By Syriah Dambreville ‘23
The drama and thriller series Squid Game has been beloved by many. An extensive amount of people have said it is one of the best Netflix series to air on American television. But the public has also had different opinions on the series; some saying it is an accurate and great representation of the world we live in today, but others have said it was an overrated and overhyped show, with little substance.
Squid Game was originally aired on Korean Netflix in 2020 by Hwang Dong-Hyuk. It analyzes the lives of 456 heavily in-debt individuals ranging from different ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds. The characters participate in six rounds of various children’s games with a deadly spin off, leaving only one winner. The series is an analogy centered around capitalism and the hardships many people suffer from.
The creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk has revealed that he originally conceived Squid Game as a movie back in 2009, based on his past life experiences. He grew up poor and blamed capitalism for his suffering. Dong-Hyuk had tried airing it on television back in 2009, but it had been rejected by many movie directors. However, after making its debut on Korean Netflix as a series, not a movie, it has been deemed as “the most viewed piece of content” by Netflix in 94 countries. Although it has been a pleasant surprise, director Hwang Dong-Hyuk has been conflicted on the recent fame and differing opinions.
The reactions to Squid Game have been fairly even sided by many who appreciated the artwork, aesthetic, and script of the series, while finding deeper meanings of the series.
Overall, due to the huge amount of fame and support Squid Game has recently received, an overwhelming amount of viewers asking for a season two, after just months of the show being released. Although Hwang Dong-Hyuk has been thankful for the endless amount of support he has stated that he is in no rush to film season two.
Squid Game is now available for streaming on Netflix.