You should watch the Squid Game series if you want to know why it trended on Netflix. I know this may come as a tall order on you, but trust me, you’re missing out if you won’t even try. At first glance, it looks just like any other similar genre like Hunger Games, Purge, Saw, and Escape Room, but it is not.
It’s not your typical Korean rom-com style either, but it’s a nerve-racking blood-thirst series, instead! I hunched right back in my seat until the end and I anticipated for the story to get better and better with every episode I watched.
To those of you who watched the first episode and stopped right there, I encourage you to watch further and these are the reasons for that:
🦑 A photographic plot that moves around childhood games
It is said that director Hwang Dong-hyuk had been planning this Squid Game series for over 10 years. One worth looking out for is his exceptional writing that’s unique and thought-provoking.
Once you finish this series, you cannot just simply remove it from your head. It’s that naturalistic and photographic! With the episodes, I saw how frail we are as human beings once we get consumed by our desires and tendencies.
At the beginning, I did not sense that there will be an ulterior motive for all the games introduced. As I progressed with each episode, I came to understand the different characters. I admit that it was hard to accept what they represent in us human beings.
What I like about the plot is it revolves on one human flaw: greed. The greed and the need for money makes them play further. No one forced them to do so and they knew very well that if they lose even a single game, what they lose is their life.
Interestingly, the plot revolves on Korean games that they played in their childhood days. This element in the plot helped develop a connection with the audience. I was keen to know what’s coming next. Which is the next game they are going to play? or who is going to die next? The use of games was a great literary device to show us the darker side of society and the realities of confronting one’s deepest fears and motivations.
As someone who loves mystery and likes solving puzzles inside stories, the Squid Game greatly impressed me! To me, the life-death challenges were intriguing because I’ve never seen any like this before. I liked that there were little hints and clues that kept me glued to my seat anticipating who’s the next on line to be dead.
🦑 An aesthetic and strategic use of colors
When I watch anything on screen, structures and colors immediately strike me. It’s probably the architect in me that takes over when this happens. I have huge respect for the skill of the creative and production teams of this series for their strategic use of colors.
The dominant colors used on screen are green, red, black, white, and pink and this combination is very much pleasing to my eyes as part of the audience.
- The Green tracksuits – The players wore this.
- The Red tracksuit – The “Front Man” who is the mysterious and intimidating leader overseeing the deadly game, wore this.
- The Black suits – These were worn by the VIPs who are wealthy spectators and influential individuals who watch and gamble on the survival game. They observe the brutal challenges from an elevated viewing platform and treat the game as entertainment.
- The medical staff who attended to injured participants during the games wore White uniforms.
- The female staff members who manage certain aspects of the game and its facilities wore Pink uniforms.
To me, the colors are vivid, vibrant, and distinct and I would say this style is strategic because it built up my anticipation of what other colors I’ve yet to see in front of me. It went from being positively pleasing to my eyes to awfully seeing blood, wounds, tears, and physical fights. The foreground colors and the grim colors that surfaced somehow represent what’s underneath in all of us. We may project a certain ‘color’ on public, but deep inside, there’s a bleak version of that.
I would say that the overall cinematic and architecture of the whole set is one to watch out for.
🦑 A good choice of actors for their roles
The lead actors have given the world a high-quality series that one won’t forget. Each one of them has a unique story to tell. We slowly understand why they end up joining the mysterious survival game and risk their lives just like that. Even the side characters play a very vital role in spicing up the plot.
Every character was willing to play the game and they went through each using their skills and strategies. Most of them acted upon by fear. Desperation dominated others. Greed motivated some. I think this depth allowed the audience to connect emotionally with the characters because I, myself, became invested in their journeys.
I just couldn’t get my eyes off of the characters. From the villain roles of Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung, and Park Hae-soo to the roles of Oh Young Soo, Jung Ho Yeon, and Tripathi Anupam, each one of them has such a unique backstory. You just cannot take out a single piece from the roster of artists in this series. If you do so, the whole creation won’t just be the same.
🦑 The art of appealing to your varying emotions and thoughts
What hooked me completely to Squid Game series is the combination of survival, competition, and psychological elements. It evoked in me fluctuating emotions and these were brought about by scenes of friendship, pain, betrayal, trust, sacrifices, traumas, struggles, fear, helplessness, discrimination, greediness, loneliness, teamwork, and so much more. I will not forget the episodes of intense moments, unexpected twists, and the nail-biting suspense.
Aside from connecting to my feelings, it somehow nudged my thoughts around economic inequality, social struggles, power dynamics, pursuit of money, regret, exploitation, and human nature. The Squid Game series was effective in sparking conversations that are hard to engage into.
More than the gripping plot, this creation gave me something to really think about. I pondered on the harsh realities of life and thought how people acted out desperate measures. It raised questions about the choices we make and the ethical implications of those choices.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk has done an excellent job in creating this perfect series that has its own unique screenplay, suspenseful plot, and creative delivery. There’s no official confirmation yet about the release date of season 2, but I’ll definitely binge watch on that as well. I expect to see new challenges, unexpected twists, and further exploration of the characters’ motivations and backstories. If the same creative team is involved in season 2, I know that the production will be of the same high quality and the actor performances will be as compelling as the first one.
Are you satisfied with how the story ended? How do you think the plot will unfold in the next season?
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