- Plot and Concept
- Netflix series follows 456 players in financial hardship playing deadly children's games
- Players risk lives to win ₩45.6 billion prize through deadly games
- Series inspired by Hwang Dong-hyuk's own economic struggles and class disparity
- Production and Development
- Netflix acquired series in 2019 after Hwang's 2009 script
- First season released September 2021, became Netflix's most-watched series
- Second season premiered December 2024, third scheduled for 2025
- Main Characters
- Lee Jung-jae portrays Seong Gi-hun, a gambling addict seeking financial stability
- Lee Byung-hun plays Front Man, game organizer disguised as Oh Il-nam
- Various characters include Cho Sang-woo, Kang Sae-byeok, and Hwang Jun-ho
- Visual Elements
- Set design inspired by 1970s Korean children's games
- Green tracksuits and distinctive colors represent player groups
- Complex set design combines practical elements with chroma key backgrounds
- Story Elements
- Based on Korean children's game "Squid"
- Explores themes of competition and survival in capitalist society
- Features complex relationships between characters and game organizers