Squid Game 2 is causing a huge buzz, and it’s not just because of the intense game action – it's Gong Yoo’s unforgettable role as "Ddakji Man"!

Director Hwang Dong Hyuk has shared his praise for Gong Yoo’s powerful performance, even claiming that his presence on screen is so strong that it surpasses Lee Jung Jae's in some scenes!

On January 2, Director Hwang Dong Hyuk sat down for an interview about Squid Game 2 at a café in Seoul, and he couldn't stop talking about Gong Yoo’s role.

He explained that the character of "Ddakji Man" was so well-received by fans in Season 1, despite his brief appearance, that Hwang knew they had to dive deeper into his backstory in Season 2.

“I didn’t want to explain everything in detail about who he is and why he became the way he did, but I wanted to leave some clues for the viewers", Hwang shared. He revealed that from the start of the planning for Season 2, he had one goal: to make the first episode focus on Ddakji Man.

Hwang, who had worked with Gong Yoo before on The Crucible, explained that he was beyond impressed with the actor’s return to Squid Game as Ddakji Man.

“His energy on set was just incredible. We wanted his death scene to be really cool, and Gong Yoo gave it everything. I couldn’t believe how well he brought the character to life,” Hwang said.

The director also shared that Gong Yoo told him it was his first time playing a villain. But it wasn’t just any villain – it was a mysterious one, and Gong Yoo was determined to make the role unforgettable.

Hwang was so amazed by Gong Yoo’s performance that he said there were times when the actor’s presence almost overshadowed Lee Jung Jae, who plays the lead role of Gihun.

“There were hardly any NGs (No Good takes) with Gong Yoo. He nailed it in one or two takes, delivering performances with expressions and energy I didn’t expect. It was truly a defining moment in his career,” Hwang confessed. The director added that all the staff could feel the same way – they all knew they were witnessing something special.

Since Squid Game 2 was released on December 26, 2023, it has been breaking records. The show topped the global OTT ranking site FlixPatrol in 93 countries, becoming the first Netflix original series to achieve such a feat.

With Gong Yoo’s incredible performance and the continuation of the high-stakes drama, Squid Game 2 is proving to be just as unforgettable as the first season!

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Actress Gong Hyo Jin has made an eye-opening comment about the classic drama Boys Over Flowers, starring Lee Min Ho, revealing just how different things would be if it aired today. On January 6, Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin appeared together on the popular YouTube channel Chanhanhyeong Shindongyeop, where they got real about their roles and more.

During the episode, Lee Min Ho talked about their new drama Ask the Stars, mentioning that it has some wild elements. He joked, saying, "Our drama features sperm," explaining that the plot involves a chaebol family at risk of extinction because of deteriorating sperm. To save themselves, they go to space to fix it!

The hosts were clearly shocked, with Shin Dong Yeob calling it "innovative," but Gong Hyo Jin wasn’t done with the surprises. Hesitantly, she responded, "The reason we went to space was... what should I say..." before bluntly adding, "Sex." She explained that the drama covers topics like mating, childbirth, and sex, saying it all comes up very openly.

Then the conversation took an even more unexpected turn when Lee Min Ho talked about the huge wave of criticism he received for his role in Boys Over Flowers. He shared how his mini homepage was flooded with hateful comments after the first episode aired, especially because his character tortured Geum Jan Di. Lee Min Ho said, "Around 600,000 people came and cursed me out. But after the second episode, the hate turned into affection."

Gong Hyo Jin couldn't help but comment, "If it aired now, you'd be sued," to which Lee Min Ho humorously replied, "It wouldn’t even be a lawsuit, I wouldn’t even be able to appear on the broadcast."

The two actors also reminisced about the memes that still follow Lee Min Ho, including the infamous fire extinguisher incident. Lee Min Ho even admitted, "Looking at my hair back then, even I think I wasn't in my right mind. I went to the audition with that hair. I was desperate."

Of course, the fun didn’t stop there! The two actors joked about their YouTube viewership, with Lee Min Ho revealing, "Gong Hyo Jin is the one who really cares about those things. People think I would care, but I don’t. She’s the one who pays attention to that." Gong Hyo Jin playfully urged Lee Min Ho, "You should become a meme," causing everyone to laugh.

In a hilarious moment, Gong Hyo Jin even wondered aloud, "Should we just dance or something?" to which Shin Dong Yeob teased, "You two dancing would be so boring. Becoming a meme is way more fun," making everyone burst into laughter once again.

It’s clear that the dynamic between Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho is full of surprises and laughter, and their fans can’t get enough of it.

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