hyuk created a masterpiece that defined 2021’s pop culture landscape. After searching for new banana bread recipes, perfecting home-cooked meals, and solving jigsaw puzzles galore, people were ready for a new obsession, and his compelling and profoundly subversive work captured worldwide attention. The success was immediate; Netflix reported that Season 1 was streamed for 1.65 billion hours over a 28-day period after the episodes dropped. Now the Squid Game showrunner is sharing how he feels about the Netflix series as fans prepare to watch season 2, which will be released on Dec. 26, 2024.
In an interview with Variety, Hwang admitted, “I’m so exhausted. I’m so tired. In a way, I have to say, I’m so sick of ‘Squid Game.'” He continued, “I’m so sick of my life making something, promoting something.” He added that he isn’t focused on what TV series or movie he’s going to work on after the show, and said, “I’m just thinking about going to some remote island and having my own free time without any phone calls from Netflix.”
Although it might sound surprising for the showrunner of a super successful TV series to admit to exhaustion and burnout, there’s no doubt that creative work can drain you as much as it lights you up and inspires you. Hwang has been on a wild ride since Squid Game season 1, and it makes sense that he would need to take a break.
I like the idea of escaping to a remote island, and think a lot of people will relate to Hwang’s statement. Even people who aren’t the creators and showrunners of a wildly beloved series can agree that 2024 has been rough for a lot of people. Food costs more these days, to name just one frustrating and challenging aspect of life right now, and the impact of the 2024 U.S. election is only going to be felt more come Jan. 2025. What a way to start the new year. Hwang said he would pick an island that isn’t the one on Squid Game, which is definitely an important distinction. That one isn’t all fun and games (no pun intended).
Hwang has put in some serious work on his masterpiece, and that would make anyone ready for a peaceful vacation. He told Entertainment Weekly that he thought he would write Squid Game season 2, and then it would end. But then he realized that there were so many necessary episodes that he needed to make season 3, too. He has been refreshingly vulnerable about the overwhelming nature of season 1, even sharing with the BBC that eight to nine of his teeth fell out. He also divulged that “money” is why he chose to keep going, because he “didn’t make much” from season 1.
Hwang’s comments also make me think of when beloved musicians get tired of performing their most popular tunes. Perhaps the best example is when Radiohead’s Thom Yorke said of “Creep,” “f*** off, we’re tired of it.” Working on a long-term project like a TV series is, of course, fulfilling, but it’s easy to understand how it can become so all-encompassing that it takes over every part of your life.
I hope Hwang can take a nice long break once he’s done with Squid Game season 3, although I’m sure I’m not the only one excited to see what else he creates. In the meantime, who’s researching the best distant islands for a 2025 vacation?