squid game has everyone talking: here's why

By Jackie Hernandez, Reporter

Entertainment & Culture

Photo provided by Netflix, 2021.

Squid Game has taken the world by storm. If you are not familiar with the hit Netflix show, the South Korean fictional drama follows people in debt or struggling financially who are brought to play children’s games to win a prize of 38 million won (45 billion US dollars). But here’s the twist: if the players do not pass the challenge or win the game, they are killed. Warning: This show includes violence and is rated TV-MA; if you feel uncomfortable, I don’t recommend watching this series.

The show was released last month in September, and in just days, it had everyone on social media talking. The Co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, said: “It’s only been nine days, and it’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.” And it is already the number one Netflix show in dozens of countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. According to a tweet from Netflix: “Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans— making it our biggest series launch ever!”

Squid Game gained so much popularity because it is unique and different. The actors knew how to enter their roles and get in character, playing a powerful part in the show. The scenes showed genuine and raw emotions in unthinkable circumstances that each player faced in their personal life. That is the part where it gets intense: each player does not want to die, but they want (and very desperately need) the money. These personal stories then show us how desperation and ambition can lead people to do unbelievable things.

On TikTok, many users cannot stop talking about Squid Game. Many of the games featured on the show are children’s games, so people have been recreating scenes and making memes out of them, with hashtags such as #SquidGame garnering over 22.8 billion views on the platform. One of the most popular games has been “Boppki,” or the “Dalgona Challenge.” Players must cut out a shape such as a triangle, star, or umbrella made of honeycomb sugar toffee (known as dalgona candy in Korea). Many viewers have been attempting to bake their own dalgona to see if they can cut out a shape without breaking the fragile candy.

Another game that has gotten popular since the release of the series is the one featuring a giant robotic girl eerily saying “Mugunghwa kochi pieotusmnida,” which translates to, “The hibiscus flowers have bloomed.” This chant is the Korean equivalent of the popular game, Red Light, Green Light. Over 420,000 videos have been made using this audio on TikTok, with many teenagers making memes out of it or showing off their dance moves to the audio.

Now that Squid Game has officially been the most-watched show on Netflix, is there a possibility of a season two? On Nov. 9, in an interview with The Associated Press, the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, confirmed he is in the planning process for season two. “There’s been so much pressure, so much demand, and so much love for a second season, so I almost feel like you leave us no choice,” Hwang said. As season one ended with a cliffhanger, the world waits on the edge of its seat to see what happens in season two of Netflix’s megahit series.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.

Sources

Frater, Patrick. 'Squid Game' Director Hwang Dong-hyuck on Netflix’s Hit Korean Series and Prospects for a Sequel (EXCLUSIVE)." Variety, 24 Sept. 2021, variety.com/2021/global/asia/squid-game-director-hwang-dong-hyuk-korean-series-global-success-1235073355/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2021.

Rosenblatt, Kalhan. "Netflix's Squid Game is a sensation. Here's why it's so popular." NBC, 4 Oct. 2021, www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/netflix-s-squid-game-sensation-here-s-why-it-s-n1280646. Accessed 6 Oct. 2021.

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