"Squid Game" creator names: The wealthy villains in the show are reflecting reality, with Musk at the forefront.

Gate News bot message, "Elon Musk is everywhere now, right? Everyone is talking about him." Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Netflix's global phenomenon "Squid Game," candidly stated in a recent interview with Time magazine. He further revealed that in the third season currently in production, the billionaire villain characters who manipulate life-and-death games are increasingly reflecting the super-rich of the real world — and Musk is the most prominent prototype.

From Behind the Scenes to Getting Involved: The Transformation of Season 3 Billionaire "VIPs"

At the moment when Hwang Dong-hyuk made this statement, the third season of "Squid Game" premiered on June 27, shocking audiences and bringing this bloody masterpiece to a conclusion. This season will introduce a disruptive setting: the super-rich viewers (the VIPs) who once wore animal masks and donned luxurious attire to coldly watch the games from their secure boxes are no longer satisfied with just being spectators. They personally take off their masks, don the iconic pink soldier uniforms, pick up machine guns, and become hunters, directly participating in the brutal pursuit of the contestants. This plot upgrade starkly reveals the brutality and unchecked power of those at the top.

Huang Donghe's Concerns: The Real Oligarchs Have 'Removed Their Masks'

Hwang Dong-hyuk's transformation in portraying the antagonist in the drama stems from his deep concern about the growing influence and exposure of super-rich individuals in the real world. "In the past, those who truly controlled the system and maintained power chose to stay in the background," Hwang Dong-hyuk admitted to Time, "However, the situation has completely changed now, especially in the United States. We frequently talk about oligarchy... Those who truly wield power and control the system are no longer hidden. They willingly take off their masks, as if to declare to the world: 'We are the ones in control of everything!'

Musk: A Walking "Squid Game" VIP Template?

Huang Donghe regards Musk as a typical representative of this "removing the mask" oligarch: "After finishing (the third season), I certainly thought, 'Oh, some big figures really resemble Elon Musk.' He is not only the head of a large technology company that almost controls the world (referring to the huge business empire formed by Tesla, SpaceX, etc.), he himself is also a highly performative public figure."

This association is particularly striking at present:

• Richer than some countries: Musk's net worth currently stands at $409.8 billion, surpassing the combined GDP of 24 countries, including Denmark, Iran, and Malaysia.
• Power Vortex: Recently, the world's richest man just resigned from the controversial "Department of Efficiency" (DOGE) within the Trump administration. The department is mired in a vortex of public opinion due to humanitarian questions and statements arising from its federal budget cuts. After leaving, Musk immediately publicly criticized a $2.4 trillion spending bill strongly pushed by Trump, denouncing it as "disgusting and vile behavior" and claiming that it destroyed the "achievements" of DOGE.
• Lavish Feast: Coincidentally, during the same weekend when the third season of "Squid Game" was released, another tech giant—Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—held a reportedly $46 million luxurious wedding in Venice. This grand event utilized 90 private jets to transport guests, echoing his extreme extravagance with the portrayal of the lavish lifestyles of the wealthy in the show.

Creative Inspiration: Beyond Wealth, More About Power and Loss of Control

Hwang Dong-hyuk's creative vision not only focuses on the astonishing concentration of wealth. He stated that the global trend of political polarization, as well as recent events such as former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's announcement of martial law, also provide a realistic footnote to the oppressive world of "Squid Game." The core of this series has always been a profound inquiry into the abuse of power, systemic oppression, and the struggle of humanity in extreme environments.

The Blurred Line Between Reality and Fiction

When the super-rich villain in "Squid Game" steps out of the private room to personally hunt the "players," Hwang Dong-hyuk's warning resonates profoundly: Are we living in a real-life, larger version of "Squid Game"? Where exactly are the boundaries of those contemporary "VIPs" who control technology, wealth, and even discourse? As the oligarchs in reality have already "taken off their masks" and openly declared their ruling status, the bloody allegory of the third season of "Squid Game" undoubtedly provides us with the sharpest and most unsettling perspective for understanding this era.

(Source: Decrypt)