Latest news with #HwangDonghyuk
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This True Crime Documentary Just Knocked Squid Game Off The Top Spot On Netflix UK
Following weeks at the top of Netflix UK, Squid Game season 3 has officially been toppled off the streamer's top spot for most popular show. The hit Korean drama returned for its third and final season on June 27, bringing creator-director Hwang Dong-hyuk's overnight phenomenon to an epic end. The dystopian thriller, which debuted in 2021, revolves around a secret contest in which 456 cash-strapped players compete in a series of children's games for a multimillion-dollar prize — however, the stakes are deadly. The final series culminated in a bloody conclusion to the games, while leaving the door open for potential spin-offs. However, at the time of writing, it's now slipped down to position number three. The question is… what two shows managed to best it? The new number one show in the UK on Netflix a new three-part docuseries which investigates the case of missing 23 year old Amy Bradley, who vanished on a Caribbean cruise with her family in March 1998. The twist-filled 3 documentary mystery explores the theories still surrounding the case over 20 years later – and her family's desperate search for the truth. You can watch a trailer for the new charttopping series below: Meanwhile, second place on Netflix UK's top shows has been taken by new original limited series Untamed. Starring Eric Bana as a federal agent, the show follows his character's exploration of lawless national park terrain to hunt for a woman's killer. However, his investigation into her murder unearths dark secrets within the park, including his own – OOOOOOOH. The mystery thriller also stars Sam Neill, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lily Santiago and Wilson Bethel – all six episodes began streaming July 17, and judging from its current second place position on Netflix, it's proven to be popular. Watch a trailer for Untamed below (and consider your next binge watch sorted): Related... Netflix Finally Gave Fans A Huge Stranger Things Season 5 Update — Here's What We Know Lena Dunham's New Netflix Show Is Not Girls – But It Is Drawn From Her Real Life Line Of Duty Creator's New Netflix Thriller Just Cast This Oscar Winner – And We're Even More Excited
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Squid Game' and Diego Luna are the year's biggest Emmy snubs: Poll
Hell hath no fury like a TV fan scorned. Following the announcement of the 2025 Emmy nominations, Gold Derby users were outraged that several top contenders failed to hear their names called. Nearly half of the people we polled said that Squid Game was the biggest snub, having received zero bids for Season 2 after winning six trophies for Season 1 in 2022. More from Gold Derby Snubbed by Oscars, redeemed by Emmys: How eligibility rules revived 'Super/Man,' 'I Am: Celine Dion,' and 'Will & Harper' Instant Emmy prediction data shows 'The Studio' and 'Severance' out to early leads, with 'Hacks' and 'The Pitt' lurking Among the list of snubbed Squid Game actors: Lee Jung-jae, who won the last time he was eligible for playing Seong Gi-hun (Player 456); Choi Seung-hyun as the villainous Thanos (Player 230); Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man; Park Sung-hoon as trans contestant Cho Hyun-ju (Player 120); Kang Ae-shim as protective mother Jang Geum-ja (Player 149); Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul, the North Korean defector who's now a pink-clad soldier; and Gong Yoo as the Recruiter on the outside. Showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk was overlooked for producing, writing, and directing Season 2 — he received all three noms for Season 1 and won the directing prize. And none of the below-the-line crafts from Squid Game earned any love, either. (Note: the third and final season dropped in June, so it will be eligible at the 2026 Emmys.) Other contenders who received support in our snap poll were Diego Luna for Andor, Patrick Schwarzenegger for The White Lotus, Elisabeth Moss for The Handmaid's Tale, and Selena Gomez for Only Murders in the Building. Finally, there's Yellowjackets, which received a combined 10 nominations for its first two seasons, but came away empty-handed for Season 3. 'The campaign for the show was basically posters and a late fyc virtua, event, it seems hulu was low on the budget for only two fields drama and limited. They just left the sag ensemble win carry the campaign, like that helped OINTB in the past ' MGMKELLY in the topic: Emmys 2025 Nominee ReactionsJuly 15, 2025 at 6:18 pm Poll results: What's the biggest Emmy snub? 49 percent: Squid Game 17 percent: Diego Luna 12 percent: Patrick Schwarzenegger 11 percent: Elisabeth Moss 8 percent: Selena Gomez 3 percent: Yellowjackets The good news for Luna and Gomez is that they are still nominated as producers this year, since Andor and Only Murders in the Building received bids for Best Drama Series and Best Comedy Series, respectively. Andor's second season earned 14 total nominations overall, up from eight in Season 1. Meanwhile, Only Murders' fourth season garnered a series-low seven nominations, down from 21 for Season 3, 11 for Season 2, and 17 for Season 1. Even without Schwarzenegger, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan failing to make the final ballot,The White Lotus pulled in 23 nominations for Season 3, the same as in Season 2, and up from 20 in Season 1. Eight of their costars — Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Sam Rockwell, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Aimee Lou Wood, and Scott Glenn — did make the cut with Emmy voters, and will be scheduling their next vacation for Los Angeles on Sept. 14. 