The Technique Used To Maximize Fear During “Squid Game’s” Glass Stepping Stone Game
With the second season of Squid Game officially confirmed by Netflix, the hype surrounding the award-winning show has begun again.
Netflix posted a short animated clip of the infamous doll from season one; in the doll’s eye was an illuminated “2,” signaling the announcement of the second season. Following the clip was a teaser of what’s to come from the show’s writer, director, and executive producer, Hwang Dong Hyuk.
Since the end of the first season, the show’s official social media pages have been actively sharing content. Most recently, a behind-the-scenes clip of the show’s glass stepping stone episode was released, detailing how they made the harrowing scenes even more intense.
In the episode, the players must cross a glass bridge by jumping onto glass panels. Two glass panels sit side-by-side, one is strong enough to hold the weight of the players, and one breaks upon impact. Making the wrong choice proves deadly for some of the unlucky characters.
Actress and model Jung Ho Yeon, who played Kang Sae Byeok, shared that just as it was scary for viewers, it was tense for the actors too.
The set for the bridge was about one meter above the ground, which is approximately 3.28 feet. The set where they filmed the characters falling through the bridge was about six meters high, or about 19.68 feet.
Production Designer, Chae Kyoung Sun, wanted to create a set that was unique and captivating. The team decided to model the large arena after the circus, where the spectators could admire and watch the games from afar.
The theme played into the suspense needed for the nail-biting scene. Cinematographer Lee Hyung Deok shared that to increase fear in viewers during the episode they filmed a lot of the shots from a distance and through the binoculars of the “VIPs,” who were the spectators during the games.
The set was also built to be functional, which was frightening for the cast as well.
Hwang Dong Hyuk also took inspiration from Las Vegas casinos while creating scenes for the show. In particular, he took note of the lack of windows and clocks in the casinos, as well as the common theme of fake indoor skies in Las Vegas. The fake indoor skies create a false sense of reality, which he drew on for the game sets. He wanted to create surroundings that would cause the players to focus more on the games, making it even more unsettling.
To see more of what went on behind the scenes to bring the scene to life, you can watch the full clip below!
