Introduction
Indeed, when the series “Squid Game” was launched on Netflix in September 2021, it immediately went viral. The South Korean survival drama streaming series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk rapidly realized huge success, overtaking the record of the most-watched series on the streaming platform when it was released. The combination of elements of psychological thrillers in combination with both social themes and human emotion was engaging for a global audience. This article will describe the key points related to the show and why “Squid Game” became so popular concerning its themes, narrative strategies, and social impacts.
Squid Game Game: Its Premise
In basic concept, the series takes place around 456 people who are struggling through monetary issues and then are allowed to go through children’s games for a cash prize of 45. A total of approximately USD 38 million in 6 billion won was invested. However, the games come with a deadly twist: hey say ‘It’s a life or death situation when you lose a game.’ The contestants who are in poverty, in debt, and with no hope in life join this survival reality show television knowing well that they may be dead by the time the show comes to an end.
From the first episodes of the series, the spectator gets the feeling that he is inside a mechanical society in which the main and only aim is to survive. The difference between the joyful and playful childhood and the gruesome reality that awaits those who fail to win becomes thrilling as it occupies the viewers during the whole film.
Pervasive issues of Class and Economic disparity
In other words, “Squid Game” is a television series produced to expose problems of dysfunctional societies and the socio-economic class system. Players in the game are its characters, and they also go through financially difficult times relevant to many people in South Korea in real life. Several issues, for example, poverty, unemployment, and the struggles of people in a foreseen attempt to escape adversely increasing debts are usually touched on the show.
The characters are ordinary people: a divorced father seeking a way to feed his child, a migrant worker who needs to fend for his family, a criminal who is escaping from the agents who he had borrowed money from, and a businessman who has lost all his properties through poor investment. The games can be considered as reflecting the principles of social Darwinism, the principles that modern society can be seen as a society built on capitalist principles, where the winners are those who grab more, and the others, the so-called losers are left alone, without any support. The concept of surviving the fittest goes beyond real life and death struggle for being a part of the game in the context of contemporary neo-capitalistic society.
From a viewership perspective, one of the values of “Squid Game” is how infiltration of dehumanizing features of extreme worsening of inequality is portrayed. People become mere digits who are precluded from being unique individuals and have to sabotage others’ opportunities for a plain shot at riches. This is the same way in which people in poverty can be treated as lowly beings and neglected in society by the higher powers.
Psychological and Emotional Depth
But, “Squid Game” is not just survival directed towards a Dunning-Kruger-esque sociopath for destroying mankind for no reason. It has likable characters and they have their growth which was a blessing to the show. The story is set to show the background of each participant and why he or she is ready to fight for the prize and kill in the process.
Seong Gi-hun, the survival show’s protagonist, is an average man who blows his money and is separated from his daughter. From the journey through the games, the audience is presented a man of great ethical dilemmas but the same man in need of the most basic survival instincts. I think Gi-hun’s characterization bears the burden of portraying a lifeless middle-class man who, despite his attempt, gets caught up in a cycle of loans and poverty.
Another principal character is Cho Sang-woo who is presented as an opposite character to the protagonist, Gi-hun. On the one hand, Gi-hun still tries to remain the good person he was to win the game, while, on the other hand, Sang-woo has no problems with betraying all the other people if it brings him victory. With regard to his moral character, he is a perfect example of the cost that the games extract from the subjects and, more broadly, the human beings who live in societies shaped by unfair power dynamics.
The solid rock dynamics include relationships between characters, for instance, the friendship between Gi-hun and the old man Il-nam which humanizes the story. The series always keeps the show basing the Shinjuku characters’ morality, wondering how far are people willing to go to live. Do you stay a moral person as you fight back, or do you dispense with societal norms when Grand Admiral Thrawn captures you?
In the case of Squid Game, it can be seen that the visual and symbolic language plays a major role in creating the experience for the viewers.
One of the show’s easily distinguishable elements is its visual design. Feeling highly saturated the sets are as bright as candies, especially the game arenas, which have been opposed to the dark theme of the show. The appearance of childish symbols – playgrounds and games contrasting with the deadly serious struggle for victory creates a feeling of fear of something happening on the screen.
The masks that are worn by the guards of the game and the “Front Man” also have symbolic meaning as well as dehumanizing effects. The players are deprived of all human attributes and are given numbers only, and the ‘opponents’ who are the guards, play the game mechanically. This lack of identification some as due to the modern bureaucratic systems where people are more or less treated as numbers.
Also, the triangle, square, and circle that are employed in the different parts of this series have claimed symbolic importance to express the power relationship in the game. The mentioned shapes are associated with the hierarchy of the guards where a triangle points to enforcers, a square to the superiors, and a circle to the lowest-level workers.
Cultural Importance of Museums and Art around the world
The global success of ‘Squid Game was not just because of the show’s concept of being an appealing survival game but because the show touched on global issues such as inequality, desperation, and survival. This success story is illuminating the increasing global domination of South Korean media even as it has progressively risen in popularity over the decade with its bangers like “ Parasite,” “Train to Busan,” and “Kingdom.
Hypotheses According to this, the success of “Squid Game” can be also considered under the aspect of availability. The show is based on the South Korean context, however, its ideas are universal. Given the current global state of affairs that we all find ourselves in – lifted by high inequality rates, credit crunch, and social protest – it is bound to resonate with the contestants and thus viewers from across the world.
In addition, the series brought a lot of controversy and conversation on social media especially as people tried to explain the show and dissect its subtext and messages. Further, the Squid Game Challenge, where some of the game episodes were recreated by the show’s fans, went viral; the show became popular.
Criticism and Controversy
However, as a popular show “Squid Game” was not without controversy either. That show came under attack from its viewers for mainly exaggerating violence and portraying the suffering of humans for entertainment. The violence is employed for a purpose: to show the cruelty of a system that does not give a damn about human lives; however, it gets uncomfortable sometimes.
There was also controversy on the moral factor of this show. Unlike other series where a solution is given to the issues being exhibited to the audience, ‘Squid Game’ enhances the suffering of its characters for its horrific gains. The viewers were also split due to the show’s ending which can be interpreted in more ways than one, especially regarding the effectiveness of the show’s commentary on post-capitalist society.
Conclusion
Squid Game is a cultural phenomenon that entertained millions of viewers and raised critical topics concerning inequality, survival, and the essence of people. Their mix of action and adventure, drama, passion, and sociopolitical relevance left viewers of the world intrigued making it one the most iconic television events of the decade. Although the show is situated in South Korea, the issues raised in the show are issues that cut across the globe, and the ripple effect of the show will be felt for years to come. Thus, watching Squid Game, we recall the lessons of real life in an unfair world and humans’ desire to escape it.
