Squid Game - a Netflix hit
The Netflix Korean series, Squid Game, made by Hwang Dog-hyuk, has reached the top most watched show — less than 10 days after its release on September 17.
For 10 years the producer tried to get Squid Game on air but was refused by so many directors that he lost hope he could ever get the script on the big screen.
The protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, played by the actor and model Lee Jung-jae, represents your typical ‘still lives at home and his mother needs to take care of him, but also has a failed marriage and a daughter he can’t seem to take care of’ kind of guy. So when he’s presented with the opportunity to make more money, he takes it in a heartbeat.
There is only one season that consists of nine one hour-long episodes. The whole show is based on desperation and poverty — more than 450 people, including Gi-hun, from poor backgrounds, are competing in terrifying children’s games that are taken to extremes to earn unimaginable riches.
The catch is that if you lose you get shot in the head, and there can only be one winner.
There are also guards in place. People dressed in red costumes who usually possess guns and wear black masks with different geometrical symbols on them.
They are also part of the system, but arguably they can be seen as slaves to the system. Although they are meant to seem like a source of authority, from a different light they can also be seen as victims of the game.
Squid Game is an amazing show that is worth a binge in one sitting. It will keep you at the edge of your seat 99% of the time. It will make you question and wonder what you would do if you were in the character’s shoes, and how far would you be willing to go to get out of debt.
It is dark and twisted with a tint of gore elements in the killing scenes.
This is a show that really dives into the core of humanity — and it is all portrayed in a death game genre scenario.
