Yet another unheralded Netflix series has become a surprise hit. Seemingly out of nowhere (although it’s actually out of South Korea), the brutal nine-part survival drama “Squid Game” has struck a pop-culture nerve with its dark twist on cheery childhood games like tug of war and Red Light, Green Light — which, in the show, are played to the death for huge cash prizes.
Think “Battle Royale,” “The Hunger Games” and “Saw” rolled together with “Parasite”: an exercise in class warfare in which the losers (i.e., the poor people desperate enough to compete) are summarily executed.
Noting that “Squid Game,” which debuted on Sept. 17, was the No. 1 Netflix show in the world, Ted Sarandos, the Netflix co-chief executive, said on Monday that there was “a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.”
Wondering whether to dive in? Already tried the show’s Dalgona cookie challenge? Either way, we’ve gathered what’s worth reading from the oceans of ink about the show. Excerpts and links, below:
‘How Netflix’s Brutal “Squid Game” Is Already Wreaking Havoc Around the World’ [New York Post]
“More than 14 billion videos with the hashtag #SquidGame have appeared on TikTok since the show premiered Sept. 17 on Netflix. Now it’s being hyped as the platform’s top streaming series in the US and dozens of other countries — quickly becoming a time-sucking trending topic on Twitter and Instagram, too.”
‘“Squid Game”: How a Hyper-Violent Korean Series became Netflix’s Biggest Hit’ [The Age]
“Dr Sung-Ae Lee, an expert in Korean film and television from Macquarie University, says the show’s focus on the ever-increasing gap between rich and poor has perhaps proved timely for audiences. ‘It’s about Homo economicus, rather than Homo sapiens — these are people who only think about money,’ she says of the show’s characters. ‘We’re living in an era where people follow neoliberal ideology without even knowing, so I think the audience identifies themselves in the story.’”
‘Who Is Gong Yoo?’ [Marie Claire]
“Yoo is a familiar face to fans of Korean content. The 41-year-old actor has starred in some of the biggest k-dramas and films of the past 20 years, all while maintaining a private life off of social media. If this is your first time seeing Yoo, here’s what we know about him and which of his projects to watch next.”
‘This “Squid Game” TikTok Uncovers A Major Clue Hidden Behind the Beds in Episode 1’ [Bustle]
“A shrewd TikTok user noticed that hints to survive the deadly games were inside the bunker ever since they woke up in it in Episode 1. “THE CLUES WAS IN FRONT OF THEM ALL ALONG,” TikTok user @lucy.what1 wrote on her short clip. The video zooms in on the empty bunker, from a scene later in the series when the number of players had dwindled, clearly showing wall paintings that depict all six games played throughout the season.”
‘“Squid Game” Knockoffs Are The Latest Sensation to Take Over Roblox’ [Polygon]
“These knockoffs are able to proliferate across the Roblox platform because it’s hard to issue a claim against a children’s game, and also, knockoffs and parody games often go unnoticed. In fact, it’s common for on-platform developers to copy original IP, using nonlicensed characters from shows like ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and ‘Demon Slayer.’ Whether these developers get caught depends on how aggressively the I.P. owners protect their content.”
‘I Tried the Dalgona Candy Challenge to See If I Would Survive “Squid Game”’ [Delish]
“I was curious about how difficult this might be, so I decided to try it out myself. I followed this recipe from Korean Bapsang, but improvised with a few tools. I heated 6 tablespoons of sugar over low heat in a pot I held on its side. Once it all melted, I turned off the heat and added ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. What then ensued was the most chaotic two minutes of my life.”
‘Why Are ‘Squid Game’’s English-Language Actors So Bad?’ [Den of Geek]
“Given the V.I.P.s’ role in the narrative, the stilted performances of the English-language actors kind of work. The V.I.P.s are a group of disgusting wealthy men so out of touch with humanity that they bet on human life for fun. This is reflected in the manner of their speech. […] To call them monsters would be letting them off the hook for their lack of humanity, which is a choice they make everyday, but to have that separation between the contestants and the V.I.P.s marked not only by a language barrier, but by a style of performance, is an interesting narrative decision, if it was one.”
‘The Chekhov’s Gun in “Squid Game” That Has Fans Theorizing About Season 2’ [Looper]
“Redditor u/Atlantic789 gets credit for noticing the Chekhov’s gun moment, which happens about 31 minutes into the fifth episode of Season 1, “A Fair World.” The undercover police officer Hwang Joon-ho has infiltrated the island’s unit of red-suited guards, and he’s climbing down a ladder inside a secret passage […]”
‘The Ending to “Squid Game” Depicts a Moral Battle Between Egoism and Altruism’ [Men’s Health]
“The moral beliefs of the extremely wealthy, ‘Squid Game’ leads us to believe, are essentially egoistic. They also believe that everyone shares this ethic, making it acceptable to prey on others.”
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