“Squid Game.” The new Korean drama that is currently trending on both TikTok and Netflix, has blown everyone into a frenzy. The complex plot, violent murders, and smokingly hot characters has everyone captivated. In only a span of ten days, “Squid Game” became number one on Netflix in 90 countries. Even with the language barrier and little popularity for foreign language shows, “Squid Game” surpassed “Bridgerton,” who was the former ratings record holder on Netflix. The show starts off by introducing the main character, Seong Gi-Hun, a loving father who accumulated a large amount of debt over the years due to gambling. Gi-Hun is offered a chance to turn his life around with a game of Ddakji. He is handed a card with three symbols and a phone number on the back. From there on, Gi-Hun is on the road to gamble with his life. Billions of dollars sounds tempting for someone who is knee-deep in debt, but at what costs are the characters willing to go in order to win the game?
Coco Fan, a sophomore at CHS, first heard about “Squid Game” while checking her friends’ Instagram stories. Just like everyone else, she quickly became interested in the show, and wanted to express her impressions.
“Squid Game was definitely worth the hype!” Fan said. “The drama reminds me of that one Korean movie that blew up called Parasite. My favorite characters are Ali and the girl that everyone loves (HoYeon Jung). I like Ali because of his kindness, and I also like the girl because she’s doing the game for her family. I’m kind of envious of her relationship with her sibling.”
“Squid Game” is a Korean drama, and the show is primarily spoken in Korean. However, the show is dubbed in 34 languages and also offers subtitles for each. So what made this show become an overnight sensation? There are several different factors that add up to “Squid Game’s” ultimate success in the entertainment industry. First off, the show is genuinely interesting. It has an incredibly complicated storyline where adults are forced to play children’s games in attempts to win a large sum of money. However, losing the game can lead to a violent death. There are also several underlying implications about modern capitalism as well as the income inequality in minority groups. We learn about the deeper stories and reasons why people fall into poverty and can’t leave the cycle as the show progresses. The show keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats, especially with the dramatic suspense of risking one’s life. Taking children’s games and mixing murder into the pot is something that is new, interesting, dark, and attention-grabbing.
The show has garnered many reviews from watchers, and regardless of the good or bad, the buzz has certainly been racking up. “Squid Game” has blown up on social media platforms, ranging from memes and endless edits on TikTok to ranting wars on Twitter. Word has traveled fast, creating an engaging social aspect of it all. It is the newest and hottest thing to watch, and everyone wants to jump onto the bandwagon.
Caught by the popularity of it all, Angelina Diaz, a sophomore at CHS, shares her thoughts about the show.
“I think it’s very compelling because, I want to say it’s a lot of action,” Diaz said. “There’s always going to be a twist and a cliffhanger after each episode, and it makes you want to watch it.”
The suspense and thrill of this dark and eerie show has got millions hooked. With underrated actors in their debut performances, “Squid Game” could very well be the career starter for many of these aspiring actors or actresses to be. Actress Jung Ho-Yeon who has gained millions of fans from the show. In addition to rookie actors, veteran actors such as Goo Yoo (main lead in “Train to Busan”), and Wi Ha-joon (co-lead in “Romance is a Bonus Book”) are featured as well. Children’s games mixed with murder to form a death match, “Squid Game” is a thrilling drama to watch if you have just encountered foreign language shows. Make sure not to miss out on it!