'Not Sam Rockwell over Patrick Schwarzenegger ' AmnistY21 in the topic: Emmys 2025 Nominee ReactionsJuly 15, 2025 at 10:18 am The Handmaid's Tale and Yellowjackets both disappointed with their respective sixth and third seasons. The former show sailed off into the sunset with just a sole bid for guest actress Cherry Jones, who won in 2019 for playing Holly, the mother of Moss' June. Moss may have been robbed for the final season, but she still has two Emmys keeping her company for producing and starring in the debut season of The Handmaid's Tale in 2017. Best of Gold Derby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2, including the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's Dr. Collins Everything to know about 'Too Much,' Lena Dunham's Netflix TV show starring Megan Stalter that's kinda, sorta 'based on a true story' Cristin Milioti, Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Williams, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actress interviews Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
Geek Vibes Nation
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Squid Game' Season 3 Review: A Short, Bitter Farewell To A Pop Culture Giant
When Squid Game first premiered in 2021, it took over the internet. While the idea of the show wasn't anything unique – movies like Battle Royale and the Hunger Games franchise have similar concepts – it succeeded in its delivery in a way other stories hadn't. You couldn't go to a single convention or Halloween party that year without seeing green tracksuits and masked guards. Even Mr. Beast got on the trend! Squid Game' Season 3 is a brief, emotional finale that closes the chapter on one of the biggest pop culture sensations of the decade. At just six episodes, Season 3 is noticeably shorter than its predecessors—Season 1 ran nine episodes, and Season 2 spanned seven. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk previously stated that these episodes were supposed to be one season, but were split into a 2nd and 3rd season due to the episode count (source). This is why season 3 really doesn't feel like season 3 – it takes place literally right after season 2. And because there's only 6 episodes, it feels like there was a lot that wasn't fleshed out, or moments that weren't given room to breathe. Despite its narrative shortcomings, the cast once again delivers outstanding work. Lee Jung-jae returns as Gi-hun, bringing a raw, haunted intensity that makes his tragic arc land even when the writing stumbles. Newer players like Park Sung-hoon and Jo Yu-ri shine in morally gray roles, illustrating how quickly compassion erodes in the face of survival. Well, you should have ended it at season 1. Just like Netflix's Queen's Gambit, season one of Squid Game was perfect and could have lived as a singular season. It told the story it needed to and it ended wonderfully – adding Gi-hun at the airport at the end was certainly not necessary, but even if that scene remained, you could have left the rest to the viewer's imagination. Season one forced viewers to reconsider the cost of economic disparity and the twisted games the system plays on ordinary people. Season 3 simply felt like the very greed and capitalism that season 1 criticized. It shouldn't be understand how season three does dilute this brilliant masterpiece. Granted, season 2 was enjoyable and at that point, you needed more to really tie things up. In my season two review, I praised the second season for complimenting the intensity of season 1. It's something I stand by today. However, after looking at season 3 and how it ends, especially with what it promises; I'm left wishing it ended with season 1. Gi-hun's arc concludes in a moment of grim self-sacrifice, destroying the game from within rather than surviving it one more time. It's a harrowing end that speaks to the show's inherent cynicism—a worldview that insists some systems are too corrupt to fix from the inside. But Netflix is not quite done. As mentioned earlier, it looks like the show is going for the MCU effect in building up their world – something that it feels like their show is criticizing. It's been teased in the past that we're getting an American version, but I also didn't believe it until Cate Blanchett showed up. Do we really need this? Oh, Hollywood, how you never fail to absolutely squeeze every last drop you can out of a previously perfectly devised story. This review has felt more negative than originally intended. In the end, Squid Game is a great show. Personally, I love this show, and we cannot deny the cultural significance that season one had. Gi-hun is the standout in season three and it should be applauded that the show really leans into darker themes this season, and in the end, is bold in where they took Gi-hun's story. And while we don't know if the American version will hit the same way as the South Korean version (guarantee it won't), we'll still look upon the work the writers and actors did in bringing us Squid Game, and I don't think anyone will look at any of these beloved childhood games the same way again.
