Squid Game Almost Had A Very Different Ending

It's fair to say that Netflix's "Squid Game" took the world by storm. Audiences have been enthralled by the Korean survival thriller series, which sees hundreds of contestants take part in a series of children's games (with a deadly twist) in a bid to win the equivalent of $40 million. It impressed viewers worldwide, garnering a 95% critic rating alongside an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This just goes to show how, increasingly, some of Netflix's best content isn't made in the West, with a number of other Korean thrillers — such as "The Lies Within," "Voice," and "Extracurricular" — having found success on the streaming service.

Viewers were left with plenty of questions after finishing "Squid Game," especially when it comes to Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), his future after the games, and the mysterious VIPs who are running things. The show ends with Gi-hun deciding not to visit his daughter in Los Angeles, instead promising that he's going to use his newfound wealth to put a stop to the games once and for all. Thankfully, Netflix and the show's creator Hwang Dong-hyuk are working on a second season, so the series will return in the future.

But Hwang Dong-hyuk recently revealed that "Squid Game" almost had a completely different ending.

When speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed, "We actually wrestled between two different scenarios for the ending." That isn't surprising, given that Gi-hun clearly struggles with his own moral dilemma. Hwang went on to say "There was one, the other alternate ending, where Gi-hun would get on the plane and leave. And then there was of course the one where he would turn back and walk towards the camera."

The creator and the team were torn between the two endings. "We constantly asked ourselves, is it really right for Gi-hun to make the decision to leave and go see his family, to pursue his own happiness?" He also added, "Is that the right way for us to really propose the question or the message that we wanted to convey through the series?" In the end, the show's thematic intention took precedence. "We came to the conclusion that the question that we wanted to propose cannot be done if he left on the plane," Dong-hyuk said.

It's no secret that there was an outcry from a faction of "Squid Game" fans who felt that the ending of Season 1 was a letdown. After winning the ₩45.6 billion prize, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) realizes that it's just blood money. A year later, he remains depressed and detached from life, not spending a dime of his winnings. This detachment after winning is the main aspect that detractors of the original ending may miss about the central theme of the show. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told Entertainment Weekly that the show isn't just about showing what the world has come to, but why. "The question that we want to answer — why has the world come to what it is now? — can only be answered or can only be proposed if Gi-hun turned back and walked towards the camera," Hwang said.

When Gi-hun finally wins the prize money, he realizes that he's still lost what matters most to him — his mother and his daughter. The guilt of what he had to do for the money emotionally paralyzes him, and he wants to find ways to make things right. People died so that he could have this money. So, when he realizes he can take action and make things better, he seizes the opportunity. Therefore, he doesn't board the plane and instead stays behind to investigate how things got to this point and possibly try to improve them. If he simply boarded the plane to the United States, the whole point would be lost.

The creator of "Squid Game," Hwang Dong-hyuk, has long been considered an immense talent to watch in the filmmaking industry. Hwang won an Emmy student award during his rise to prominence, and he was already a well-respected filmmaker well before "Squid Game." However, being technically gifted is one thing. having your finger on the pulse of the audience is a whole different skill.

Hwang has already demonstrated that he's aware that fans of his sharp allegory have formed a dedicated following. There are some fans who feel that the alternative ending where Gi-hun goes to his daughter would have been the most dramatically satisfying option, and Hwang is quite tuned in to all sides of the discussion.

In fact, Hwang revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he's gone on YouTube to check out fan theories and expectations about the future following his thought-provoking ending. "Their expectations are truly immense and very diverse, so I think it's going to be very difficult to pinpoint exactly what the fans want," he said, stating that his intention with "Squid Game" Season 2 is "to stick to the basic story line that I have in mind."

Hwang Dong-hyuk never saw "Squid Game" becoming the massive hit it did. The show ended up in the spotlight, with every single detail analyzed and debated. Gi-hun's choice not to hop on that plane to Los Angeles left many fans scratching their heads, and they weren't shy about voicing their confusion.

To give an idea of how big of a deal the show became, even celebrities like LeBron James had vocal opinions about the ending. James was recorded chatting about the show at a press conference with his teammate Anthony Davis, and he didn't mince words about his thoughts (via Bleacher Report). "I didn't like the ending," the NBA superstar said. "Get on the f****** flight."

Hwang actually addressed these comments in an interview with The Guardian. He responded in a rather cheeky manner, suggesting that maybe James should whip up his own sequel if he didn't like the ending. Even though Hwang knew that an alternate ending could have made a lot of people happier, he stuck to his guns saying, "LeBron James is cool and can say what he wants. I respect that. I'm very thankful he watched the whole series. But I wouldn't change my ending. That's my ending."

These days, studios eagerly build franchises, sometimes with no clear plan beyond capitalizing on recognizable IPs. It's understandable why some "Squid Game" fans might suspect the show's ending was a setup for more milking of the series. However, this isn't the case for "Squid Game." Even with the current ending, Season 1 provides a complete story.

Gi-hun's character arc is completed by his final decision. He begins as a selfish man willing to gamble away his daughter's birthday money. Through the brutal games, he learns about camaraderie. After a year of guilt-ridden reflection, Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su) reveals himself as the true orchestrator of the games and challenges Gi-hun one last time. He bets that an unhoused man freezing outside his hospital window won't receive help before midnight, claiming this as proof of humanity's inherent evil. However, the man does receive assistance from strangers.

In the end, Gi-hun's character growth is evident. He decides to stay behind, driven by selflessness and the desire to help the next group of participants in the games. This decision demonstrates his transformation from a self-centered individual into someone willing to make sacrifices for others, and it wouldn't play as well if he simply left the country.

The "Squid Game" Season 1 finale sets the stage for Season 2, and even before that second installment was confirmed, Hwang Dong-hyuk had a playful take on it. In an interview with The Guardian, he joked, "It's possible that I have to do season two to become as rich as Squid Game's winner." It's evident that he saw more storytelling potential after the initial ending. Now, perhaps Hwang could have concocted another way to pull Gi-hun back into the games, even if he'd hopped on that plane to L.A. to see his daughter. But for Hwang, Gi-hun's specific character journey was crucial. 

Hwang discussed what's coming next to Variety, confirming that Season 2 won't be a complete departure from Season 1; there will be more games. That seems like a wise move, considering that much of the show's tension and excitement stemmed from the games. Hwang also quashed some fan theories about deceased characters making a return, assuring that if they do reappear in Season 2, it would be in the form of dreams.

By now, some fans already know just how much of a toll creating "Squid Game" took on Hwang Dong-hyuk. The idea for the show came to Hwang during the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis when a film he was working on fell through due to financial issues. At the time, his mother had just retired, and they had to rely on loans to get by (per The Guardian). This experience completely changed Hwang's perspective on the world, but it took a decade for him to actually bring "Squid Game" to life.

The making of the show ended up being quite stressful for Hwang. Initially, he had envisioned the story as a movie, but he eventually changed it into a TV series concept. This made the load on Hwang much heavier during production due to it being a larger project.

Hwang found the whole ordeal stressful, even losing six teeth at one point. "It was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining," he told The Guardian. "I kept having new ideas and revising the episodes as we were filming, so the workload multiplied." Hopefully, he gets more help on Season 2 to reduce the stress of production.