Netflix confirmed earlier this month that the wildly common Korean collection Squid Sport was the streaming service's largest present ever... however that did not make collection creator/author/director Hwang Dong-hyuk any richer.
The collection, which follows a gaggle of randomly-selected debt-riddled strangers picked to compete in lethal video games for a shot at an enormous prize, was watched by a report 111 million subscribers, simply beating Bridgerton as the largest Netflix present.
Hwang, 50, who wrote and directed all 9 episodes of Squid Sport, was requested in an interview with The Guardian if he is now as wealthy as the sport's successful contestant, which he laughed off, revealing Netflix hasn't given him any form of bonus.
'I'm not that wealthy. However I do have sufficient. I've sufficient to place meals on the desk. And it's not like Netflix is paying me a bonus. Netflix paid me in keeping with the unique contract,' Hwang mentioned.
Leaked paperwork revealed that the present price 15.5 million kilos ($21.28 million) to provide, which comes out to 1.75 million kilos ($2.4 million) per episode.
Netflix now estimates that over 142 million subscribers have watched the present, with the present answerable for 4.4 million new subscribers, and the present itself believed to be valued at 650 million kilos ($892.2 million) to Netflix as an entire.
Hwang additionally revealed that writing and directing each episode was such a worrying ordeal that he even misplaced six tooth throughout manufacturing.
'It was bodily, mentally and emotionally draining. I saved having new concepts and revising the episodes as we have been filming so the quantity of labor multiplied,' Hwang mentioned.
He additionally revealed that the unique collection was impressed by his family's monetary hardship, following the 2009 world financial collapse.
'I used to be very financially straitened as a result of my mom retired from the corporate she was working for,' Hwang mentioned.
He added he was engaged on a movie however didn't get financing, 'So I couldn't work for a few yr. We needed to take out loans - my mom, myself and my grandmother.'
Throughout this low level he took solace in Seoul's comedian guide cafes, the place he learn classics like Battle Royal and Liar Sport.
'I associated to the individuals in them, who have been determined for cash and success. That was a low level in my life,' Hwang mentioned.
'If there was a survival recreation like these in actuality, I puzzled, would I be part of it to make cash for my household? I spotted that, since I used to be a film-maker, I may put my very own contact to those sorts of tales so I began on the script,' he added.
Squid Sport was launched on September 17, with Hwang revealing the purpose was to be the #1 TV present on Netflix... for simply sooner or later.
'But it surely ended up being rather more profitable, essentially the most watched present on Netflix ever,' he mentioned.
'It's very shocking. It reveals that the worldwide viewers is resonating with the message I needed to replicate,' Hwang added.
Hwang added there was 'discuss' of a second season, although he is undecided but if it'll occur.
'After all there's discuss. That's inevitable as a result of it's been so successful. I'm contemplating it,' he mentioned.
Nonetheless... even when a sequel does occur, it will not be coming anytime quickly, since he has different issues he desires to work on.
'I've a really high-level image in my thoughts, however I'm not going to work on it right away. There's a movie I actually wish to make. I'm fascinated about which to do first. I'm going to speak to Netflix,' he mentioned.
