Squid Game Creator: Billionaires Like Elon Musk Are Models for Modern Villains
Hwang Dong-hyuk, creator of Netflix’s hit series Squid Game, says the wealthy villains in season 3 of the series, often referred to as “VIPs,” are no longer just abstract symbols of an invisible elite. Instead, they increasingly reflect prominent real-life billionaires like Elon Musk, who Hwang says “almost controls the world.”
Speaking in an interview with TIME magazine, Hwang noted that the growing influence of the super-rich has become too obvious to ignore. “Elon Musk is everywhere. He not only runs big tech companies, but he is also a cultural icon,” he said. “After finishing the script for season 3, I suddenly thought, some VIPs are really like Elon Musk.”
Part 3, released on June 27, is the final chapter in the series that broke Netflix’s global viewership record. In this installment, the VIPs are no longer just bystanders, hiding behind animal masks as before. Instead, they wear pink uniforms and directly participate in hunting and killing players, a move that symbolizes that power no longer needs to be hidden.
Hwang said he was inspired not only by the increasingly clear divide between rich and poor, but also by the public appearance of the elite class who previously operated the system in the shadows, now willing to show their power openly. “The people who really run the system are no longer hiding. They are willing to take off their masks and say, ‘We are the ones who run everything.’”
Hwang's statement comes as Elon Musk's net worth reaches a record high of more than $409 billion, which is higher than the GDP of dozens of countries like Malaysia or Denmark. Musk's presence and influence extend far beyond the technology sector. He recently resigned from his position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was created by the Trump administration to cut government spending, but has faced fierce criticism for his controversial humanitarian and budget-saving policies.
After leaving DOGE, Musk continued to be the focus of the media when he publicly criticized the US government for its $2.4 trillion spending package, calling it an "economic disaster".
Not only Elon Musk, other billionaires also continue to attract attention for their lavish lifestyles. Jeff Bezos' $46 million wedding in Venice, which took place just before the release of Squid Game 3, is a clear example of class distinction. The event reportedly required 90 private jets to bring VIPs to the event.
In addition to the theme of wealth and power concentration, Hwang said that season 3 will also explore other social issues such as political polarization and instability in democracies. He cited former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s recent controversial declaration of martial law as part of the motivation for the series.
Hwang stressed that Squid Game is not simply an entertainment product, but a realistic and intense reflection of a world where power is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small group and that group is now unafraid to flaunt their power in public. In such a world, the question is no longer “who is in control?” but “why do they no longer need to hide?”