The Netflix show Squid Game was a phenomenal production that took the world by storm. It set many records and became one of the most successful projects by Netflix in the recent past. The novel concept and its excellent execution meant that fans loved it and wanted more.
A lot of hard work talent, and grit went into making this extraordinary series. It achieved iconic status in a relatively short period of time, and it made many of the stars, technicians, and filmmakers involved in the project huge celebrities.
However, even though Netflix made an incredible amount of money from the project, they reportedly underpaid the director. This has caused a lot of backlash from fans, who demanded justice for the director. After all, he was one of the cardinal figures involved in the huge success story that was Netflix’s Squid Game.
Squid Game Director’s Poor Compensation by Netflix
The famous South Korean film director Hwang Dong-hyuk created one of the most critically acclaimed shows Squid Game for Netflix that topped several charts worldwide by becoming a highly-rated and influential television show of all time.
In 2021, the South Korean survival drama television series instantly gained popularity with its nine episodes, each consisting of fascinating plots, aesthetics, and dialogues. Within a few weeks of its international debut on the streaming giant, Squid Game received positive reviews and became of the biggest and most popular shows on Netflix in more than 94 countries.
Fans gushed over its theme and eye-catchy costume on social media, and the series attracted millions of viewers worldwide. Many have speculated that the series creator Dong-hyuk might have earned a hefty paycheck from Netflix owing to the massive success. However, the filmmaker subtly trashed the claims by saying that Netflix paid him the amount mentioned in his contract.
Hwang Dong-hyuk Claims He Didn’t Receive Any Bonus
In a candid interview with The Guardian, the titular series director shared that he only received what his contract included and not earned any extra pay or bonus following the mega success of his show.
“I’m not that rich. But I do have enough. I have enough to put food on the table. And it’s not like Netflix is paying me a bonus. Netflix paid me according to the original contract.”
Though it is unclear the amount he got paid for Squid Game. He also emphasized that writing the script of this project was emotionally and mentally draining on him.
“It was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. I kept having new ideas and revising the episodes as we were filming so the amount of work multiplied. I was very financially straitened because my mother retired from the company she was working for. There was a film I was working on but we failed to get finance. So I couldn’t work for about a year. We had to take out loans — my mother, myself, and my grandmother.”
Read some Tweets as fans reacted to the news.
“Squid Game” increased the value of Netflix by an estimated $900 million.
It also made South Korean writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk famous — but not rich.
In his contract, he had forfeited all intellectual property rights and received no residuals. https://t.co/47bnjdmks7
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 28, 2023
Oh my goodness, he should be getting new management. This is wild!
— EvieBChicago ♥️ CHI+FMTY (@EvieBchicago) June 28, 2023
that’s the deal he struck
you can take less money and get a percentage but it’s a risk if the show doesn’t do well
so he took more money upfront rather than have a percentage of the total
you don’t know what’s going to succeed or fail, It’s a risk— The One the Only John Harrison Ware the Fourth (@laogoagen) June 28, 2023
I thought that was a typical deal structure for Netflix. Season one creators/writers get peanuts so Netflix has less risk. In the event of season two, the deal changes. However, giving up all IP rights means you had poor legal counsel.
— Joe (@Joe684) June 28, 2023
Hwang Dong-hyuk claimed that he was inspired to create this show because of his own financial difficulties and personal life struggles. According to the outlet, the Squid Game creator’s contract with Netflix had no clause that proclaims that he would receive extra pay if the show becomes popular.
Squid Game is available for streaming on Netflix.
Source: The Guardian
