Written and directed by Squid Game’s Hwang Dong-hyuk, the South Korean survival drama was an instant success, quickly rising to become one of the most-watched series on the platform and captivating viewers around the globe with its nail-biting plotlines, razor-sharp social commentary, and stunning visual aesthetic. But what was it about Squid Game that made it such a runaway phenomenon, and why does it resonate with viewers?
The Premise: A Squid Game For Survival.
At its heart, Squid Game is about a group of 456 debt-strangled contestants playing a mysterious survival game in hopes of winning 45.6 billion Korean won (about $38 million). The twist? The games they are forced to play are adaptations of traditional Korean children’s games, albeit with fatal stakes. You’re out if you make one wrong move — literally.
The premise follows Squid Game, a gambling addict and father whose financial struggles have brought him to his knees. Some of them return for revenge, others for money, but he’s at least willing to talk to them in the middle of the brutal competition. Among them are Cho Sang-woo, a disgraced investment banker; Kang Sae-byeok, a North Korean defector; Abdul Ali, a Pakistani migrant worker; and Oh Il-nam, an old contestant with some surprising secrets.
Social Relevance: Class Struggle Squid Game
Perhaps squid game most powerful ingredient is its probing of economic and social disparity. The show offers a grim view of today’s capitalism, in which desperation leads people to desperate measures. But it is also in their willingness to put their lives on the line for the sake of financial independence, a dilemma that mirrors that of real people in the world who are caught between the gaps created by the system, for whom the very notion of debt and financial freedom is something of a myth.
The series also takes aim at the wealthy elite in squid game who prey on the vulnerable. The game’s VIP onlookers — masked, wealthy figures who make wagers on the players — act as a direct parallel to how the wealthy influence the less fortunate. This unsparing assessment found an audience around the world, where similar grievances had brought forth men’s voices from women in their own societies.
The Incredible Impact Squid Game Had on Pop Culture
In addition to its as-yet-unabashed story and social critique, Squid Game made its mark on pop culture. The show’s bold visual style, including bright, primary-colored sets and sinister, funhouse-style oversized playground equipment, became instantly recognizable. The now-famous green tracksuits and pink guard uniforms were everywhere in Halloween costumes and memes.
The series also brought social media popularity, with viral challenges recreating the tension-filled “Red Light, Green Light” scene. Even big brands jumped in on the show’s popularity, incorporating its themes and aesthetics into marketing campaigns.
What’s more, Squid Game was instrumental in boosting international interest in South Korean entertainment. It came on the heels of the international hits Parasite (2019) and BTS, cementing South Korea’s dominance in global pop culture.
What the World Can Learn From Squid Game
The themes of struggle, desperation, and morality resonated with patients in other cultures. Economic hardships and social inequality are rampant issues in South Korea, the United States, and Europe. Squid Game did an effective job of taking these denominational battles and creating a high-stakes emotional narrative audiences could not ignore.
Also, the way the show told stories through characters made it deeply relatable. Each contestant came with a back story: what hardships they had faced and what had compelled them to play the game, thus allowing viewers to squid game understand their reasoning, even when that led to betrayal and violence.
The Future of Squid Game
With the show’s unprecedented success, Netflix decided a second season was warranted, sending fans into a frenzy. Hwang Dong-hyuk said Season 2 will age deeper into the origins of the game’s mysteries and Gi-hun’s journey after his shocking choice at the end of Season 1.
Netflix has also used the Squid Game brand to develop competition spin-offs in which actual players engage in non-lethal versions of the shows’ games for cold hard cash. The move highlights the show’s lasting impact on entertainment and its capability of engaging audiences beyond scripted TV.
Conclusion
Squid Game was more than a nail-biting survival drama — it was a clarion call of economic inequality, it was eye candy, and it was a cultural phenomenon that sparked conversations around the globe. It has proved popular because it appeals to real-world problems and suggests that sometimes, the most exciting tales are the ones that capture our struggles.
So whether we’re looking forward to the next chapter in the Squid Game saga or not, this much is clear: Its impact on entertainment and the conversation around it isn’t going away anytime soon.
