Behind 'Squid Game': Creatives unveil secrets of set design, music, cinematography

A scene from "Squid Game" Season 2 / Courtesy of Netflix

By Park Jin-hai

• Published Jan 16, 2025 4:36 PM KST
• Updated Jan 17, 2025 3:02 PM KST

Three creative masterminds behind Netflix’s "Squid Game" — art director Chae Kyoung-sun, composer Jung Jae-il and cinematographer Kim Ji-yong — shared insights into the making of the show’s highly anticipated second season.

The second season of "Squid Game" carries the immense pressure of living up to its predecessor, which garnered six Emmy Awards in 2022, including wins for Best Directing and Outstanding Lead Actor.

Chae, who blew away fans worldwide with the iconic dormitory and maze-like pink staircases in Season 1 — earning her an Emmy for Outstanding Production Design — stepped up visuals with new elements such as the O-X voting system and the giant red and blue O-X lights on the floor in Season 2.

Chae said she experimented and went through many trials and errors to ensure the second season’s visuals were as impactful as those in Season 1. One of the changes she considered was the color of the game participants’ iconic green tracksuits.

"We considered making the uniform tracksuits sky blue. I showed director (Hwang Dong-hyuk) a sample, but after some thought, he said, 'Let's go back to green,'" she said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday.

According to Chae, the sample was based on the clothes worn by teacher Hong Du-kke from the 1980s Korean animation "Run Hani."

"In the end, it was the right decision not to change (the color). We would have been bombarded with complaints from fans," she added, laughing.

The most notable change to the set design was the transformation of the dormitory to incorporate the O-X game voting system.

"We pondered over how to visually depict this element. The director suggested painting the icons with fluorescent paint, but I felt that wouldn't work. I suggested embedding lights instead. We had to install them on-site and equipment had to be moved around. The color scheme for the O-X game was decided after discussions with the cinematographer," Chae said.

Cinematography

Kim, who joined the series in Season 2, said he is a huge fan of Season 1 and had a lot of fun while working on this project.

"Compared to Season 1, the protagonist Gi-hun's character has changed. It's his second time entering the game arena. Since it has become a familiar space for the viewers, we adjusted the shooting to match the character's situation and story," he said, explaining that his focus was on capturing the characters’ evolution and connecting the story with visual symbolism.

Kim’s goal was to emphasize the idea that “the inside and outside of the game arena are not so different.”

Discussing the visually striking motel scene at the beginning of Season 2, Kim said, "The space itself is interesting. The protagonist, Gi-hun, who survived the deadly game in Season 1, is still living in a mise-en-scène reminiscent of the Squid Game. The motel room features a pink sofa and pink towels. We also tried to bring in elements from the game arena to the outside world by contrasting the red and blue lights."

Some viewers noted that the killer robot Young-hee seems different in Season 2, compared to the first season.

The cinematographer explained that the robot itself didn't change at all, but he chose specific lenses and adjusted the camera's distance from Young-hee to make her appear more grotesque and unsettling on screen.

Kim emphasized his intention to immerse viewers into the series, making them feel as if they were one of the 456 game participants.

"To provide a documentary-like immersion, we employed a technique of capturing characters and events up close, while also utilizing overhead shots to display the overall game situation," he said.

Particularly in the mingle game scene, where the song "Round and Round" is played and participants are placed on a massive merry-go-round to find partners to escape death, Kim adopted a complex directing style.

"Using top-down shots of the game, we were able to capture the contrast — while there was chaos and carnage happening below, when viewed from above, it looked quite different. It's interesting how the perspective can change so dramatically," he said.

Music

Jung, the 42-year-old composer behind "Squid Game" as well as Bong Joon-ho’s award-winning film "Parasite," revealed that the list of main songs and music used was already selected by director Hwang even before starting the production.

"Director Hwang decided a long time ago to use the children's song 'Round and Round' for a game scene. When I worked on that song, I wanted to create a dramatic contrast between the song's cheerful melody and the betrayal and tension-filled scenes in the drama," he said. "So, I tried a new approach by incorporating mechanical sounds, which I don't normally use. The intention was to go beyond simply using a familiar song and maximize immersion."

He expressed his amazement at the news that "Round and Round" had gained international attention, being remixed into EDM and played in clubs.

"It's really incredible. I'm surprised and grateful," he said.

"Squid Game" Season 2 includes new music tailored to the new characters and scenes as well as variations of the main songs used in Season 1. Citing music like Shin Hae-chul's "To You" and Puccini's "Nessun Dorma," Jung adapted the music to express that "warmth could be felt even amid tragedy."

He added that this project has become a key milestone in his music career.

"Thanks to 'Squid Game,' I've had many opportunities. I've performed overseas and received offers for various projects," he said. "In particular, I signed a contract with the London-based record label Decca, allowing me to work on solo music as well."