We’re going to do things a little different with this post. This is my first of two K-Drama related posts that I am publishing in reverse order. But since Squid Game is the most recent K-Drama that I finished, and it’s been so popular, I decided to do this one first. Also, this series was something different for me, so I hope you enjoy my review!
I’ve always considered myself someone who can’t get into movies with a lot of violence or horror themes. My boyfriend does remind me, though, me how much I loved Sons of Anarchy & watched every single episode, some of them twice (LOL). But I guess the older I get, the more it doesn’t bother me. It also depends on the characters and storyline, whether it has one.
What is Squid Game!
Squid Game is the story about four hundred and fifty-six people, who have all struggled financially in life, and are invited to play a mysterious survival competition. They are given a business card with special symbols and a phone number to call to participate. Competing in a series of traditional children’s games but with deadly twists, they risk their lives to compete for a ₩45.6 billion (US$38.5 million) prize. It’s a constant struggle for some players to decide whether it’s worth continuing the games.
My Thoughts on Squid Game!
Squid Game completely surprised me. As violent and gruesome as a lot of it was, I couldn’t stop watching it. It took me two days to watch all 9 episodes! I just had to see what happened next.
Things That I Really Liked About the Series:
- Aesthetic – The game areas were designed in bright colors despite the horror that resulted from each game.
- Music – Upbeat yet creepy, as well as classical music being played, signaling when the games would be starting.
- Characters – The backstory of 4 of the major characters made their outcomes very emotional for me. They took a vote to end the games at the very beginning. But soon realized no matter how gruesome the games were and knowing they would be risking their lives, they still felt it was better than their reality outside of the games.
- The Games – Being based on children’s games so people are getting killed surrounded by “child-friendly” aesthetics and music. Also, the game master was true to his word when it came to playing fairly, and no one being given an advantage over another. Cheaters were eliminated and hung up in a public space to prove how serious they were.
- Staying True to the Theme – I wouldn’t call this a “favorite” moment per se, but one of the more twisted elements, the way the players that were eliminated were taken away in giant giftboxes (similar to the ones you would find in the crane games in an arcade) before being put into an incinerator, or having their organs harvested.
When Reality Meets Story Telling
As outlandish as much of this series was, there were some very real themes and situations thrown in there.
- The characters struggling due to financial issues, whether it was because of a gambling problem, or being an immigrant trying to make money by having a decent job.
- One of the characters was the pride of his hometown, going to a nice college and becoming a “businessman” but getting caught up in crimes like fraud and embezzlement.
- Near the end where the VIPS for the Squid Game were invited to watch the final games. This disturbed me more than the actual games, because most of these VIPS were wealthy middle-aged to older Caucasian gentlemen. They got off on watching these people of color compete and die over the one thing they had too much of, money.
*SEE THE OFFICIAL NETFLIX TRAILER BELOW. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!*
Final Thoughts!
I would say that the first episode is a decent indicator of whether you can get through the rest of the series. But it does slow down a little bit after they play the first round of games, so you may sink into a false sense of security before the games REALLY get started. It’s basically just the creator’s twisted take on survival game shows. My brain processed it as a mixture of the Hunger Games, Saw, and Korean Variety Shows *shrugs*.
