Squid Game: The Show That Took The World By Storm
Squid Game, the South Korean drama has captured the interest of audience globally and has become one of the most-watched shows on Netflix mere days within its release on September 17. It has rocketed its way to the number one spot on the platform in several countries and its memes, some not so spoiler-free, have flooded the internet.
So what’s Squid Game all about?
Squid Game is a survival game that pits people that are in great financial debt to compete in games that are played by children. Only the states are much much higher. If they lose, they are eliminated – from the game and this world. But, if they manage to win all the games, they will be able to a bizarre amount of money.
Interestingly, the show and Netflix even caught some attention from Jeff Bezos.
If you think Red Light, Green Light or Tug of War are pretty simple and harmless, you’ll be surprised at the amount of gore in this show. Yes. There is plenty of brutal and bloody scenes that can make your stomach churn. But, the most devastating and heartbreaking moments aren’t the violence, it’s the emotionless cruelties and betrayals between the players.
The nine-episode series is written and directed by filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyuk. Squid Game was initially developed as a film but was later converted into a show, which completely suits the story they were trying to tell.
Similar to Money Heist, the mysterious characters of the show are seen in red jumpsuits with symbols to differentiate between the goons and the boss. They are supervised by the Front Man who wears a different attire and an obscure mask. The ideals and motivations of the host and the benefactors remain a mystery, though some of it is revealed in the season finale.
However, a strong portion of people who understand Korean has criticised the English subtitles. According to bilingual viewers, the subtitle translations are inaccurate and botch the true story of the characters seen in the show. This has been a rising issue for Netflix translated Korean dramas and is something the streaming giant should pay heed to if they intend to connect local shows with their global audience.
Squid Game like the oscar-winning film Parasite (2019) focuses on the effects of new liberal capitalism and the violence and harsh realities that people have to suffer. The participants of the game choose to play to their death to win a large sum of money that can change their life; because outside the game, their life is hopeless and filled with misery – to the extent that a quick death seems like mercy.
Final Verdict: 4.3 stars (out of 5)
