Dodge College gives ‘Squid Game’ Master Class the green light
Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator, director and screenwriter of Netflix’s “Squid Game” plans to visit Dodge College Feb. 28 with four of the series’ stars for the first live Master Class of the spring semester. Wiki Commons
UPDATED: Jan. 31, 6:37 p.m. PT
When Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator, director and screenwriter of Netflix’s “Squid Game,” first conceived the idea for a survival thriller in 2008, he did not anticipate the project would reach international audiences. But within the first 28 days of the series’ September 2021 release, “Squid Game” generated over 1.6 billion hours of viewing as the whole world tuned in for their daily dose of neon pink jumpsuits and grizzly violence.
Now, the South Korean television series has been propelled to global acclaim and is up for four categories at the Feb. 27 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, making it the first non-English series to be nominated for a SAG award. While the cast and crew are in town for the event, they plan on stopping by Chapman University the day after (Feb. 28) at 7:00 p.m. for the first live Master Class of the semester.
“We have been working on this for weeks to land (what has been) the single biggest phenomenon in the entertainment business for the last year,” said Stephen Galloway, dean of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. “It’s an extraordinary achievement, and it’s reflective of the growing stature of Chapman University. But it also is emblematic of what we at Dodge are trying to do, which is to emphasize what a global industry this has become.”
Hwang will be joined on the Folino Theater stage by “Squid Game” stars Lee Jung-jae (Seong Gi-hun), HoYeon Jung (Kang Sae-byeok), Park Hae-soo (Cho Sang-woo) and Kim Joo-ryoung (Han Mi-nyeo) to discuss the making of the series alongside interpreters after a screening of episode six, titled “Gganbu.” Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s vice president of global television will introduce the panel, who Galloway praised as Hollywood’s “top female executive.”
There’s just one problem: the Folino Theater holds a maximum occupancy of 471 guests. But with approximately 1,600 students comprising Dodge College, securing tickets might just be scarier than a game of “Red Light, Green Light.”
Galloway explained it’s likely Chapman Ticketing Services will offer event admission to students using a lottery system due to the expected high turnout, though he was unable to confirm the date when tickets will be available for reservation. Typically, Dodge College sends an email announcement to students about tickets for a Master Class a week before the event, according to Matt Mazur, Dodge College’s communications and external relations manager.
“At the beginning of every semester, we thoughtfully consider what is happening in the entertainment industry, who is being nominated for awards, who is breaking through,” said Matt Mazur, Dodge College’s communications and external relations manager. “Then we think about what speakers will register with the Chapman community. Finally, we make the calls, send out invites and hope all of the stars and schedules align. ‘Squid Game’ was one of those big ideas that seemed somewhat impossible but then became a reality.”
Contact with the “Squid Game” cast and crew was established by Scott Feinberg, a trustee professor within Dodge College and a longtime columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. Feinberg helped curate several of last semester’s Master Classes as well by inviting guests to speak at Chapman on his podcast, Awards Chatter.
The Feb. 28 Master Class will also be featured on Feinberg’s podcast, but Mazur said it is unlikely the event will simultaneously be live-streamed for virtual viewing.
“You cannot get a more brilliant (Master Class) line-up of international artists,” Galloway said. “This is also thanks very much to Scott Feinberg … He’s been bringing in major names.”
As a sneak peek at the rest of the Master Class line-up, Galloway revealed another A-list celebrity name that’s bound to cause a stir among Chapman cinephiles: Guillermo Del Toro. The Academy Award-winning director, known for films like “The Shape of Water” (2017) and “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006), also plans on attending in-person for an interview with Galloway in the Folino Theater.
There will be a Q&A portion during Del Toro’s Master Class as an intermission between screenings of two movies from the director’s vast filmography. Galloway confirmed one of these films will be Del Toro’s latest work, “Nightmare Alley” (2021).
“The entertainment business is changing and we need to pivot,” Galloway said while explaining the importance of bringing international creators like Del Toro and Hwang to campus. “(We need to) change our curriculum, change our thinking and go to the world where the old barriers between film and television cease to exist and where the barriers between nations cease to exist … We’re entering a far more global industry where Hollywood is going to cease to be the mecca of that empire.”
Mazur told The Panther the remainder of the semester’s Master Classes will consist of virtual panelists.
The full schedule of Master Classes was released by Galloway Jan. 27, with the first one of the semester slated for Feb. 2. The Panther compiled the names of these guests and when they’ll be speaking with Chapman students:
Laura Linney - 7 p.m. Feb. 2 via Zoom
Billy Bob Thornton - 7 p.m. Feb. 23 via Zoom
“Squid Game” creator and stars - 7 p.m. Feb. 28
“Cobra Kai” showrunners - 7 p.m. March 2 via Zoom
Alan Ball - 7 p.m. March 9 via Zoom
Joey Soloway - 7 p.m. March 16 via Zoom
Milena Canonero - TBD March via Zoom
This is a developing story. Follow The Panther on social media and at www.thepanthernewspaper.org for updates.
