Ahead of the premiere of the third and final season of Squid Game, I chat with the show’s composer, Jung Jae-Il (Parasite, Mickey 17). Obviously Jae-Il and I spend much of the conversation talking about Squid Game, including the palette, the differences in score and approach between the seasons (due to different games and loads of character deaths), and the closure that season 3 brings. Along the way we cover things like 90s British death metal, the piano as his natural language, the social themes of the projects he scores, and plenty more.
I’ve been a big fan of Jae-Il’s since first hearing his score for Parasite, which ended up being among the first film score reviews I wrote (back when I was writing much more often…). Although he seems most comfortable leaning into piano based or classical music, Squid Game really lets him flex his skills across a variety of genres and styles, and this is even more prevalent in season 2 (like drone, haunting children’s music, and pseudo anime pump up rock tracks). Somehow, it all manages to coalesce and work together. Looking forward to hearing what season 3 has in store.
Season 3 of Squid Game premieres on Netflix on June 27, and Jae-Il’s score is forthcoming. However, much of Jae-Il’s other music, including scores and solo work, is available physically and on all major platforms.
We also used a translator here (although Jae-Il’s English is very good), whose voice you will hear throughout the interview. I always think that translating on the fly has to be a tough endeavor for any occasion. But when it’s about such a niche topic like this? Forget about it.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Enjoying these interviews? Show the love by subscribing and leaving a rating or review!
About Squid Game (Season 2)
“Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 remains determined to find the people behind the game and put an end to their vicious sport. Using this fortune to fund his search, Gi-hun starts with the most obvious of places: look for the man in a sharp suit playing ddakji in the subway. But when his efforts finally yield results, the path toward taking down the organization proves to be deadlier than he imagined: to end the game, he needs to re-enter it. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who made history at the 74th Primetime Emmys becoming the first Asian to win Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, once again helms the series as director, writer, and producer. Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo reprise their roles from Season 1 with an impeccable list of new cast members including Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, Jo Yu-ri, and Won Ji-an rounding out the ensemble of colorful characters in the new season.”
