Squid Game was released in 2021 as a Netflix original. This series immediately became a hit, gaining millions of international fans, many of whom were American. The cast featured lovable, smart, and complex characters with which the audience could easily fall in love with and then later easily sob about after watching their deaths. Squid Game is about a man Gi Hun, played by Lee Jungjae, a man who has gambled to the point of no return. In his desperation, he joins a series of games. The winner of the games would be awarded 456 billion won, approximately 313 million US dollars. The games turn out to be dangerous and many characters die throughout the show. The show is filled with social commentary about class in Korea. But what about this show appeals to such a wide audience? And is season 2 just as good as the first season?
Squid Game’s global success has sparked a greater conversation about the increasing influence of Korean entertainment worldwide. As K-dramas and K-pop gain momentum internationally, Squid Game has helped to highlight the immense talent coming out of Korea. This cultural shift is not only beneficial for Korean media but also opens the door for other countries to share their unique stories on a global platform. The show’s success is a testament to how a deeply cultural and specific narrative, such as one rooted in Korean society, can transcend borders and connect people from all walks of life. It demonstrates that universal themes of survival, human nature, and the pursuit of wealth can resonate with audiences around the world, leading to a more diverse and inclusive entertainment industry.
The beginning of season 2 starts off with Gi Hun and the police officer, Jun Ho, trying to track down the games again with the goal of stopping the games forever. Gi Hun and Jun Ho are two of the few returning characters from season 1 as many of them died. After Gi Hun witnessed all these deaths, he is desperate to find a way to stop any more people from being hurt by the games. Eventually, he is brought back to the games and is forced to play them again.
Almost everything about this season is new. It is incredibly hard for a show as popular as Squid Game to practically start fresh with an almost entirely new cast. Thankfully, the new cast adds even more to the show. The cast features famous Korean Actors such as Lee Byung-Hun and Im Si-Wan, to K-Pop Idols such as Jo Yuri and T.O.P. By adding even more famous people, it keeps the audience engaged and brings in more new fans.
Something else that was new were the games. Aside from the first game, Red Light Green Light, the second season featured different games. It was a great choice to keep a familiar game while also changing the other games because it gives the audience a breath of fresh air while still keeping a staple of the show.
The thing that appeals to the foreign audience the most is the interesting concept, the characters, and the social commentary. Squid Game is simply a unique premise. To think that there may be death games responsible for the disappearance of several poor people is a crazy thing to think about. Also, the fact that these games are children’s games adds to the juxtaposition of having such innocent games be the cause of so many people’s deaths. The characters are also so well written that they are very easy to become attached to. The audience knows that the characters are playing death games and have a low chance of survival, yet they can’t help but fall in love with these sweet characters with heartbreaking backstories. The complex characters make the audience even more sad when the characters die. This emotional element also adds to the likeability of the show. If a show is memorably sad, more people will talk about it. The commentary is also very interesting. The audience is shown a diverse range of characters, each with their own stories as to why they got so desperate that they joined the games in the first place. It makes it even more sad when you realize that many of them rather stay in the games with the possibility of death, than go back to the real world. Squid Game shows the reality of poor people in Korea and how hard it is to get out of debt. In season 2, there are people from old men to pregnant young women playing in these games in a desperate attempt to get a second chance. In one scene, half of the players want to go home while the other half wants to continue playing for a chance to win money. One player argues that even if he gets out of there, there is nothing left for him. He will die either way so he might as well gamble his life and see if he gets the money.
This show also brings up the extreme lengths people will go to for money. Some players in season 2 encourage the deaths of other players, saying that the living characters will get more money the more other people die. People are willing to risk their lives and kill others for this money. However, the interesting part about this commentary is that it is done in a sympathetic way. The show creator is not blaming the people or saying “look, poor people are desperate monsters.” Instead, he is looking at the bigger issue, seeing why they are so desperate in the first place. These people are only desperate because without money, they will either be miserable or die, neither of which is something that anyone wants. The show talks about how it’s unfair to blame lower class people for being desperate when there’s no other option for them because the system is unfair. The show instead paints the upper class as the monsters, as they are the ones orchestrating the death games and watching them die for their entertainment.
Korean media has grown popular in America for the past few years. Movies like Parasite, which also talks about class issues, have won multiple awards and become loved by many across the world. So what makes Squid Game important? Well, it is very important representation. We’ve seen an increase in movies and shows featuring a predominantly Asian cast, such as Everything Everywhere All at Once and Beef, but the lack of Asian representation in Hollywood still remains. Squid Game is authentic Korean representation. The show keeps audiences entertained while simultaneously educating them about Korean culture. The fact that Korean culture is so rich but so different for a majority of Americans makes the show fun to watch because the audience learns new things about an interesting culture. Squid Game marks an important milestone in Asian media.
