As Squid Game concludes its run with a gripping third season, the dystopian drama continues to echo real-world dynamics. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk recently drew attention to how the show’s elite VIP characters reflect modern power structures—pointing specifically to one prominent figure.
“Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right? Everybody talks about him,” Hwang told Time in a recent interview. “Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also this showman. After writing (Season 3), of course I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk’,” he added.
In Squid Game, the VIPs are affluent English-speaking spectators who hide behind ornate masks as they enjoy watching brutal life-or-death games unfold. Their presence has always been disturbing, but in the show’s final chapter, they take on an even more sinister role.
“They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” Hwang explained. Their transition from passive voyeurs to active participants, he noted, mirrors a shift in how real-world power is wielded. “In the past, those that really controlled the system and maintained power, they were hidden behind the curtain, almost like this big unseen conspiracy. However, it’s no longer the case, especially in America,” he said.
He further elaborated, “We talk a lot about oligarchy these days, but these so-called big tech owners, they step up, telling everyone who they’re backing with their money.” According to Hwang, today’s powerful figures no longer conceal their influence.
“The people who really control the power and the system, they no longer hide behind a curtain. They willingly take their masks off, almost as if to declare, ‘We’re the ones running everything. We’re the ones in control’,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Squid Game universe may be expanding. Multiple sources have revealed to Deadline that Netflix is developing a new English-language spinoff, with acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher involved. Though official confirmation remains pending, speculation has been swirling for months. Insiders suggest this project could be David’s primary focus in 2025, unless he takes on a feature film in the interim.
