by DRISHYA BARAL
barald2@lopers.unk.edu
“Squid Game” is a Korean TV show released on Netflix last fall. The show quickly gained popularity through social media, especially TikTok, where I was first introduced to the show.
While scrolling through TikTok, I saw one of the users reacting to the infamous “Red light, Green light” scene, which immediately grabbed my attention. After coming across multiple other posts about the show on the app, as well as fan theories and other content regarding the show on multiple other platforms, I decided to give the show a chance.
Since the show had been hyped up so much, prior to my viewing, I had very high expectations. However, it also made me wonder whether the show would live up to the hype that it has generated, or if it would be another overhyped TV show which will ultimately disappoint me.
The story follows Seong Gi-hun – played by actor Lee Jung-jae – a down on his luck father with a gambling problem who needs to make money to gain custody of his daughter who is soon to fly to the United States with her mom and stepfather.
After various failed attempts, Gi-hun, on the verge of giving up, meets a mysterious man in the railway station, played by actor Gon Yoo (“Train to Busan”). The man offers him a chance to make money under the condition that he plays a game with him, which would either help Gi-hun earn cash or get slapped across the face.
After losing multiple times, Gi-hun finally wins a round and gets offered to participate in a game which could earn him millions if he decides to join. Gi-hun initially refuses, but after a series of unfortunate events, he gives in and joins the game. The next day, a mysterious vehicle picks him up, and he wakes up next to hundreds of people in the same room, and thus begins Squid Game.
Squid Game is a series of games that the participants have to play to win the reward that could change their lives, though the show offers much more than that. We get to see character growth of various participants and the psychological trauma that one goes through in order to make money.
The factions and groups that form the mind games that are played in order to gain advantage over one another, betrayal, trust and much more can be seen in the show. The best moments of the show are the most unexpected moments, which often made me gasp with amusement, while other times shocked me with sadness. The show has the capability of keeping the viewer on the edge while also creating moments that could pull the heartstrings.
While the show in itself has great storytelling and shock value, one thing that stood out for me throughout the series was the character development of the characters in the show. The show does an exceptionally good job of making the audience emote towards the characters. Even the most trivial characters who do not have much to the plotline are portrayed in a way that would make the audience feel a certain emotion towards them.
“Squid Game” also provides social commentary on the themes of current economic scenarios in the world. It showcases the rich entertaining themselves watching the poor fight over money that they have at their disposal. The show reminded me of the movie “Parasite”, another Korean movie that depicts a similar scenario.
“Squid Game” is a very good TV show and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a nail-biting thriller with great story and characters and crazy plot twists. One of my only criticisms of the show was the unrealistic portrayal of the whole Squid Game event itself. With current technology of drones and satellites, organizing the game in an island under everyone’s radar with more than 2-300 people participating seemed quite unrealistic. But other than that, there is not really much to criticize about the show. All in all, “Squid Game” is a good show with a lot to offer to the viewers, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and dramas.
