Squid Game S02 - Jo Yu-ri [Player 222 / Kim Jun-hee] & Yim Si-wan [Player 333 / Lee Myung-gi]

Summary

In this interview, the cast members discuss their experience joining the intense survival game featured in the series, where every moment could be life-threatening. They reflect on their characters, such as Chuni, who joins the game after losing money due to a failed financial investment, and Mongi, a former YouTuber involved in a cryptocurrency scam. The director’s approach to the characters is revealed, emphasizing their complexity and ambiguity, with no clear distinction between good and evil. The cast also shares the challenges of keeping the secrets of the highly anticipated season while ensuring a thrilling experience for viewers.

Takeaways

• 😀 The actors express the intense tension they felt while filming, mirroring the stakes of the deadly game they portray.
• 😀 One actor reveals how difficult it was to stay still during the 'Green Light, Red Light' game, highlighting the pressure of the situation.
• 😀 Chuni, one of the characters, joins the game after losing money due to bad financial advice from her ex-boyfriend, Mongi.
• 😀 Mongi, a former YouTuber, became a fugitive after promoting a cryptocurrency scam that caused substantial financial losses.
• 😀 Mongi's character is morally ambiguous, as the director emphasized that he can't be strictly categorized as good or evil.
• 😀 The actors had to carefully balance revealing details about their characters without spoiling the plot for viewers.
• 😀 Filming Season 2 and 3 simultaneously added extra pressure on the actors to keep plot details under wraps.
• 😀 The director's approach to character development encouraged understanding each character as a complex human being with both good and bad traits.
• 😀 The actors believe that the best way to experience the show is without prior knowledge of the plot twists.
• 😀 The actors and crew worked together to protect the story from spoilers, prioritizing the audience's surprise and enjoyment.
• 😀 Despite the serious themes, the actors are excited to see how viewers will react to the unfolding storylines.

Q & A

What was the initial impression of the game in the script, and how did the actor's perspective change?

Initially, the actor thought the game might be easy, particularly the 'green light, red light' game, since it seemed like all one had to do was stand still. However, they quickly realized that staying completely still was incredibly difficult, which made them question if they would survive if they were actually playing the game.

What motivated the character Chuni to join the deadly game?

Chuni joined the game because she had lost a lot of money due to incorrect financial advice from her ex-boyfriend, Mongi. This financial loss was the driving force behind her decision to participate in the game.

Can you explain a key personal characteristic of Chuni in the game?

One distinctive feature of Chuni's character is that she is pregnant, which adds a unique layer to her motivation and story in the game.

What happened to Mongi's character and why did he become a fugitive?

Mongi, a former YouTuber who provided financial advice, got involved in a cryptocurrency scam. As a result, he lost a significant amount of money and caused major financial losses for his subscribers, making him a fugitive.

What perspective did the director have on Mongi's character?

The director described Mongi's character as someone who can't be clearly defined as either good or evil. Mongi has both positive and negative traits, reflecting the complexity of a typical human being.

How did the shooting process for seasons 2 and 3 impact the actors in terms of secrecy?

While shooting seasons 2 and 3 simultaneously, the actors found it important to keep secrets about the plot. The director and cast worked hard to maintain confidentiality to protect the surprises for the audience, emphasizing the enjoyment of watching the show without knowing any spoilers.

Why did the actors think it was important to keep the plot a secret?

The actors believed that the experience of watching the show without prior knowledge of the plot is the most enjoyable for the audience. Keeping secrets was seen as a way to enhance the overall viewing experience.

What role did the director play in maintaining secrecy on set?

The director played a crucial role in ensuring that all actors and crew members adhered to the secrecy surrounding the show. They worked together to protect the plot and surprise elements for the audience.

What was the primary reason for the actors' commitment to keeping the plot under wraps?

The actors were committed to maintaining secrecy because they recognized the importance of providing the audience with an unspoiled, authentic viewing experience. They understood that revealing plot details too early would lessen the impact of the story.

How did the tension on set mirror the tension in the game itself?

The actor described feeling as though they were in a real-life survival game, with high tension on set. This sense of tension reflected the nature of the game in the story, where every moment could be life or death, and the pressure to survive was palpable.