Hard News

Squid Games: Is it Worth the Hype?

Makenna Chapman, Writer | 12/02/21

The Korean TV Drama, “Squid Game,” was released Sept. 17, 2021. Hwang Dong-hyuk, came up with the idea back in 2008. No one invested in the idea until 2019, when Netflix decided to take a chance. The creator had big goals for how he wanted this show to look, and it took nearly two years to create.

The description Netflix offers describes the show as being about “Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.”

The show quickly became a megahit for Netflix. Creators posted about the show on TikTok, making more people interested. Because of how hyped up the show was on social media, people had high expectations before starting it. Despite all of the positive feedback, some people were disappointed - some even mad - after watching the show.

An online review by Brain Gibbs stated, “This is a horrifically sick show.” Another review went on to say that “Gi-hun is the dumbest main character I have ever seen” (Ji Andaya). Lastly, one anonymous source provided more reasoning and said, “This show wasnʻt intended to be made for kids but yet some still watch this.” … “Please donʻt let your kids watch this show as it's not suitable for them.”

Lastly, an online article by Peter Stubley, states, “Reports of schoolchildren copying violent challenges from the hit Netflix show Squid Game have prompted a council to issue a warning to parents and guardians.” We can all conclude that this show is not meant for kids and kids should stay away from it.

Overall, many people, especially parents, were disappointed with the violence and intense graphics included in the show. The idea of the show is that if the individual loses any of the competitions, they get killed; but the show includes other things viewers may not want to see.

However, as mentioned earlier, not all of the reviews are negative. In fact, most of them are extremely positive. The show has a total rating of 4.6 stars on Google Reviews. An anonymous online source said, “It’s been about 2 days since I finished this show and it has genuinely not left my mind ever since … The acting is beyond phenomenal in my opinion and evoked emotions in me that I had never felt in any other show before.” This viewer clearly could tolerate the graphics in the show and because of this, ended up enjoying it. The viewer also mentioned the high performance of the actors involved in the show, which was not a lone opinion, as many other sources said they enjoyed the realness of the acting.

Olyviana Salazar, another online review, states, “I love this show. I personally think that it is one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever watched. It is very intense and interesting; it may be disturbing but it is one of those shows where you just can’t look away.” This viewer mentions the intensity and disturbing aspect of the show as actually being positive, unlike the negatively based reviews.

The Korean Drama is not meant for children, but rather older, more mature viewers. The popularity of this show was not without purpose, as many still enjoyed it despite the violence. Before watching the show, keep in mind the intensity and graphics included, but enjoy the unique plot and twists included throughout.