“Squid Game” Review

Behind the Name

Just from the title, one may assume “Squid Game” has to do with “aquatica”, or marine life, however, this is not it. Squid game is the name of a Korean children’s game that is sort of like tag, where offense and defense use a squid-shaped board drawn in the dirt; its popularity grew in the 1970s-80s. The writer of Netflix’s most-streamed original series, Hwang Dong-hyuk, explains to Radio Times how “[Squid Game] was one of the most physical games and it was also one of my favorite games.” He even adds how he, “felt that this game could be the most symbolic children’s game that could represent the kind of society we live in today,” explaining why he chose this game as the title for the series. Dong-hyuk explains how his main goal with “Squid Game” was “to write a story that was an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society, something that depicts an extreme competition of life,” he commented to the outlet at Bustle.

What is Squid Game about?

“Squid Game” begins when Seong Gi-Hun, a divorced and indebted dad, is given an invitation to play a series of children’s games for a large cash prize. Given no other choice but to continue his sufferings or try to win millions and transition into a new and better life where he can afford to take care of his daughter and mother, he accepts the offer. Accepting this foreboding offer, he is picked up in the middle of the night by a mysterious bus, drugged, and wakes up to find himself in an unknown location among 455 other players with similar massive debts. In the series, masked guards in red and pink boiler suits with squares, circles, and triangles on their masks, can be seen keeping watch on players 24/7, with the games being supervised by an enigmatic man who wears a unique black mask who is known as the Front Man. The most notable game that has been taking over social media is the first game, red light, green light, and through that game players soon discover that they are truly risking all, including their life, for the potential ₩ 45.6 billion grand prize. Understanding that winning all six games for the cash prize will take a lot more than luck, Gi-Hun sought to form an alliance with other players including his childhood friend Cho Sang-woo, Abdul Ali, Oh ll-Nam, Han Mi-Nyeo, and Sae-Byeok.

*Spoiler Warning*

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think “Squid Game” was an amazing series given the fact that it had a fresh storyline that most people have never seen before. However, one thing that I didn’t enjoy is how Gi-Hun (candidate 459) took two years to get Kang Sae-Byeok’s (candidate 067) brother from the orphanage. The reason I dislike this storyline is I felt Gi-Hun should have honored Kang Sae-Byeok’s wishes right away. Additionally, I hate how he dropped everything and abandoned his daughter again at the end for the sake of vengeance. However, all these complaints can be thrown away given the fact that the writer made the response time for the next game time-sensitive. If Gi-Hun visited his daughter, he would miss getting the entry into the following game and hundreds of lives would be left to chance. Furthermore, the reason it took him so long to get back to reality is due to the immense amount of guilt he felt for having a hand in multiple candidates’ lives. There is no doubt that Gi-Hun suffered from severe PTSD due to the horror of the games, and this caused him to become lost because of his lack of will to live and his suffering from survivor’s guilt. The only thing that rekindled his spirit to fight is his finding out that Oh ll-Nam (candidate 001) was behind the game and that the game would still continue after Oh ll-Nam’s death, leaving more lives in danger. This act of Gi-Hun sacrificing his desire to see his daughter in hopes of saving the future candidates’ lives is what makes him one of the best characters in the series.

Squid Game’s Influence On Campus

At Paxon, there is no doubt that “Squid Game” has had an influence among the students, as Netflix’s most popular original series began to dominate students’ conversations following its recent release on September 17th, 2021. Even “Squid Game” memes can be seen on students’ Instagram accounts, as one Paxon senior shares a meme of Gi-Hun in response to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Undoubtedly, this show is a must-watch and has definitely made an impression on students who have watched this series; however, there are mature scenes, so parental supervision is advised.