Squid Games – The Game of Life & Death that took the World by Storm

Netflix’s original thrilling survival K-drama ‘Squid Games’ is also known as ‘Ojing-eo Geim’ has taken the world by storm, becoming one of Netflix’s most popular shows ever written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. Hwang was inspired by his own early economic problems as well as the differences in South Korea’s social classes. Despite the fact that he first wrote it in 2008, he was unable to find a production firm willing to fund the project until Netflix expressed its interest in it in 2019 as part of its effort to broaden its international programming offerings.

Squid Game was well-received by critics and drew international notice. It became one of Netflix’s most-watched shows in various regional areas within a week of its debut in its first 28 days, drawing 110+ million viewers, surpassing Bridgerton and The Queen’s Gambit as the network’s most-watched show and being the biggest-ever launch hit.

What’s the Hype About Squid Games?

The Netflix-distributed series premiered on September 17, 2021, over the world. The show revolves around a competition in which 456 contestants, all from different walks of life but all heavily in debt, compete in a series of children’s games with life-threatening consequences if they lose the chance to win a $45.6 billion jackpot.

It is not full of characters wearing glamorous, ever-changing wardrobes steeped in romance and historicism, the kind that inspires viewers a deep, pining yen for an empire waist frock or a checkerboard shift, unlike previous Netflix hits, such as “Bridgerton” and “The Queen’s Gambit.” And unlike other survivor-take-all movies like “The Hunger Games,” which is frequently used as a reference for “Squid Game,” it isn’t full of characters donning stylish, futuristic bodysuits as they duck and weave their way through life-threatening circumstances.

Relatively, Squid Game features a cast of characters dressed in plain teal-green tracksuits splattered with blood and mud as they are compelled to play children’s games to the death in order to pay off their debts. Referees in hot pink boiler suits with black masks keep an eye on the action and shoot anyone who breaks the rules of the game. The players occasionally remove their zip-up sweaters to expose white baseball jerseys with matching teal sleeves and an identification number instead of a name.

When a group of masked rich VIPs comes to bet on and cheer on the deaths, you’ll undoubtedly get some Hunger Games flashbacks. But the good thing is that Squid Games doesn’t look like a copy of any movie. However, it’s a well-made K-drama/thriller series. Not just for the desperate contestants but also for those in charge of the game, rich backstories are created. Make sure you don’t miss the final episode, which is a true thrill ride.

Some have said that Squid Game is remarkably similar to Takashi Miike’s 2014 Japanese film The Gods Will. The film is based on a Japanese manga series. It’s likewise about a death tournament, including childhood games, and it appears to have certain sequences in common, such as a spinning doll attempting to capture players moving.

Is Squid Games Worth Watching?

Without a doubt, Squid Games is worth all the hype; all of its nine episodes are available on Netflix, so if you have nine hours to spare, binge it. However, this K-drama has a free blood spurt and a dark theme. It’s unsettling to see childhood games being converted into violent combat, and that’s why it says that this series is not for everyone.

However, the characters are well-developed, and the action is fast-paced and never stops. You will see a protagonist yet desperate father who is easy to root for, but he isn’t flawless. There is a terrible episode in which his actions result in a heartbreaking loss.

When these innocent childhood games are lost, people die, often cruelly. It’s up to you whether you want to watch it all in one sitting or spread it out over several days and take mental health breaks. Don’t hold your breath for a second season once you’ve finished watching the full series.

However, other participants included an elderly man who became the group’s grandfather, a North Korean refugee, a mobster with a snake tattoo on his face, and a highly educated man who was the pride of his hometown but fell short of his potential. So, long story short, once you have watched the first episode of this epic K-drama, it’s hard to resist not returning for more after seeing an episode, even if it’s merely to see who survives the next twisted game, and not to continue till the end!

Will there be a Season 2 for Squid Games?

It is quite obvious that the ending of Squid Games’ Season 1 created huge expectations for Season 2, but it’s unclear if there will be a Season 2 or not. Given that player 456 didn’t board the flight to see his daughter, we’d anticipate the main character returning, and we’d also expect him to try to take down those in charge of the game.

Of course, the game’s founder, player 001, died in the last episode of season 1, and given that the main character earned the prize money after many of the other characters died in the games, there’s plenty of opportunity for new cast members. Moreover, the writer and director of Squid Games, Hwang Dong-hyuk, said in an interview with a magazine,

“I do realize there are huge expectations for season two. It’s not that I haven’t thought about season two at all, and I also do have a rough framework for it. But I keep asking myself whether I can make it better than season one. I do not want people to get disappointed over the new season. He also added, If I ever make season two, I will try to look up those many ideas, and of course if there are any good ones, I can bring them into the story”.

Since we’ll be discussing the series’ conclusion, Seong Gi-hun wins, and he discovers who is truly in charge of the game you may have guessed because this character doesn’t die in the game, but it’s such a meaty plot surprise. Gi-hun dyes his hair brilliant red after dealing with the game genius, similar to the guards’ uniforms, but this is probably unrelated.

Then he begins to board an aircraft bound for Los Angeles to reconnect with his little daughter. However, he notices the game recruiter who got him involved in the game trying to persuade another down-on-his-luck man to join in.

Gi-hun snatches the card and phones the number shortly before boarding the plane, telling the person who answers that he’ll find them down. This calls for season 2, right? Even the director does not appear to be in a rush.

Let’s not forget about the brothers. Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-Joon), a police officer, infiltrates the game in search of his missing brother In-ho. Jun-ho manages to flee the game facility but is assassinated by The Front Man, the game’s manager. Jun-missing Ho’s brother, who we already know won the game in 2015, is revealed to be The Front Man.

But there are some great expectations that the brothers could return in season 2. A bullet hit Jun-ho in the shoulder before falling off a cliff into the water. So, he might not be dead, even though he doesn’t seem to have told his colleague’s cops about the game’s masterminds because the game is still going on. It wouldn’t be the show’s only death impersonation. Exciting!

And let’s not forget another blockbuster, “Money Heist.” has already broken records. Read this article for further updates about the season.

The Cast and Characters in this Wild-Deadly Game

• Seong Gi-hun (Jung-jae Lee): Player 456
• Cho Sang-woo (Hae-soo Park): Player 218
• Kang Sae-byeok (Hoyeon Jung): Player 067
• Oh Il-Nam (Yeong-su Oh): Player 001
• Jang Deok-su (Heo Sung-tae): Player 101
• Abdul Ali (Anupam Tripathi): Player 199
• Han Mi-nyeo (Joo-ryeong Kim): Player 212
• Hwang Jun-Ho (Wi Ha-Joon)
• The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun)
• The Recruiter (Gong Yoo)
• The VIPs
• The Minions (Separated by Circle, Square, Triangle)
• Byeong-gi (Yoo Sung-joo)

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap to my detailed review of Netflix’s biggest hit K-drama, “Squid Games,” which is the first-ever K-drama to hit the No. Spot on Netflix, only four days after its premiere, the series has reached a milestone, making it Netflix’s biggest series launch ever. Even though it’s brutal and vicious, it’s also immensely addictive and binge-worthy.

Since Netflix’s release in South Korea in 2016, Netflix has invested around 770 billion won ($645 million) in the country, producing about 80 original series and films. It announced plans to spend $500 million on original content in South Korea this year on Feb.

Betty Carter

Betty is an enthusiastic Computer Science Graduate and an extrovert who loves to watch Netflix, and is a binge-watcher always seeking quality shows to add to her watch history! She loves to write about the show, she has watched, to make her readers acknowledge them, and witness a cherished time with friends, and family!