Squid Game: The South Korean sensation
Over the past year, TikTok has demonstrated that it can make almost anything viral. It has done just that with the South Korean Netflix original show Squid Game. With almost no major advertisements in the United States, this rather gruesome show has managed to garner millions of views thanks to social media.
Originally released on Sept. 17, Squid Game is on track to be Netflix’s most watched series in any language. It has been ranked number one in multiple countries including the U.S., U.K. and South Korea. In fact, videos tagged with #squidgame has been viewed more than 22.8 billion times on TikTok alone.
The show is centered around a serial gambler Seong Gi-hun, who is struggling to support himself and his family. Gi-hun finds himself placed in competition for $39.4 million where participants compete with their lives. With 456 participants only one can be victorious.
Performance: 8/10
The cast of this show consists of quite a few well known actors in South Korea, including Lee Jung-jae who portrays the main character Seong Gi-hun/player 456 and Kim Joo-ryeong who plays Han Mi-Nyeo, player 212.
Each character was depicted so well that as a viewer you found yourself rooting for certain characters and despising others. In particular, a newcomer to the screen, actress Jung Ho-yeon, stole viewers’ hearts in her portrayal of Kang Sae-Byeok, player 067.
Ho-yeon has even become the most-followed South Korean actress on Instagram thanks to the show’s success. Overall, the actors do this show justice.
Plot: 10/10
The plot is truly the star of this show. Each character’s story is developed at an impressive pace allowing viewers to truly connect with them.
Additionally, all of the side stories that were included made sense in the context of the show, which can be quite difficult to do well.
There are quite a few unpredictable twists, making it a gripping watch. The suspense built throughout each episode makes you want more each time an episode ends, making this the perfect binge watch.
Writer Creativity: 9/10
The twists and turns of this show are more than enough to keep you hooked, but the underlying concept is one that really makes you think about our society. The show itself is a commentary on capitalism that has been heavily influenced by South Korean history.
Highlighting social structures, class differences and the general unequal playing field that exists in society, the show retains nuance, forcing the viewer to think deeply.
The dialogue itself is well-written and communicates the story effectively. However, it was recently revealed that the provided English subtitles were inaccurate and changed the meaning of the dialogue. Netflix quickly solved this issue after viewers began to point it out.
The show somehow manages to be equal parts endearing and shocking. Truly a must watch, it is the perfect show to ease into the Halloween season.
Netflix even offers a version dubbed in English if reading translated subtitles is too daunting of a task, giving you no excuse. However, I would say that if you are averse to blood or grisly details make sure to watch this with a friend!
Overall Rating: 9/10
~ Tanvi Iyer `22
