Since its debut in 2021, “Squid Game” has fundamentally shifted the landscape of global television. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s dystopian series captivated audiences with its sharp social commentary and devastating character arcs, while establishing a distinct visual and sonic identity that left an indelible mark on pop culture. Composer Jung Jae-il was instrumental in crafting that identity, and with Season 2 now behind us and Season 3 on the horizon, his score remains one of the show’s most defining and emotionally resonant elements.
“It was not my original intention that it would become this global success,” Jung tells Awards Focus. “Initially, there were ideas to go for a more serious score, but that’s not the direction Director Hwang wanted. His taste leans toward the unique and bizarre, and I think that played a large part in making the music iconic.”
From the opening chords of “Pink Soldiers” to the haunting fusion of baroque classical music and violent imagery, Jung’s compositions became synonymous with “Squid Game.” It’s impossible to think of the first season without recalling the chilling motif that underscored the “Red Light, Green Light” massacre—an iconic piece destined to haunt Halloween playlists for years to come. But Jung’s score has always gone far beyond shock value. It walks a delicate line between innocence and menace, whimsy and dread, building a musical landscape as surreal and layered as the series itself.
In Season 2, his music evolved to reflect the series’ broader canvas and more introspective themes. “The biggest difference is that Season 2 has so many more characters, each with their own storyline,” Jung explains. “Another key change is that Gi-hun, contestant 456, is a completely different person in Season 2. I wanted to highlight his transformation, his more solemn and darker mindset entering the second round of the games.”
While Season 1 was centered on survival, the second season delves into power, guilt, and resistance—especially through Gi-hun, whose journey from desperate contestant to haunted avenger is mirrored in the score’s tonal shift. Jung reimagines themes like “Way Back Then” and “Unfolded,” reshaping them into more solemn, emotionally charged variations that chart Gi-hun’s evolution.
One of the standout pieces from Season 2 is “Vote I,” a lyrical piano-driven ballad that accompanies one of the show’s most emotionally complex moments. With its quiet restraint and swelling melancholy, the piece captures the fragile tension between hope and despair. For this writer, it may be Jung’s most delicate and humanizing composition in the series to date.
Jung’s instincts as a composer have always leaned into the unexpected. In Season 1, he incorporated children’s instruments like recorders, castanets, and melodeons—played slightly out of sync to create a dissonant echo of innocent games turned deadly. That uncanny blend of playfulness and horror became a hallmark of the show’s sonic signature. With director Hwang’s encouragement to embrace the bizarre, Jung pushed further in Season 2, drawing from circus waltzes, spaghetti westerns, and more abstract textures.
Jung was also a featured performer at the “FYC: Squid Game” concert at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, where he shared the stage with acclaimed composers like Gustavo Santaolalla. Ever modest, Jung called himself “a tiny shrimp” among giants, but the audience’s response suggested otherwise.
Jung spoke with Awards Focus about his musical approach to “Squid Game” Season 2, how he reworked iconic motifs for a darker emotional journey, and why imperfection remains a powerful tool in his sonic palette.
Awards Focus: “Squid Game” has become a global phenomenon, and the music is a big part of that. It’s rare for a television show to have a sound that’s instantly recognizable. What has it been like for you to have your work become such an iconic part of global culture?
Jung Jae-il: Of course, it was not my original intention that it would become this global success, so I was a bit startled when it became so recognizable. Initially, there were ideas to go for a more serious score, but that’s not the direction Director Hwang wanted. His taste leans toward the unique and bizarre, and I think that played a large part in making the music iconic.
AF: The instrumentation is so varied—children’s game whistles, electronic guitar, rock motifs. What are some of the more unusual instruments you used in “Squid Game” that you hadn’t worked with before?
Jung: There were instruments I used for the first time, like the recorder, castanets, and melodeon. These are instruments children often learn at school because they’re more approachable. Since the show uses children’s games as its core, I thought these instruments were appropriate. I was also interested in how kids aren’t always precise when they play them, if they’re off-rhythm or slightly out of tune, it creates tension, which worked well for the show.
AF: A lot of the music accompanying the games has a whimsical, almost amusement park or circus feel—even though the stakes are deadly. How did you and Director Hwang strike that tonal balance?
Jung: I focused on creating a strong sense of contrast. I believe every tragedy has elements of humor. Director Hwang didn’t give super detailed notes, but I brought him these ideas. For instance, in some of the bloodiest and most tragic scenes, you’ll hear music like “It’s Time to Say Goodbye.” I think that contrast makes the tragedy more affecting.
AF: Did your approach to scoring evolve from Season 1 to Season 2?
Jung: The biggest difference is that Season 2 has so many more characters, each with their own storyline. I tried to shed light on all these different stories. Another key change is that Gi-hun, contestant 456, is a completely different person in Season 2. I wanted to highlight his transformation, his more solemn and darker mindset entering the second round of the games.
AF: Some characters have their own motif or sound. Can you talk about that? And specifically for Gi-hun—how did you musically represent his evolution?
Jung: Episode 5, which features the six-legged race, was a good place to explore character motifs. The players are fragile, but working together. I used elements of spaghetti Westerns in that scene. As for Gi-hun, there are two main pieces associated with him: “Way Back Then” and “Unfolded.” “Way Back Then” plays at the beginning of the first episode, and “Unfolded” at the end of the finale. In Season 2, I combined the two to reflect his evolution into a more solemn character.
AF: Looking back at the start of your career—what were some of your earliest musical influences? Do you remember the first piece of music that made you realize what film or TV scoring could achieve?
Jung: One piece that really impacted me was from Andrei Tarkovsky’s film “The Sacrifice.” It wasn’t part of the score, but the music melted into the atmosphere of the opening and ending scenes. That left a deep impression on me.
AF: One of my favorite tracks from Season 2 is “Vote I” It plays in a scene that feels emotionally hopeful—at least in the moment. What mood were you trying to express in that cue?
Jung: “Vote I” plays during all the voting scenes in the series. In particular, it’s used when 001 is revealed to be in contrast with Gi-hun. I wanted the audience to wonder if Gi-hun would succeed in his mission to end the games. The piece had to convey mystery, hope, fear, and tragedy all at once. I love the piano, so I recorded multiple layers of it, almost like an orchestra made entirely of piano.
AF: My editor was at Royce Hall where you performed and sent me a video of your performance. What was it like to play for an audience of your peers and fellow composers?
Jung: I’m just a tiny shrimp compared to the great masters who were there. It was a huge honor. I even got to meet Gustavo Santaolalla, someone I really admire, and say hello to him. That was very special.
AF: Final question—if you were a contestant in the game, either Season 1 or 2, which challenge do you think you’d survive the longest?
Jung: To be honest, I’m very slow and don’t have good reflexes or athletic ability, so I think I’d get killed during the first game—Red Light, Green Light.
AF: Very fair! Thank you so much for your time today—and best of luck with the rest of awards season.
Jung: Thank you for having me.