"Squid Game" Writer-Director Hwang Dong-hyuk Comments on Gun Safety on South Korean Sets in the Wake of "Rust" Tragedy
In a recent interview with Variety, "Squid Game" writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk commented upon how firearm safety on South Korean sets differed from American sets. And, the reason there's a difference may come as a surprise.
As Hollywood and filmmakers abroad grapple with the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the "Rust" set, the issue of firearm safety and the prop master role on set has become a hot topic in the media. When Variety asked Hwang about his views on handling guns on set, Hwang responded that while South Korean sets also had prop masters, the real guns and ammunition are almost never seen on set. The visionary Netflix hit maker said, "In my life, I have never seen a real bullet. I have only seen them in the movies."
Why might this be the case? In South Korea, the government has put in place strict gun control laws, with mostly the police having access to guns. This tight control over firearms means that real guns are seldom seen on film sets. This is the same reason cited by Hwang in his interview. This reminder that scenes with gun use can be shot entirely without functioning real guns is notable because as any "Squid Game" viewer can attest, there is plenty of gun use in the show. However, the fact that no real guns were used didn't make any of the violence less visceral or easier to watch. Perhaps Hwang's remarks can be a gentle reassurance to Hollywood that just because you can have access to real guns, you don't have to use them to maintain safety on set.
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