Hwang Dong-hyuk Says Squid Game 3 VIPs Resemble Elon Musk

Squid Game, the Netflix series, has come to an end with Season 3, and the final season premiered on June 27, 2025. Following the final season of Squid Game, its creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has opened up about the real-life similarities of his villains. He says that the VIP characters in the Squid Game now reflect the billionaires like Elon Musk, who “control the world almost”.

​Hwang Dong-hyuk stated in an interview with ‘Time’ that Elon Musk was everywhere these days and that everybody was talking about him. He remarked that not only was Musk the head of a huge tech company that almost controlled the world, but he was also a showman. After writing Season 3, he thought that some of the VIPs kind of resembled Elon Musk.

In the third season, the show’s billionaire spectators, called the VIPs, do more than watch; instead, they remove their beast-like masks and personally hunt down the contestants with advanced machine guns. The portrayal of ultra-rich individuals in the Squid Game reflects the creator’s frustration and anger with the unprecedented influence and enhanced visibility of real-world oligarchs.

Squid Game Season 3: VIPs, and Comparison with Elon Musk

Squid Game Season 3 is out now, and the recent comment of Hwang Dong-hyuk about Elon Musk has made headlines in the national media.

Warning! This section might contain spoilers for Squid Game Season 3; those who haven’t watched it yet, read at their own risk.

In the third and final season of Squid Game, the VIPs have more than a passive role, and they are not submissive anymore. They take an active role and shoot the contestants with machine guns. “They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” Hwang explained symbolically.

According to Hwang, in the past, those who controlled the system and maintained power were hidden behind the curtain, but currently, they are everywhere and not hidden behind the curtain. He stated all by emphasising America, and whom he indicates in his statement is Elon Musk.

​Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that in the past, those who truly controlled the system and maintained power were hidden behind the curtain, resembling a significant unseen conspiracy. However, he noted, this was no longer the case, particularly in America. He mentioned that there is considerable discussion about oligarchy these days, but the so-called big tech owners have stepped up, openly revealing who they support with their money. He asserted that the individuals who genuinely control power and the system no longer conceal themselves; instead, they willingly remove their masks, almost as if to declare that they are the ones running everything and are in control.

​Hwang noted that Elon Musk is everywhere these days and asked if that was right. He mentioned that everybody talks about him, stating that not only is Musk the head of a huge tech company and Trump’s top campaign donor, who almost controls the world, but he is also a showman. Hwang added that after writing Season 3, he thought that some of the VIPs kind of resemble Elon Musk.

The way ​Hwang connects his VIPs and Elon Musk is notable, and the clear impact and inspiration that real-world political polarization played in the Squid Game season 3 has also incited discussions and debates in society. The third season of Squid Game discusses and builds on the themes that critically analyze and scrutinize the people who hold power in society. As the series continues to gain more exposure and popularity, some discussions and conversations that spark an important ideological war in society are common. Hwang’s comparison between his VIPs and Elon Musk implies that people should always criticize the people who hold higher positions of power in society.