Netflix’s Squid game is the new hit show on the platform and is hard to miss. The South Korean show used a recycled concept used by Hunger games and Battle royal and turned the world upside down. The only question is, have you watched it?
Squid game was directed by Hwang Dong-Hyuk and released on September 17. It has quickly reached number one in 90 countries on Netflix, and now, four weeks after its release, the show has become Netflix’s most-watched show surpassing the romantic period drama Bridgerton.
Like most viewers, I started watching Squid Game exclusively for its popularity, without even knowing what it was about. After only one day of binge-watching the series and brushing aside any responsibilities I have as a student, I must say the show deserves its enormous success.
For the few of you who haven’t watched the show yet, Squid game is a survival drama. Seong Gi-Hun, a divorced gambling addict and 455 other individuals in debt are lured into playing numerous child games for a ridiculous amount of money. The only catch, if you lose, you die.
The plot is straightforward, revisiting a similar concept used by Hunger games and Battle royal. However, what makes the show distinctive and hugely successful is how it used a recycled concept to expose the dark side of society.
Unlike Hunger games and Battle Royal, where the contestants are forced to participate in a deadly battle, The contestants in Squid game show a willingness to participate in a series of games with a fatal consequence rather than remain in their severe financial issues.
The series highlights an actual economic inequality within our society and makes the show so much more meaningful. Whilst some have no way out of poverty, others are so full of money they barely know what to do with it.
I couldn’t help but put myself in the contestants’ shoes and wonder what I would have done if presented with the same choice.
What makes this show unique are the challenges played in the series. They are traditional South Korean child games. Most Western viewers are unlikely to be familiar with some of them. One, however, has particularly aroused viewers’ interest.
The second game in the series, the Dalgona challenge, is played with a sweet honeycomb made out of sugar and baking soda. The aim is to scratch a shape out of the candy using a needle. If you break the shape, you die.
The challenge has become hugely popular on social media. On TikTok alone, the hashtag for ‘Dalgona’ currently has 1.2 billion views, and the number is increasing by the day. Fans have been testing their luck by playing the game and posting it all over social media, only this time, if you lose, you really just lose pride.
Not only this, but Squid game memes have been dominating social media, using images of the show, and changing the meaning behind them.
Having failed the honeycomb challenge three times myself, I must say it is entertaining to take part in what only seems like a Squid game apocalypse.
If you haven’t done so already, Watch the enthralling new series everyone is talking about, test your luck with the honeycomb challenge and join the massive Squid game community.
Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix.
By Elena Pre-Kouadio
Feature image: Netflix