[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Film director Hwang Dong-hyuk commented on the possibility of producing a "Final" version of the global hit "Squid Game."

Director Hwang participated as a keynote speaker alongside broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo—a former news anchor—at the “2026 K Forum” held on the 9th at the Grand Ballroom of the Conrad Seoul in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
On that day, Jeon Hyun-moo said, “I’m such a ‘O-Game’ fan that I’d even want to make a cameo appearance. I’m also brimming with ideas for new stories,” and asked Director Hwang to produce a “Final Version” of “O-Game.” In response, Director Hwang laughed and replied, “I’ve run out of ideas. If you give me some ideas, I’ll think about it.”
Meanwhile, Ji Won-hee, who delivered a congratulatory speech at the forum alongside Cha Seung-won, also chimed in. Stepping up as a surprise questioner, she asked Director Hwang, “Director, please give me a chance to play a game in your next project.”
Director Hwang promised, “If Jeon Hyun-moo gives me a good idea, I’ll definitely cast Ha Ji-won and Cha Seung-won, even if it’s just as cameos.” Jeon Hyun-moo then suggested, “How about leaving out the narrative of Seong Gi-hoon (the protagonist of ‘O-Game’) and focusing instead on a game showdown between humans and artificial intelligence (AI)? It could offer insights into future society,” adding, “I have so many ideas,” and expressing his enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Director Hwang also mentioned “KO Club” (Killing Old People Club), which he is currently preparing as his next project. He explained, “It’s similar to ‘O-Game’ in some ways and completely different in others,” adding, “While it resembles ‘O-Game’ in that it’s a hybrid genre blending drama, action, and black comedy, it differs in that it deals with a story that unfolds entirely in the real world.”
He added, “While the starting point for writing ‘O-Game’ was a comic I used to read a lot, ‘KO Club’ was inspired by the writings of author Umberto Eco.”
“K Forum” is an event hosted by the entertainment and sports daily Ilgan Sports and the current affairs and economics weekly The Economist to reflect on the past and present of K-content and K-brands and to explore their future together. Now in its fourth year, this year’s event took “Play K” as its theme, emphasizing that for the influence of K-content and K-brands to expand beyond current levels, it is crucial to go beyond simply watching and listening—and instead encourage people to actively participate and enjoy them as “players.”