The darkly humorous, blood-soaked ensemble series written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk has dominated Netflix and social media for weeks, and further spiked American audiences’ interest in K-drama. In case you’re wondering what all the buzz is about—or if you’re already a fan with burning questions—we’re bringing you a guide to the pop culture sensation. Here’s everything you need to know about Squid Game season one.
What Squid Game about?
In Squid Game, 456 cash-strapped, indebted and overall desperate citizens willingly participate in an elaborate series of schoolyard children’s games with a lofty cash prize (roughly $38 million). The catch? The games are deadly, as seen in a blood-soaked, machine-gunning round of red-light/green-light that’s already one of the most iconic, hair-raising action scenes of modern times. Squid Game has an ensemble cast, and focuses on Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae), a penniless father on the verge of losing his daughter because of his inability to provide, and whose elderly mother is ill.
How many people have watched Squid Game?
Squid Game has officially unseated Bridgerton as the most-watched program in Netflix history. According to Fortune, it’s projected to be viewed by 82 million people in its first 28 days.
Why is Squid Game so popular?
First off, Squid Game is a remarkable series on its own merits: twisting, well-scripted and powerfully acted, with subject matter that’s uncomfortably urgent and relevant. Also, this is an age where nearly every show and film is a sequel, reimagining or spinoff. With vibrant production design and instantly iconic costumes that are likely to be everywhere this Halloween season, Squid Game is thrillingly, confidently its own enterprise in a way that’s downright mesmerizing.
Is Squid Game as good as the hype suggests?
Yes. Hwang has created one of the most immersive television worlds since Game of Thrones, with relentless entertainment value and remarkably fleshed-out, sympathetically flawed characters. It’s a provocative morality play.
What shows or movies are like Squid Game?
K-dramas are striking a chord with American audiences. The most obvious recommendation here is Parasite, Bong Joon-ho’s masterful comedic chiller that, in 2020, became the first-ever foreign-language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. For a similarly disturbing, intriguing story, we recommend 2000 Japanese thriller Battle Royale (it’s free on PlutoTV, Prime and Tubi right now). Kingdom (two seasons) is another popular, gruesome K-drama streaming on Netflix.
Should I watch Squid Game in English dubbed, or in Korean with subtitles?
Here’s a touchy topic. Social media users have debated the translations. This is, in fact, much ado about very little. Reality is: translation is an under-appreciated art form, with a lot of factors. Subtitle translators must take into account pacing, limited screen space and more. If we had to recommend one way over the other, we’d say watch Squid Game dubbed in English, or in Korean with “English” subtitles, not “English CC.” The storytelling is so compelling you’re likely to be hooked regardless.
Is Squid Game based on a true story?
The schoolyard games are based on real children’s games (minus the bloodshed), but other than that Squid Game is entirely a work of fiction.
Why is it called Squid Game?
Squid Game is simply the name of one of the schoolyard games, named after a squid-like diagram typically drawn on the earth. Squid game is the final game of season one’s events, an emotional tête-á-tête.
How does Squid Game season one end? Squid Game ending explained
Ending explained (spoilers, obviously!): After the final round of Squid Game, Gi-Hun is the only contestant standing after the final opponent (Park Hae-S00) chooses suicide over the realities of life. Seemingly helpless old man Oh Il-nam (also believed to be a long-dead contestant), played by Oh Young-soo, is revealed to be the orchestrator of the entire operation. He’s so wealthy that he’s lost pleasure in everyday life; along with obscenely wealthy colleagues, he’s resorted to watching on the sidelines as poor people fight each other to death. This sounds sort of like The Hunger Games, and sort of like Black Friday in the real world. It’s dramatically meaty stuff ripe for modern satire. In one of the series’ most emotional moments, Gi-Hun and Oh Il-nam play one last game, determined to prove their opposing world views. Gi-Hun believes, despite the horrors he’s seen in the games, that people are innately good, and when the pair watch a citizen and police officer come to the aid of a homeless man outside Oh Il-nam’s high rise, Gi-Hun wins. Oh Il-nam dies. Gi-Hun is devastated to find out his mother has died while he was in the games. One year passes. Gi-Hun donates about half his winnings to Sang-Woo’s mother, who’s adopted Player 67 (HoYeon Jung)’s young orphaned brother. Lastly, Gi-Hun abruptly doesn’t get on a plane to the U.S. to see his daughter. He’s conflicted to say the least, but his daughter is at least safe on the other side, and Gi-Hun is furious to learn there’s to be another games—and he wants to play again. The games (which the script subtly hints are international) have clearly sunk their talons into our central antihero (he sees his winnings as blood money, and has hardly touched it); it’s unclear where he will go from here. What is clear is that he’s fired up.
Why does Gi-Hun dye his hair red?
According to Forbes, showrunner Hwang “intuitively” chose red hair as a final-act change for Gi-Hun, who’s lost a lot, grown some (if not exactly linearly) and changed from within. Hwang says the red flair expresses Gi-Hun’s inner anger.
Will there be a Squid Game season two?
Squid Game actually hasn’t been officially been renewed for season two, but granted the series’ astounding success (and season one’s tantalizing cliffhanger), an announcement is surely expected. All nine episodes of Squid Game season one is now streaming on Netflix. Next, check out the 100 best shows on Netflix.
