The Squid Game has become a real phenomenon, and one of the most memorable sets of the series is, of course, the labyrinth staircase. Not only does it represent the chaos and vicious circle that the game's participants find themselves in, but it also has a real prototype in art — the works of artist M.C. Escher. This labyrinth in the series, like it's "impossible" figures, causes not only visual admiration in the viewer, but also slight disorientation.
The director and screenwriter of the project, Hwang Dong-hyeok, admitted that the inspiration for the creation of this staircase was Escher's engravings, in particular, the famous lithograph 'Relativity'. It was this work, in which various worlds and spaces meet, absurdly intersecting at different angles, that formed the basis for the concept of the mysterious staircase leading to the game sector.
In Escher's work 'Convex and Concave', you can also see complex staircase structures similar to what we see in the series. These architectural illusions, playing with perception, perfectly reflect the atmosphere that the creators of The Squid Game wanted to convey to the viewer.
However, this production had it's own challenges. The visually impressive labyrinth staircase became a real headache for the film crew. Hwang Dong-hyuk noted that it was difficult for him to navigate the set, where it was necessary to coordinate the actions of the actors and cameramen.
The set itself was created as a complex labyrinth, and even an experienced director got lost in it. The cameras could not always be set up correctly, and walls had to be broken down to get the right angles. As art director Chae Kyung-sung admits, the film crew was so exhausted that they sometimes wondered where they could even place the cameras so as not to get into the frame.
Despite all the difficulties, the labyrinth staircase became one of the most impressive and memorable sets of the series. It serves not only as an important part of the visual atmosphere, but also symbolizes the confusion of what is happening on the screen, where every step of the hero can lead to unexpected consequences. With this element, The Squid Game managed to truly surprise the viewer, which certainly played a role in it's global success.
