How ‘Squid Game’ Sets Were Inspired by Korean Tomes

EXCLUSIVE: Well Go USA Entertainment has expanded its slate of Korean films, acquiring North American rights to titles including Alienoid, Hansan: Rising Dragon, Gangnam Zombie, The Ghost Station and The Assassin. While the international and indie distributor has set theatrical releases in place for Alienoid and Hansan, plans for the other three films have not yet been finalized. 

Believer will be produced as a Netflix original.On June 20, Netflix shared that it has greenlit the production of Believer 2, the sequel to 2018’s Believer starring veteran actors Cho Jin-woong (Signal) and Our Blues’ Cha Seung-won.The streaming giant has since confirmed its casting for the forthcoming film, with Cho and Cha, along with Kim Dong-young, returning in their original roles. They will be joined by newcomers Han Hyo-joo (Happiness), Oh Seung-hoon (Bloody Heart) and Lee Joo-young (Voice).A post shared by Netflix Korea (@netflixkr)Believer (2018) revolves around a detective named Won-ho (played by Cho), who fights to bring down the leader of a multinational drug ring in Asia.

Kate Aurthur editorUpon its release on Sept. 17, 2021, “Squid Game” quickly became an international phenomenon.

William Earl Organizers of KCON have unveiled the initial talent lineup for the 10th anniversary edition of the celebration of K-pop and other aspects of South Korean pop culture.The three-day event, presented by Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM, in Los Angeles will feature performances and fan showcase events around K-pop acts Cravity, Enhyphen, Itzy, Nmixx, Stayc, the Boyz and WJSN.The gathering is set for Aug. 19-21 at Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center.

A version of this story about “Squid Game” first appeared in the Comedy & Drama issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.Netflix’s blockbuster series “Squid Game” struck a chord last fall with its unflinching look at a dystopian society in which everyday debt-owing citizens (led by Lee Jung-jae’s empathetic Seong Gi-hun) compete in deadly children’s games for an ever-growing sum of cash that appears to get farther and farther out of reach. But what makes the series scary is how all of the program’s bloodshed and mayhem play against a kid-pleasing, Jordan almond-colored backdrop.“We wanted to use a wider range of colors breaking away from the existing norm typically used for a grim series,” production designer Chae Kyoung-sun said via an interpreter, adding that fairy-tale illustrations and textbooks used by Korean children in the 1970s and 1980s were the inspiration for many of the visual cues.

Netflix is capitalising on the incredible popularity of its Korean hit series Squid Game with a new reality show.The new programme will be in the form of a competition inspired by the horrific challenges contestants have to not only endure, but survive on the drama, which was recently announced to be returning for a season two. Squid Game: The Challenge will see contestants competing for a whopping $4.56million (£3.7million), which will be the biggest cash prize in TV history. While challenges won't actually be life or death, contestants can expect the show to describe them as such.

Netflix is set to transform its biggest hit show into “the biggest reality competition series ever,” titled Squid Game: The Challenge.The streaming giants officially confirmed the record-breaking Korean survival drama has been renewed for season two on Sunday (June 12). The series, which premiered on the platform last year, became the most-viewed original title in Netflix history within 12 days of its release.Now, boasting both the largest cast and lump sum cash prize in reality TV history, 456 real players will enter the game, with the chance to win a staggering $4.56million (£3.65million).According to a press release, contestants will take part in a series of games inspired by the original show – as well as “surprising new additions” – in a variety of contests, with the opportunity to forge alliances and develop potential winning strategies to survive.Naturally, however, elimination will not be quite as brutal in The Challenge as it is in the violent drama.

Squid Game is becoming reality.

South Korean supergroup BTS  is to go on “temporary hiatus” so its members can pursue solo careers. The news came as the seven-man group hosted their annual FESTA dinner, which celebrates their founding.

Squid Game breakout star Jung Hoyeon and Killing Eve actress Sandra Oh recently came together to discuss what it’s like being at the forefront of Korean-American representation.In a new instalment of Variety’s Actors on Actors conversation series, the two the actresses sat down to chat about the growing amount of Korean-American and Asian-American representation in the media during the past few years.“I think that we both feel like being here together, having this conversation and being shot together is very special – and I’m curious about your point of view,” said Oh, who was born to Korean immigrants in Canada. “This is a real change for us as Korean-Americans, and I’ve been always interested in the native Korean perspective.”The South Korean model-turned-actress the shared her view on what it’s like being a native Korean in media, specially following the success of Squid Game.

Netflix has officially confirmed the record-breaking Korean survival drama Squid Game has been renewed for season two.The series, which premiered on the platform last year, became the most-viewed original title in Netflix history within 12 days of its release.Today (June 12), two new posts on the streaming service’s social media accounts confirmed that the show would be getting a second season. The first post featured the infamous doll from the first episode, with a number two flashing in its eye. “On your marks.

It’s official — Netflix has renewed its biggest series, Squid Game, for a second season. The followup had been in development, and Netflix brass — as well as the series’ writer, director and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk and main cast — had  teased a return of the show following the runaway success of the initial installment.

Getting back in the game. Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk has already started thinking about new games and challenges for the players to take on in season 2.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Broker,” the unconventional family drama which appeared in competition at last month’s Cannes Film Festival, topped the box office in South Korea on Wednesday, its opening day.“Broker” grossed $1.10 million, enough to depose crime actioner “The Roundup” from the top spot that it had enjoyed for the past three weeks and which had made it the highest performing film this year.According to data from the Kobis tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, “Broker” played on 1,590 screens and sold 145,000 tickets for Wednesday screenings. Its cumulative total of $1.15 million includes some $44,000 of previews earned on 14 screens.The feat by a local art-house film gives further support to the notion that cinema attendance is rebounding in Korea.

Eric Nam has opened up about his experience growing up Korean-American and how it has influenced his career.The 33-year-old singer-songwriter recently appeared in an episode of The Zach Sang Show, where he opened up about his Korean heritage. During the interview, Nam confessed that he previously thought of being a Korean-American as a “hindrance”.“I think for a long time, being a Korean-American, or being Asian-American in the States, it felt as if it was a hindrance, or it was like, something that was supposed to hold me back,” he shared.

Jang Nara is getting married, but she’s facing some difficulties regarding anonymity.

Broker, starring singer-actress IU, was given a 12-minute standing ovation at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.Broker, the first-ever Korean-language film by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, recently premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 27. Once the screening had concluded, the fil received a 12-minute-long standing ovation from those in-attendance, according to a report from Korean news outlet Edaily.The publication also claimed that the standing ovation began with Cannes Film Festival’s executive director, Thierry Frémaux.

After being told that his story was too grotesque and unrealistic, Hwang Dong-hyuk set aside his script for Squid Game for 10 years. When Netflix came looking for overseas content, Hwang took his shot and gave it a drama that quickly became the most-watched series in the streaming service’s history.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThose “specific people” showed up at the Variety offices in costume as the mysterious guards (aka “pink soldiers”) from “Squid Game,” complete with iconic circle/triangle/square masks. They came bearing an invitation to Netflix’s FYSee Emmy events space at Raleigh Studios, along with a box of donuts.The brutal South Korean drama about class, power, wealth and kiddie games clearly remains an awards priority for the streamer — particularly after this year’s SAG Awards garnered wins including male actor (Lee Jung-Jae) and female actor (Jung Ho-yeon).