Season 3 of Squid Game has officially landed on Netflix—and with it comes a chilling evolution of the show’s wealth-obsessed villains. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is now revealing that these characters were inspired, in part, by real-world tech billionaires like Elon Musk.
“Elon Musk is everywhere these days, right? Everybody talks about him,” Hwang told Time. “Not only is he the head of a huge tech company that controls the world almost, but he’s also this showman. After writing [Season 3], of course I thought, ‘Oh, some of the VIPs do kind of resemble Elon Musk.’”
Elon musk who inspired VIPs in S3
In the earlier seasons, the VIPs were masked elites—sinister spectators watching as desperate contestants died for sport. But in Season 3, Hwang takes the concept further: the VIPs step into the game themselves, directly participating in the violence they once paid to watch.
“They take their masks off and go into the game and kill others with their own hands,” he said.
This dramatic shift was deeply influenced by Hwang’s view of today’s political and economic climate, especially in the United States.
“In the past, the powerful stayed hidden, like part of an unseen conspiracy,” he explained. “But that’s no longer the case. Especially in America, it’s more of an oligarchy. Tech leaders now openly show their influence. They tell us who they support, how much they’re donating… They’re no longer behind the curtain—they’re standing in front of it.”
Season 3 doesn’t just heighten the drama; it sharpens the message. By having the elites physically enter the games, Hwang is commenting on how today’s wealthiest individuals aren’t hiding their dominance anymore—they’re performing it, boldly and publicly.
Squid game’s creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk
From social media antics to political endorsements, tech titans are no longer subtle about their power. In Squid Game, that same boldness turns violent.
With Season 3 now streaming, Squid Game has closed its final chapter by blurring the line between fiction and reality more than ever. It’s no longer just a dystopian story about survival games—it’s a reflection of a world where billionaires can influence systems, policies, and lives on a global scale.
In Hwang’s world, masks come off. And when they do, we’re forced to reckon with who’s really running the game.
