“Squid Game” Director Denies Korean Viewers Who Called Out The Show For Being Misogynistic

While Squid Game is quickly becoming one of Netflix‘s largest titles, it is not exempt from critique. In fact, many Korean viewers have been calling out the show for misogyny. According to Korean viewers, the show has portrayed women in a misogynistic light. The director, Hwang Dong Hyuk has denied the accusations.

In particular, with regards to the character of Han Minyeo, viewers found it misogynistic as she had used sex to survive as well as to gain monetary means by winning the show. In the show, she uses sex to cosy up to the gangster boss in order to come under his protection. Not only that, the painted figures in the VIP room were also exclusively female and were used as decoration, which many viewed as an objectification of women.

Han Minyeo in “Squid Game”. | Netflix

With regards to that, the director Hwang Dong Hyuk explained that the character of Han Minyeo showed that she was someone that would do anything in such an extreme situation. He simply thought that it was a portrayal of human behavior and survival instincts in the worst situation ever. On the other hand, he defended that not all the painted figures were female.

It was to show the actions of someone that can do anything (to survive) in an extreme situation. I thought that it was an action that a human would do when placed in the worst situation. [With regards to the painted figures] I thought that it was a show of those with power and just how far they would belittle other humans. Not all the painted figures were female. Every VIP would have had a female and a male next to them like a figure. It’s not accurate to say that it is an objectification of women. I used body painting to show how the VIPs objectify humans.

— Hwang Dong Hyuk

The painted figures in the back. | Netflix

With the sensitive global situation surrounding sexism and objectification of women, it was inevitable that Hwang Dong Hyuk stepped up to clarify his intentions.