Geek Tyrant
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
The Creator of SQUID GAME Lost 10 Teeth While Shooting The Series; and He Hasn't "Put Them Back in Yet" — GeekTyrant
Squid Game series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk recently revealed that the production of the series has taken a physical toll on him as he lost a lot of freakin' teeth! While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Hwang talked about shooting Season 3 and confessed: 'I thought it was going to be okay, but this time I had to pull out two more teeth as well. I had to pull out about eight teeth in season 1, and now I have two teeth more out, and I haven't put them back in yet. So I'm waiting for them.' That's a total of ten teeth sacrificed at the altar of deadly children's games, existential dread, and masked game masters. What the hell!? Was he so streessed out that his teeth were just falling out of his head! This is a nightmare that I have, for real! While most people lose sleep over work stress, Hwang seems to lose molars. I guess this shows just how much pressure he's under to deliver a finale worthy of the cultural juggernaut he created. Season 3 will bring the mainline series to a close, but Hwang's not ruling out the possibility of a spin-off. He explained: 'If I make [a] spin-off, it will be a story happening between season 1 and 2. There [was] a three years gap between season 1 and 2. So, I want to show what they did for those times.' As for what lies ahead, Netflix's official synopsis reads: 'Gi-hun, a.k.a. Player 456, [is] at his lowest point yet. But the Squid Game stops for no one, so Gi-hun will be forced to make some important choices in the face of overwhelming despair as he and the surviving players are thrust into deadlier games that test everyone's resolve.' And if that's not enough to rattle you, series star Lee Jung-jae warned fans at Netflix Tudum 2025 that the new season will 'shock the world one last time.' Squid Game Season 3 hits Netflix on June 27. Here's hoping Hwang gets some well-earned rest… and a good dentist.
CNET
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Squid Game Creator Unveils Scrapped Ending Fans Are Calling Better Than the Original
Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has revealed that season 3 almost had an enormously different ending -- an ending that might have gone over better with fans who are still divided over how the hit series wrapped. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hwang said he originally wrote an ending where Player 456, Seong Gi-hun, leaves the deadly games behind for good. That's a huge contrast to the version that actually aired, in which Gi-hun sacrifices his life in the end for the new Player 222. Hwang shared that his original plan for the Netflix series was far more hopeful. Gi-hun, the show's main character, would have ended the game, left alive and reunited with his daughter in the US. "In the beginning, I had a vague idea about how I would end the story. And back then, it was having Gi-hun end the game, in one way or another, and leave alive and go see his daughter in America," Hwang said. "So originally, I thought the person who witnesses the American recruiter woman would be Gi-hun." But over time, Hwang said the story evolved as he reflected on current events and the show's larger message. "I was witnessing more and more what was happening around the world," he said, and ultimately decided that Gi-hun's sacrifice should carry a heavier meaning. "I thought it was more fitting for Gi-hun to send this powerful and impactful message to the world," Hwang explained, adding that the darker ending was meant to reflect the urgent sacrifices needed in today's world to secure a better future. Read also: How to Watch Squid Game Season 3 on Netflix Audience reactions to the season 3 finale It's a choice that didn't sit well with a big chunk of the Squid Game fanbase. Some felt the final twist betrayed Gi-hun's character arc, especially after he spent two seasons suffering immense trauma and appearing to prioritize his family's safety. Others found it too bleak and open-ended, sparking passionate discussions -- and plenty of memes -- online. This isn't the first time a Squid Game finale has stirred controversy. When Season 1 premiered in 2021, the series became a global phenomenon almost overnight, smashing Netflix records and turning its bleak social commentary into must-watch television. But even then, the final episodes left fans divided. Now, Hwang's ending is fueling speculation about whether the show's final season will actually set up for a US spin-off show. Talk of a possible US spin-off Hwang emphasized that Cate Blanchett's surprise cameo as an American recruiter in the Los Angeles finale wasn't meant to set up a future spin-off, but rather to underline a broader thematic point. He clarified to The Hollywood Reporter that he "didn't end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen," explaining that the storyline for Gi‑hun and the Front Man in Korea truly came to a close. He said that the American recruiter scene was crafted to symbolize the enduring nature of capitalist systems. That said, Hwang acknowledged rumors of a David Fincher–linked American version and said he'd watch it if it was made, but as of now, there's no official confirmation from Netflix. Season 3 smashes Netflix records Despite flak for the finale, the final season of Squid Game shattered launch records across the globe. The season garnered 60.1 million views in just three days, making it Netflix's biggest-ever TV series debut on the platform. That translates to 368.4 million hours watched over the same 72-hour span. The show became the ninth most-watched non‑English Netflix season of all time, while seasons 1 and 2 remain in the top two slots. Also, season 3 debuted at No. 1 in all 93 countries that report Netflix Top 10 metrics, which is an unprecedented feat. Read more: Netflix Review: Our Top Pick in a Sea of Streaming Choices
