"Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that some of the Netflix show's characters, particularly its villains, “kind of resemble” Tesla CEO Elon Musk . Hwang stated that this resemblance occurred to him during the writing process. In a recent interview with Time magazine, Hwang discussed the masked VIPs in his popular Netflix series . The show depicts financially struggling individuals competing for a large cash prize and their survival, while a group of billionaires, known as VIPs, who observe the games from comfort and place bets on the outcomes.
What Squid Game creator said about Elon Musk and VIPs
In an interview with Time magazine, Dong-hyuk said: “Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right? Everybody talks about him. Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also this showman. After writing [Season 3], of course, I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk.”
These VIPs were introduced on Squid Game Season 1, Episode 7, which was also titled “V.I.P.S,” as a group of wealthy, English-speaking men who watch the final rounds of the Game in person. They are portrayed as careless and arrogant, placing bets on the lives of players for amusement. Pampered by the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and the Game’s staff, they treat the deadly contest like a spectator sport. The group is led by Oh Il-nam, a rich moneylender who secretly founded the Game. In a surprising twist, Oh Il-nam joins the competition himself as Player 001, concealing his identity while facing a terminal illness. Later, he confesses to Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) that he created the Game as a way to cope with boredom in his final days.
In the third and final season, the VIPs become more directly involved by disguising themselves as guards and carrying out the task of shooting the “eliminated” participants, rather than merely observing the games.
“They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” Dong-hyuk said, describing that it has a more symbolic meaning than simply being a technical detail.
“In the past, those who really controlled the system and maintained power, they were hidden behind the curtain, almost like this big unseen conspiracy. However, it's no longer the case, especially in America,” he added.
“We talk a lot about oligarchy these days, but these so-called big tech owners, they step up, telling everyone who they're backing with their money. The people who really control the power and the system, they no longer hide behind a curtain. They willingly take their masks off, almost as if to declare, ‘We're the ones running everything. We're the ones in control.’” Dong-hyuk continued.
What Squid Game creator said about Elon Musk and VIPs
In an interview with Time magazine, Dong-hyuk said: “Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right? Everybody talks about him. Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also this showman. After writing [Season 3], of course, I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk.”
These VIPs were introduced on Squid Game Season 1, Episode 7, which was also titled “V.I.P.S,” as a group of wealthy, English-speaking men who watch the final rounds of the Game in person. They are portrayed as careless and arrogant, placing bets on the lives of players for amusement. Pampered by the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and the Game’s staff, they treat the deadly contest like a spectator sport. The group is led by Oh Il-nam, a rich moneylender who secretly founded the Game. In a surprising twist, Oh Il-nam joins the competition himself as Player 001, concealing his identity while facing a terminal illness. Later, he confesses to Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) that he created the Game as a way to cope with boredom in his final days.
In the third and final season, the VIPs become more directly involved by disguising themselves as guards and carrying out the task of shooting the “eliminated” participants, rather than merely observing the games.
“They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” Dong-hyuk said, describing that it has a more symbolic meaning than simply being a technical detail.
“In the past, those who really controlled the system and maintained power, they were hidden behind the curtain, almost like this big unseen conspiracy. However, it's no longer the case, especially in America,” he added.
“We talk a lot about oligarchy these days, but these so-called big tech owners, they step up, telling everyone who they're backing with their money. The people who really control the power and the system, they no longer hide behind a curtain. They willingly take their masks off, almost as if to declare, ‘We're the ones running everything. We're the ones in control.’” Dong-hyuk continued.
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