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Squid Game may be a fictional survival thriller, but for its creator, Hwang Dong Hyuk, the stakes have been very real. As anticipation builds for the release of Season 3 on June 27, 2025, the director has opened up about a deeply personal struggle—the physical toll the franchise has taken on him. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hwang revealed that the stress of production cost him more than just peace of mind: it cost him his teeth.
During the intense shoot for Seasons 2 and 3—filmed back-to-back—Hwang lost two additional teeth, on top of the eight teeth he had pulled out during Season 1’s production. “I thought it was going to be okay, but this time I had to pull out two more teeth as well,” he said candidly. “I haven’t put them back in yet. So I’m waiting for them.” It’s a jarring reminder of how deeply creators can become entangled in the worlds they build—physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
Despite having the overarching storyline for both seasons mapped out, filming them consecutively was an exhausting endeavor. “It was as if we were making one season,” he explained. “We tried as best as we could to bring in Season 3 as fast as possible… we had to shoot for around one year, so it was very physically demanding.” The compressed timeline and mounting pressure to match global expectations made the production feel like a survival game of its own.
Interestingly, Hwang’s dental issues echo what many health experts confirm: chronic stress can directly impact oral health. From bruxism (teeth grinding) to jaw clenching and gum disease, prolonged tension can accelerate tooth loss and cause long-term damage. Hwang’s story isn’t just a cautionary tale for overwork—it’s a mirror to how the entertainment industry often glorifies output over well-being.
Still, fans can expect a gripping payoff. Season 3 picks up with Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) and the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung Hun) as the games become even more morally twisted and high-stakes. With darker themes and deeper psychological layers promised, this season could be the most haunting yet.
But no matter how thrilling Squid Game becomes, it’s sobering to know it came at such a high cost to its creator—proving once again that sometimes, reality is just as brutal as fiction.