“Humans are…” That was the final thing Gi-hun said just before he sacrificed himself. No answer. Hopeless. Cynical. That was the conclusion of one of the 2020s’ defining characters. Squid Game was harsh on Gi-hun every step of the way, but according to Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of the show, that wasn’t the original plan. Gi-hun was apparently supposed to be the one who had the stare-down with Cate Blanchett.
Squid Game has now ended. The profound critique on capitalism’s main message was ultimately that human beings are valuable regardless of how “strong” they are or what other value society sees in them — and the most memorable way the show could deliver that was by having Gi-hun give up his place as the winner of his third consecutive Squid Game for a baby.
The creator sat with The Hollywood Reporter for an exit interview where he discussed how that was not always the intended ending for Gi-hun. Throughout the three seasons, we see Gi-hun grow from a lovable but bumbling father who just wants to make enough money to go see his child in the U.S. But as he witnesses the brutality of the games, he becomes a disillusioned man who understands that the best thing he can do for humanity is to show the Front Man that human beings are not as soulless as he believes.
The creator of the show shared that as he was writing, the world somehow became an even worse place. A happy ending for Gi-hun started to seem like an inadequate way to conclude his life-changing odyssey. Dong-hyuk explained how he initially envisioned Gi-hun seeing Cate Blanchett doing recruiting in America as a signifier that, although he’s out, the games never truly end.
But Dong-hyuk changed his mind and wanted the ending to have more purpose. He said, “I thought, ‘What kind of sacrifices do we need to make in the current generation for us to be able to leave the future generation with a better world?’ So I wanted Gi-hun’s sacrifice to be a symbol of that.”
As for Cate Blanchett’s appearance being a setup for a cameo, he was quick to rain on that parade. He apparently cast her simply because he was a big fan and wanted to create a contrast to the Korean version, saying, “I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else.”
Dong-hyuk claimed that the David Fincher spin-off rumors are just something he also reads in the trades, not something he has actually had meetings about. But chances are he’s holding his cards close to his chest — Cate Blanchett isn’t the type of actor to do a ten-second cameo for no reason, and she already has a working relationship with David Fincher.
A show that’s a scathing critique of capitalism ending, and the first discussion being how much more money Netflix can make from it through spin-offs and remakes, is ironic. That should go without saying. But there’s something positive to commend in the fact that this point still needs more hammering in. And in David Fincher’s hands, the franchise is certainly safe.