Hwang Dong Hyuk is facing backlash after revealing the original ending of Squid Game Season 3 was changed.
The Netflix director told Joongang Ilbo the initial finale had a “vague happy ending” where Seong Gi Hun meets Hwang Jun Ho, ends the game, and goes to find his daughter in the U.S.
However, Hwang said he rewrote the ending after seeing “everything going wrong in the world,” including Jeff Bezos’s extravagant wedding costing over ₩70 billion KRW (~$51.7 million USD).
Hwang Dong Hyuk explained:
"But as I continued writing, I personally started to feel that surviving in this world was becoming increasingly difficult. Inequality is deepening, the threat of war is growing, the climate crisis is already here, and yet no one is taking responsibility. In this world where nationalism is intensifying, how will future generations live? I heard that Jeff Bezos spent over ₩70.0 billion KRW (about $51.7 million USD) on his wedding, and it made me think—wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. I felt that now is the time for older generations to let go a bit of their growth, development, and desires, and start making sacrifices and taking action for future generations. That’s why I decided to include a child in the story."
The director’s interview, which explained the controversial ending’s message, sparked heated reactions online.
Fans criticized Hwang for “explaining what he intended and should’ve been shown in the work through his yappy interviews.” One comment gaining traction said:
“This director always ends up explaining what he intended and should’ve been shown in the work through his yappy interviews… Like, anyone can talk.”
Other comments included:
- “Every time he gets criticized, he suddenly claims there was an alternative ending.”
- “This is the first time the interview is more interesting than the actual show.”
- “The current ending isn’t too bad, but as someone who loves patriotic stories, I think the original ending would’ve been more successful. Foreign viewers really hate it when the main character dies.”
- “Try doing some research before writing a script then.”
- “Maybe he should’ve just had a kid himself and ‘gifted the future.’ The message didn’t come across at all.”
- “Wasn’t the Squid Game system created by the older generation anyway? What exactly are they passing down to the next?”
- “He’s a director who lacks understanding of human nature.”
- “I mean… I actually expected the original ending, but I actually think the current one is better.”
The finale of Squid Game Season 3 remains divisive as fans debate the message versus the storytelling.
Source: JoongAng, theqoo
