Yee Lim Shin—Staff Writer

Netflix’s Squid Game has been on the rise since its release on Sept. 17. The thriller tv show is on its way to becoming the number one most-watched show on Netflix. This Korean production has blown on social media, especially on platforms like Tik Tok. The #Squidgame currently has over 22.8 billion views with people creating their own Squid Game challenges or reacting to the show. The hype is definitely worth it.

The story, set in modern-day Seoul, Korea, starts off with the main character, Gi-hun, a divorcee suffering from crippling debt. One day, Gi-hun is approached by a man who asks him to play a game where the winner receives a cash prize. After winning, Gi-hun gets his money, a business card with a phone number, and an offer. The offer is to participate in a set of games to earn more money. He accepts.

Gi-hun, along with 455 other players, embarks on a journey of survival as he wakes up in an empty room with faceless guards wearing red jumpsuits holding guns. He is told he must play and win a set of 6 games win $40 million, a failure to do so results in elimination and death. 

Squid Game picks up halfway through the first episode when the players realize these dire stakes. Each episode hooks the viewer and doesn’t let go until the end of the season. And even then, it keeps the viewer wondering if there will be more to the story.

Squid Game is a Hunger Games meets reality tv as contestants fight for their lives to survive each round. The brightly lit rooms and games played by children create a stark contrast to the desperation and fear the players have as each round gets harder and harder to solve. People cheat, lie, and kill to survive.

In some ways, Squid Game turns into a metaphor for life, where everything seems fun and easy until one has to pay a price and live with the consequences of a good life. This is especially true in the director’s commentary on the poverty line in South Korea. 

But what makes this show great are its complex characters and their storylines. Each character had their own story of why they are in debt and why they joined the game: some were fired from their jobs, others double-crossed with no other option than to hold on to a tiny glimmer of hope that they could walk out of the game with enough money to have a good life.

With only nine episodes in the season, it is a perfectly bingeable show to watch over the weekend. And, if you haven’t already, I would highly suggest watching Squid Game. It’s a whirlwind of emotions that will keep you wondering and sitting on the edge of your seat as each episode unfolds a new story.