Devil's Plan 2 PD Responds to Viewer Criticism

In a recent interview, 정종연 (Jung Jong-yeon), the producer of Netflix's original series Devil's Plan: Death Room (데블스플랜: 데스룸), addressed the critical feedback the show received after its finale on May 20, 2025. The show, which featured contestants from various professions competing in a brain survival game over seven days, concluded with 정현규 (Jung Hyun-kyu) emerging as the champion.

Despite the show's popularity, many viewers expressed dissatisfaction. 정종연 acknowledged the criticism, stating, "I may not see every community post, but I've received a lot of feedback through DMs and other channels. Some viewers even asked about my parents, and many comments suggested that I might have lost my touch."

He attributed some of the negative reactions to significant changes in this season, particularly the introduction of the 'prison block' system, which divided contestants into two groups. He noted that while the prison block had a well-defined narrative through its 'prison matches,' the living block lacked a competitive structure, leading to a less engaging storyline.

Additionally, he recognized that the rewards for the prison matches were perceived as insufficient, while the hidden stage rewards for the living block were seen as excessive, making it difficult for players from the prison block to advance.

"The daily main match results are crucial, and I designed the latter part of the game to allow for easy comebacks, similar to how sports operate. However, I understand that this may have felt unbalanced to some viewers," he explained.

Regarding the speculation that 윤소희 (Yoon So-hee) may have conceded her victory to 정현규, 정종연 dismissed the idea, stating that her strategy to maintain an alliance until the final rounds was understandable. He expressed surprise at her decision to forfeit the final bet but acknowledged that such actions are difficult to regulate in a survival format.

He also discussed the strong alliance between 정현규, 슈퍼주니어 (Super Junior) member 규현 (Kyuhyun), and 윤소희, emphasizing that their personalities played a significant role in their gameplay. "They are individuals who value promises and loyalty, which made it challenging for them to break away from their social tendencies," he noted.

In response to criticisms about the perceived lack of competitive spirit from 규현 and 윤소희, 정종연 stated, "I believe that not everyone needs to be fiercely competitive. Sometimes, it's interesting to see characters evolve and grow throughout the game."

He concluded by reflecting on the feedback from this season, expressing a desire to improve in future installments. "If we have a Season 3, I want to present a better version of the show. I appreciate all the feedback and will take it into account moving forward."