Netflix has added three movies made by Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk to its roster. Dong-hyuk is a South Korean filmmaker and screenwriter who started his career directing short films. In 2007, he made his feature film debut with My Father, a drama based on the true story of a Korean-American adoptee who served as a U.S. Army soldier. Dong-hyuk is praised for working on films that are deeply rooted in social themes and cultural issues.
Squid Game is the filmmaker's first foray into directing a series. The survival drama is about a competition where 456 contestants play a series of children's games with a deadly twist for the chance to win a huge cash prize. Squid Game has been praised for its shocking narrative, which is masterfully depicted in between thrilling scenes. Dong-hyuk has worked on the script since 2008, basing the story on his own financial struggles while growing up in Korea. Due to a lack of support from production companies, the series had been shelved until Netflix picked it up as part of their initiative to promote more international programming. Since its release last September 17, Squid Game has attracted 142 million views in just a few weeks. It is now the streaming giant's most-watched series to date.
Banking on Squid Game's phenomenal success, Netflix has confirmed it is adding three of Dong-hyuk's past feature films to its list of movies. These titles include Silenced, Miss Granny, and The Fortress. Each of the three films received critical and commercial acclaim in Korea and other parts of Asia, and will now be available to stream to viewers in the U.S. Check out Netflix's announcement below:
Silenced was one of the biggest movies in Korea when it was released in 2011. Based on real-life events, the film is a powerful story about a teacher fighting for his young deaf students who have been sexually abused. It stars Korean superstar Gong Yoo, who had a cameo appearance in Squid Game as The Salesman. Miss Granny is a 2014 fantasy drama about a 74-year-old woman who magically transforms into her 20-year-old self after having her picture taken at a photo studio. It's a warm tale of family, love, and self-discovery. Finally, The Fortress is a 2017 historical drama set in the 1600s during the Qing invasion in Korea.
Like many of Dong-hyuk's works, these three films are known for their visual appeal and social relevance. The addition of these titles will allow Squid Game fans to enjoy the director's past movies as they wait for Squid Game season 2. These films also shed light on Dong-hyuk's background and creative process as a filmmaker. Undoubtedly, Squid Game's popularity has given Dong-hyuk well-deserved international recognition and puts other international, non-English language films in the spotlight as well.
Source: Netflix