A binge-worthy series that will keep you on your couch
If you have not been living under a rock, then you’ve heard of the overnight sensation Squid Game on Netflix. Without spoilers, it is a show about morals and what you’re willing to do for money and a changed life. Squid Game is a one season Korean drama and contains nine, hour-long episodes. The show revolves around the protagonist Seung Gi-Hun, a divorced father, who gets sucked into playing children games that turn deadly.
Although the plot of the story itself is intriguing beyond measure, the concept and deeper meaning behind the series is what makes this Netflix original stand out amongst other trending contenders. The show’s themes all structure around real-world economic and social issues. Themes include hierarchy, imperialism and poverty.
The hierarchy is displayed when a wealthy man lures innocent Korean citizens in to play a “game” simply because he was bored and had extra money to spend and give out. The imperialism is portrayed when the English-speaking VIPs of the game get to travel to an exotic island, enjoy making bets on people’s lives and staying in a luxurious room filled with all kinds of fancy beverages and food platters while the poor players of the game have to literally fight for their lives each day. The poverty is seen throughout the episodes as the audience gets backstory into certain player’s lives and how they live outside of the game.
Everybody at some point has thought of what they would do for money. Maybe you chose a certain major you knew would be profitable. Maybe you’ve gone to Vegas to test your gambling luck. These players had an unpredictable opportunity to earn some cash and took it to make a better life for themselves and for their families. Each player had a different reason to continue to play, but they also each had a choice to kill or be killed.
Although Squid Game is in Korean and some of us have to watch in English and with subtitles, it didn’t take away from the intensity of each game. The concepts behind it are so raw and showcase just how harsh the real world is for some people. This show is emotional, binge-worthy and suspenseful, but my favorite part of the entire show? You’re in for an insane plot twist and a whole lot of theories that follow.