We need to push ourselves to be more creative: ‘Squid Game’ star Lee Byung-hyun on global popularity of K-content

New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) The popularity of Korean content globally is an “unbelievable phenomenon” and a matter of pride for actors working in Korea, says “Squid Game” star Lee Byung-hyun.

The Hwang Dong-hyuk-directed drama, about a group of poor and debt-ridden people who are tricked by a sinister organisation to participate in a series of deadly children’s game for the prize money of 45.6 billion won, became the most-watched series ever when it released on the streamer in 2021.

According to an Ormax report, “Squid Games S2” has become the most-watched international original in India.

Lee is surprised by the international success of Korean stories.

“It (the popularity) is truly an unbelievable phenomenon that we are seeing develop in front of our eyes. As an actor who works in Korea, I am very proud and happy to see it happen. I am still in shock because I get asked as to how this happened and I don’t think I can pinpoint,” Lee told PTI in a virtual interview from Seoul.

Already an established name in the Korean industry with films and shows such as “Joint Security Area”, “A Bittersweet Life”, “I Saw the Devil”, “Iris” and “Mr Sunshine”, Lee was one of the first actors to build a career in Hollywood with roles in “G. I. Joe” franchise, “Red 2”, “Terminator Genisys” and “The Magnificent Seven”.

Lee hopes for the Korean creators to further push their boundaries creatively.

“When it is getting so much love globally, we have to be able to create even greater content with higher quality. I hope that everyone in the industry not only feels great pride in everything that we have achieved. Hopefully, we can push ourself even further to be more creative and bring out better stories,” he added.

After winning in the first season, Lee Jung-jae’s Seong Gi-hun participates in the deadly games once again in the second season to find those running the organisation, especially the masked figure of the Frontman, who was revealed to be Lee’s In-ho at the end of the first part.

Lee, 54, said when it was decided that the series would return, he and Hwang discussed how to take In-ho/Frontman’s story forward and he had this vague idea that it will probably delve into the backstory of how his character survived the game and became a key figure in the organisation.

“Both of us knew at the time that In-ho would be one of the main characters. And based on that I knew it is going to be great. But when I got the complete script, I was quite in shock because the frontman story was not just about his past but also about his present. And I was very excited that this is the story we are going to tell (in season two),” he said.

According to Lee, the story, in a way, is about the “final showdown” between the two players – Gi-hun and the Frontman.

“They went through the same experience that was extremely cruel and brutal but how did they come out of it with such different beliefs? As I thought about it, I realised that there must be a very thin line in what differentiates people’s set of beliefs. “They may, at times, come from the same series of events (but be different). That duality and complexity of the character was something that I constantly kept in mind as I portrayed the character throughout the second season,” he said.

“Squid Game 2”, which is already streaming on Netflix, had a star-studded cast of top Korean stars such as Gong Yoo, Wi Ha-joon, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, and Jo Yu-ri.

The series will return for a final third season this year.