Spoiler alert: This review contains spoilers on the Netflix show ‘Squid Game’
Squid Game, a South Korean thriller directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, has recently become Netflix’s most successful series yet, beating out Bridgerton with 111 million viewers across the world as of Oct. 12. The series has achieved high acclaim, with a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and a dedicated fan base that has taken over TikTok and other social media platforms.
The show follows the life of Seong Gi-hun, a gambling addict who joins 456 other contestants in severe financial debt to play a series of games for a prize of 45.6 billion won. Each of the rounds are based on Korean children’s games, including a few that American audiences may recognize. However, the price of losing these games is steep; contestants that lose a game are killed, and their bodies are either burned or harvested for organs. This gruesome twist left viewers on the edge of their seats as they watched the characters create alliances, break them, and do whatever it took to survive.
“Red light, Green light” and “Tug-of-War” are not the only parts of Squid Game that may feel familiar to American audiences. The show’s criticism of income inequality in South Korea comes during a time in which the U.S. is facing problems with its own capitalist system. 7.7 million people were unemployed in September, and demands for better working conditions, benefits, and wages are manifesting across the country in the form of strikes and mass-resignations. With South Korea ranked 12th and the United States ranked 8th for the worst income inequality in the world, it comes as no surprise that Squid Game resonated with American audiences.
One way in which Squid Game criticizes South Korean capitalism is through the background of various characters and how it affects their decision to join the games. Kang Sae-byeok is a North Korean defector who needs the money to get her parents across the border. Ali Abdul is a Pakistani immigrant who joins the games to support his family. The diverse characters of the show allow for a thorough exploration of the effects of income inequality on different groups. Though these characters vary in their reasons to join the games, they are united in their desire to escape their financial situation, and are willing to put their lives on the line to do so.
Where the series may fall flat, however, is the execution of its anti-capitalist message. Many aspects of the show, such as the group of wealthy people (most notably white Westerners) betting on the games or the harvesting of the organs, are introduced in later episodes and lack much exploration. Instead, the show continues its focus on the games, with an increasing level of violence and brutality that at times feels unnecessary. There is a slight irony in the fact that the growing violence in Squid Game continues to entertain its viewers, just as it did for the wealthy bettors in the show.
While Squid Game is not perfect, it is still a carefully crafted show that has sparked important discourse on income inequality around the world. Everything from the characters’ backgrounds to the intricate set and costume designs contribute to a terrifying and gruesome atmosphere that exposes our own unjust economic system. Squid Game is a show whose themes cross national and cultural borders, and is a must-watch for this year.
Written by Vismaya Mohindra of Richard Montgomery High School
Photo courtesy of Netflix