‘Squid Game’ Creator Says He Lost ‘8 or 9’ Teeth While Filming the Hit Netflix Series

Hwang Dong-hyuk attends the screening of Netflix's "Squid Game" in Los Angeles on Nov. 08, 2021. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Hwang Dong-hyuk’s dystopian thriller “Squid Game” may have earned him critical acclaim, including six Emmy Awards and the distinction of being one of Netflix’s most-watched shows. However, the South Korean film director has shared that the success of the series came at the cost of his health.

Ahead of the Dec. 26 debut of the show’s second season, Hwang spoke with the BBC about the process of developing “Squid Game”—a project that took more than a decade to come to fruition.

The showrunner told the publication that he lost “eight or nine” teeth from the stress associated with filming the first installment, which almost caused him to give up on the prospect of a second season altogether.

According to The Grove Family Dentistry, chronic stress can “gradually” lead to tooth loss by way of bruxism, the technical term for the habitual clenching or grinding of teeth, which is a common coping mechanism for stress.

“When severe enough, bruxism can lead to tooth fractures, worn enamel, and damaged restorations,” the California-based dental clinic states on its website.

Chronic stress can weaken the immune system by causing a spike in the levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. This can suppress the immune response over time, making those who suffer prolonged feelings of stress more susceptible to developing gum disease, among other infections.

“Teeth can become entirely loosened by gum disease,” the dental office indicates, noting that “untreated periodontitis can destroy the gums, ligaments, and bone that hold teeth in place.”

Return for Season 2

When asked what prompted him to create a second season of “Squid Game” at the possible expense of his health, Hwang provided the BBC with a straightforward answer.

“Money,” he said.

“Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly I didn’t make much. So doing the second series will help compensate me for the success of the first one too.”

Speaking to The Guardian in October 2021, Hwang said he made enough money from Netflix “to put food on the table.”

“I’m not that rich. But I do have enough,” he said. “It’s not like Netflix is paying me a bonus. Netflix paid me according to the original contract.”

The nine-part series, which premiered in September 2021, cost Netflix only about $2.4 million per episode to make, according to internal documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times in June last year. At the time, the streaming platform valued “Squid Game” at around $900 million.

In a shareholder letter sent out in January 2022, Netflix called “Squid Game” its “biggest TV show of the year.”

“Squid Game—a late Q3 release that broke through globally early in Q4—generated 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first four weeks and is now our biggest TV season ever,” an excerpt from the letter reads.

The Epoch Times reached out to Netflix for comment but a response was not received by publication time.

However, a representative for Netflix told the BBC that the company provides “competitive” pay to creators, ensuring they obtain “solid compensation, regardless of the success or failure of their shows.”

(L–R) Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon, Hwang Dong-hyuk, and Park Hae Soo attend a special event for the television series Squid Game in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 8, 2021. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

‘Squid Game’

The Korean-language series, also available in English dubbing, chronicles the efforts of 456 “cash-strapped” players as they compete in a series of deadly children’s games for a chance to win a grand prize of 45.6 billion won (around $38 million), according to the show’s official synopsis.

The first season of “Squid Game” features an ensemble cast of South Korean actors led by Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon, Gong Yoo, Wi Ha-joon, Heo Seong-tae, and Lee Byung-hun, among others.

A year after its release, the show swept the 2022 Primetime Emmys, garnering awards for “Outstanding Production Design,” “Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series,” “Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series,” “Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode,” and “Outstanding Stunt Performance.”

Hwang also took home the Emmy for “Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series.” During his acceptance speech, the director thanked fans for helping him achieve such an important milestone in his career.

“Since ‘Squid Game’ got 14 nominations at the Emmys, people keep telling me, like, ‘I made history.’ But I don’t think I made history by myself because it was you who opened up the doors for ‘Squid Game,’ inviting us here tonight at the Emmys,” Hwang said.

“So I believe, I have to say, we [all made] history together.”

According to a statement issued in October, Lee Jung-jae is set to reprise his role as Seong Gi-hun, or Player 456, in the second season.

“Season 2 raises the stakes,” the statement reads. “With a hardened demeanor and the scars of past games, Gi-hun is on a desperate mission to expose the deadly truth of the competition. Yet, his warnings go unheeded, and tensions rise as fellow players question his intentions.”